Cannock Chase Council has been given a Breathe Easy Award for helping its employees kick the smoking habit.
The award is given to businesses and employers who support people wanting to give up cigarettes in the working environment.
Other local businesses are now being urged to follow suit.
Councillor Muriel Davis, health and wellbeing leader at the council, said: “I am extremely pleased that Cannock Chase Council has achieved this award, it just shows that the council is creating a working environment which enables its employees to give up smoking.
“I would urge local businesses to get in touch with our environmental health business support team to find out more about investing in a healthy workplace as it could potentially have financial savings.”
She said the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence estimates an average of 33 hours per year is lost per smoker through ill health and loss of productivity. Figures have also shown employees could save up to £413 a year by giving up smoking.
One of the measures taken by the council was to arrange a visit by the Smoke Free Van. Council staff were then encouraged to get advice and information from advisors in the van about kicking the habit.
Advisors were also able to measure the carbon monoxide in a person’s blood stream and tell them what they would look like in 30 years time if they continued to smoke.
The Breathe Easy Awards are being organised by Staffordshire County Council and involve having a smoke-free policy, trained smoking advisors and information on display.