Do you give your boss 16 extra days of free work every single year? If you eat your lunch at your desk, then the answer could be a big, fat yes.
The Irish Daily Star reports that employers are receiving at least 16 extra days of unpaid work from their employees because the majority of workers refuse to take a full hour for lunch. According to a new survey, 50 per cent of workers said that they felt guilty kicking back for a full hour while they were eating their lunch.
At least 60 per cent of employees eat at their desks every single day, meanwhile, two thirds of the workers surveyed said that they take only 30 minutes for their lunch, despite the fact that they are entitled to a full hour every day.
So what kind of impact is desk dining having on our careers? Well, while we don’t gain anything, our bosses are receiving an extra 128 hours of free work from us every single year.
“People do feel under pressure, many spending long hours at their desks, tapping at keyboards, staring at screens,” said Dr Patrick Tissington, an expert who specialises in the science of places of work and employees.
“So it’s important to take regular breaks, get up, move and walk around a bit. Resting or taking a break in the middle of the day helps to clear out the mind and prepares us for a productive afternoon,” he added.
Dr Tissington said that lunch is a necessity for every employment and that we need to get away from our work and do something different for the hour that we have off.
“The feeling of guilt for taking lunch breaks is a subject that is concerning and probably requires proper investigation,” he said.
Do you ever feel guilty for taking your lunch break?
