
Quitting smoking is one of the most effective health decisions a person can make – and one of the hardest to carry out alone. Workplace support measurably changes the success rate: people who receive support while quitting stop for good significantly more often than those without it.
What makes workplace support especially effective Smoking is a behavioral habit with a strong physiological dependence component. Anyone trying to quit is fighting withdrawal symptoms, ingrained smoke breaks built into the daily routine, and social triggers – often within the circle of colleagues – all at once. Workplace support can address all of these: information materials, group offerings with other people trying to quit, and, on request, partial reimbursement for nicotine replacement products.
How the offering should be structured No workforce is without ambivalence. Pressuring employees to quit loses them. Creating an offering that's communicated openly and accessible at a low threshold reaches exactly those who have already been considering it for a while. An internal information campaign plus a group offering plus the clear message 'We support you in this' – that's the right tone. The rest is up to the employees themselves.
How to put it in place
- 1Kostenlose BZgA-Materialien zum Rauchstopp beschaffen (Broschüren, Poster, Online-Ausstiegsprogramm)
- 2Krankenkassen-Angebote prüfen: viele bezuschussen Rauchfrei-Kurse – Kontakte zusammenstellen
- 3Zeitfenster wählen: der „Stoptober" (Oktober) ist ein bewährter, motivierender Anlass
- 4Sensibel framen: Angebot zur Unterstützung, kein moralischer Druck auf Rauchende
- 5Angebot vertraulich und wertfrei kommunizieren: Wer aufhören möchte, findet hier Hilfe
- 6Materialien und Kontakte zentral und diskret zugänglich machen
- 7Optional eine freiwillige Gruppe für gegenseitige Motivation anbieten
- 8Über die Wochen dranbleiben: regelmäßige, unaufdringliche Impulse und Tipps
- 9Rückfälle normalisieren: ein Fehlversuch ist kein Scheitern, sondern Teil des Wegs
- 10Auf konkrete Hilfen verweisen (Beratungstelefon, App, Kurs) statt nur zu appellieren
- 11Vertraulichkeit strikt wahren – niemand soll sich beobachtet fühlen
- 12Anonym Resonanz einschätzen: Wurde das Angebot genutzt?
- 13Interessierten den Weg zu längerfristigen Kursen (Krankenkasse) ebnen
- 14Angebot dauerhaft verfügbar halten – Aufhören passiert selten auf Knopfdruck
What you need
- Effort
- under 30 min
- Cost
- Free
- Setup
- 60 min
- ✓ BZgA material free of charge
- ✓ Important topic
- ✓ Health insurance support possible
Eligible for funding: up to €600 tax-free
As part of a structured workplace health process, this measure is tax-free under § 3 no. 34 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) up to €600 per employee per year — BGF-Kompass supplies the process. Certified offers (e.g. from Upfit) are additionally subsidised by statutory health insurers under § 20b SGB V.
Health-insurer funding & tax: how to apply →Start this measure now
Register for free — and the measure is ready to go in your cockpit: invitation, feedback survey and appointment are already set up. First cycle, first numbers for the boss.
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