I am a smoker and work from home permanently. Is it unprofessional to light a cigarette during meetings?
A person who permanently works from home has sparked a furious debate online by asking if he can smoke on office video calls.
taking to Redditthe worker, from the UK, asked if it was acceptable to light a cigarette given that they were in the privacy of their own home.
But social media users were divided, with some saying it was their right and others arguing it was inappropriate.
In the original post, the user wrote: ‘If you work from home permanently, is it unprofessional to smoke in a gathering?’
Some pointed out that you could do whatever you wanted if the camera was off.
An anonymous UK employee who works permanently from home has sparked a furious online debate by asking if he can smoke on office video calls (file image)
However, others said that company human resources departments often still ban smoking during work hours, whether you’re in the office or at home.
For starters, some forum members said that smoking while working from home is not unprofessional.
One wrote: “I wouldn’t object, it’s her home.”
Another added: ‘I wouldn’t mind. At the end of the day, it is the comfort of your own home and it would not affect me or my work. I also don’t think it looks unprofessional.
They added: “They’re still working and can work, it’s just like they’re taking a sip of water or something.”
However, others said that it was completely unprofessional, no matter the setting.
One wrote: ‘I see but no way would I do that in front of customers on a video call. I think it’s unprofessional.
“If you’re that desperate for a vaporizer, step away from the camera for 10 seconds.”
Taking to Reddit, the worker, from the UK, asked if it was acceptable to light up a cigarette given that they were in the privacy of their own home.
Another added: ‘I would say unprofessional. You can’t smoke in an office environment, so it’s best to avoid it in front of the camera during a work meeting.
“Anyone who seriously can’t wait until the end of a meeting to take a puff should probably cut back on cigarettes.”
Another wrote: ‘Yes. Have some self-control for an hour or two.
While a fourth added: ‘I would see it as unprofessional. It gives me the feeling that I don’t take the meeting seriously or that I’m not fully committed.’
Some admitted that they did this regularly, but only turned on when the camera was off.
One explained that they would regularly light up when certain colleagues were on a call, but they wouldn’t dream of doing it in front of different people.
And some advised never to do anything at home that you wouldn’t do in an office.
Some said that it was okay to smoke in the comfort of your own home and that it was like drinking a cup of tea.
But others were ambivalent, asking what the law’s position would be on the issue.
One wrote: ‘I started WFH in 2010 and our existing employment contract was no smoking during working hours.
“Someone checked with HR and they confirmed it still applied even when working at home.”
But one responded: “I suspect employers literally have no power to enforce this.”
And one said it would be interesting to know if there has been a legal test case on this issue.
Most people said that it was completely unprofessional to smoke on a work call and that they would not advise it.
They wrote: ‘My home is my home. But when I work from home, my home is my workplace. There are laws about workplaces, such as the ban on smoking.
Some also told funny stories.
One wrote: ‘I got out of the chamber and sneaked out for a cheeky cigarette during a long gathering of everyone.
‘She moved outside, brightened, took a long drag, and exhaled into the sky with a sigh of relief. Only to look at my screen and see that she had accidentally turned my camera back on as I was moving outside. Mortifying.’
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