Hospitality/Service industry folks, vaping at work?

[Iamfoltzy]

What's your experience with vaping at work?

I work as a bellman at a beach resort. My manager was a smoker and he has no problem with us slipping away for a smoke break as we like (provided we are not busy and we can be called back when needed). That was cool and swell in and of itself, but I always wondered if the guests were overwhelmed by the smell of smoke on my clothes (I'm sure they were). Now that I'm vaping, I'll still excuse myself for a "smoke break" just to get a few minutes to myself, but at least I won't reek of smoke when I return to work. I know I could never vape openly, but I do create the chance to stealth vape. I'll pull on my 510 behind closed doors, then hold it and exhale lightly through my nose so no one notices when I come back out.

I haven't bothered to open up to my boss about vaping for two reasons: A. "openly" vaping is really not an option and B. I know he's recently quit smoking cold turkey and I don't want to tempt him (he really enjoyed smoking, but gave it up when his grandpa went to the hospital for lung cancer). Other employees have taken up e-cigs just to get around anti-smoking managers. At our restaurant, the manager has put a strict regulation on smoking so that the servers do not stink out the patrons.

I guess my greater question is, even if you can vape inside and/or as you please, do you think vaping helps you conduct business better because you don't smell like an ashtray? That is to say, have you noticed guests/patrons to be more appreciative since the smell is gone?

- Foltzy

 

[JamesMods]

hey Iamfoltzy,

Personally, I work in a cube 17 floors up from the smoke hole. a "Quick" smoke break is a 15 to 20 minute ordeal. There's about 3 of us at work who've seen the light now and gone to vaping. So far, no one at work is complaining if we vape in our cubes. Our company doesn't have an official policy for or against it. As matter of courtesy I've vaped in my cube and openly asked everyone around me if it bothers them. No one complains, one person thought I'd put a Glade Plug In in my cube, and everyone has told me the faint "candle" scent in the air is nice change to rank stench that would follow me back from the smoke hole.

My daughter, Sara, works for a grocery store as a checker near her college, and she's been vaping for a while now too. She's told me she "Stealth Vapes" by bending down and pretending she's messing with stuff under the register and exhaling with a similar tactic.

Anyway, I guess as long as you're dealing directly with the public you have to remember you are the company's, or in your case the hotel's image. Leaving the floor is the wisest thing to do. PV's look weird to smokers and non smokers alike. I use a pass through in the car and people have asked me if I was smoking a water pipe at stop lights before. I'm just waiting for some cop to pull me over on that one!

Anyway, congrats on the switch and happy vaping!

-james

 

[stover.p]

I work in a building an an army base with a lot of offices. I can openly vape in my office but I also still go outside for "smoke breaks" just to get out of the office. There are only 2 "smokers" in the building and we both vape now. I'm respectful about and if I have a meeting in my office, I don't vape. To me it's just a matter of respect. But my office doesn't smell like an ashtray anymore since I kicked the butts

 

[crazygirll22]

I also work in a fairly large building with cubicles & people all around me. And I do vape in my cubicle, I kind of stealth vape and the people next to me know about it and I did ask if they can smell it and the answer was no. There aren't any laws banning it inside so until someone has an issue with it I don't see a problem. I guess it depends on where you work, the folks around you and the company you work for. So far my employers are great about the whole thing. Best of Luck to you.