I started a new job about 6 weeks ago (though because of the various holidays, I’ve actually only been working at the job for about a month). It’s in a small office, with just six full time employees, and a couple part-timers. During my training, I was told that I had an hour for lunch, which makes sense, since our hours are 9am-6pm - 45 hours, minus an hour a day for lunch, adding up to 40 hours.
The problem is that everyone – every single one! – in the office works through their lunch. They all run out to buy a sandwich and bring it right back to their desk where they continue to work as they eat it (unless they’ve brought something from home). If they have to do an errand like going to the bank, they’ll announce this as they’re leaving so that no one wonders why they’re taking longer than five minutes. The only time I’ve ever seen any of them take a full hour is if they have a business lunch.
This is a big problem for me. I like to get physically out of the office during the day, take a walk, read a book – really get a break. I think I work hard the rest of the day; I usually arrive 5-10 minutes early, and leave 20-30 minutes late. It only seems fair that I (and everyone, for that matter) should take a full lunch break without feeling bad about it. And yet I feel incredibly self-conscious about it – and I don’t even take a full hour: most of the time I just take 40 minutes or so, before running back to the office. Once or twice a week I’ll bend to peer pressure and just eat at my desk like everyone else.
What do you think? No one has explicitly said anything to me about this, and maybe it’s all in my head and no one would give a damn if I took my full break. But my sense is that I’m quite conspicuous in even taking 40 minutes while everyone else is plugging away. So: what’s the best way to deal with this? Should I damn the torpedoes and take a full hour every day, or should I play the game and eat at my desk?
** If it matters, I’m the lowest man on the totem pole in this office, and I’m paid very little, IMHO. I mention it because somehow to my parents this is somehow an argument for taking advantage of my full break.
I say “Bastards!” The job is promoted and paid as 40h/week, and you end up working 40h+1h30/day (lunch+coming early, leaving late).
As for advices, I’ve none, since I know nothing of the US work market, hence any opinion wouldn’t be worth the electrons it would be written with.
Seconded. If no-one has told you that you shouldn’t take your lunch break away from your desk I don’t see what the problem is. If other people choose to do that then that’s their decision.
Always take your full hour lunch break. If you’re gone for a while anyway it’s not like people will notice whether it’s 40 minutes or one hour. You’re entitled to it, you’re doing your work. And it sets a precedent. It’s easier to start taking the break now than to suddenly start after half a year.
Oh, man. This is my situation exactly. Well, except that we have even fewer employees.
I am trying to get the gumption up to just start going somewhere, anywhere for 20 - 30 minutes a day no matter what. Since starting this job, I’ve put on weight—not because I’m eating any differently, but because I’m a desk jockey now. Also, I know I work better and am more focused if I have time away to clear my head.
ETA: I have also noticed that I am getting more aches and pains in my joints from sitting too long. If anyone gives me grief about going out every day (and they probably won’t; it’s more in my head), I plan to also mention the need to stretch.
I have to disagree with Quartz. “Performance” means what your superiors think it means, and for some folks, working through lunch makes you a performer and taking lunch makes you a slacker.
I agree with taking the full break. It might be that you doing so inspires others to get away from the pack mentality, which might come as a welcome relief to them!
I’m not saying you have a responsibility to them, but to yourself…if you don’t do it, you’ll end up resenting it.
I used to work in an open-plan office where there was a culture of putting phone calls through to people even if they were on lunch at their desk - we didn’t have a staff room or anywhere to go. I raised it at the team meeting and said that no way was I going to answer the phone if I was on lunch, I would be eating my sandwich and perusing the net, and that was my time. I wasn’t getting paid for it, so I wouldn’t be doing any work. Everyone agreed and started checking before putting calls through at lunchtime. This was quite a reasonable team of people though.
Your health is more important then what your coworkers think. Everyone needs a break, although I know a lot of people don’t take one.
You could start setting a healthy precedent. Announce that you are going for a walk, come back refreshed and happy, and maybe they’ll all start seeing how beneficial it is.
Talk explicitly to your supervisor about the disconnect between the “rules” as explained to you and what everybody else seems to be doing. Then start taking lunch.
But expect that if the supervisor gives the hours equals productivity vibe, then taking lunch is relegating you second-class slacker status.
That may or may not be trade-off you want to make, but at least you know that you’re doing it, whereas now you’d just be guessing.
There’s the way things should be, and the way things are. I think you’ve got “should” covered and Quartz has got “is” pretty well down. They don’t have to express the opinion to still operate upon it.
Are you sure your coworkers are acutally working on their lunch breaks? I sit at my desk at lunch fairly frequently but I am not actually doing a damn thing. Usually I am playing Mafia Wars or Scrabble on Facebook during that time. My job is pretty cool about this kind of stuff though. If you are at your desk at 5:10 (we are 9-5 M-F) the CEO comes by to see why you are still there and if you need help with something. If you aren’t doing anything vital he wants you to go home and spend that time with your family because he doesn’t want anyone working much more than 40 hours so that people don’t burn out and quit because they hate working overtime.
Just do it. Chances are everyone else eats at their desk because that’s what everyone did when they started working there, too. Either that or they want to leave early so don’t want to take their full break.
At lunchtime just get up and on your way out say, “I’m heading out for lunch now, see you in an hour,” and go. I seriously doubt anyone will think poorly of you for it.
I think you should take the break and stop adding time to your workday. You should arrive and leave as “on time” as you can. If your boss ever brings it up, discuss it - but don’t assume that the company suffers from face-time-itis until your superiors bring it up. Illuminatiprimus, one of the shocks I suffered when I joined the US job market is finding out how unusual it is to have a written contract. Often you just have your offer letter; sometimes, not even that; you’re subject to company policies that nobody told you existed… very different from Spain, where about the only people who work legally without a written contract are cleaning ladies on less than 20h/wk and students who tutor or babysit and the “general conditions” for any given company are a matter of public record (they even get published in the government’s newspaper).
I am one of these too - the only one who goes out for lunch. I don’t care. You don’t pay me enough to stay through lunch, and I am a very good worker - I just got a really good review in December. I just think it’s stupid to stay inside all day and be stuffy when I don’t need to.
If you’re going to do it, make sure they don’t have reason to complain about the rest of your work.
My last 3 jobs (all salaried) I have always taken a full hour for lunch, arrived on time, and rarely worked late while I’ve seen other employees skipping lunches and extending their hours. I always got my work done so bosses have never challenged me about it.
I have had co-workers challenge me about it and I have the same response for them every time “Hey, it’s not my fault you can’t get your work done in 8 hours. Learn to work smarter, not longer.”
Yep, if he’s an hourly worker he needs to be taking a full lunch break. For some people this means staying at their desk and puttering around with other things, for some it means leaving.
Yes, take your break. (Are you salaried or hourly?)