Manager insisting I take lunch

I'm coming at it from a different angle. I'm assuming (maybe wrongly) that op is happy to do this, love of the job type thing.

Not easily replaced the case for everyone either, but I get what you mean, but the person wouldn't be handing in their notice if they are happy to do extra hours, would they?

You're unlikely to last another 4 years at this rate.

The solution is you step away from your workstation and read a book. I have staff who do just that. Why can't you?

Haven’t RTFT but read all OP’s posts… are you eating smelly food in the office by any chance?

Also this.

So many people work more than they're being paid for.

We're all replaceable. Even those of us who work for decent bosses and companies would still be replaced if we keeled over.

Work what you're paid for, and do it well. The rewards will be the same.

I speak from experience.

Have you ever told your manager you can't stop for lunch because your workload's unmanageable? Tell them you're working through and extending at the end of the day because you have to. This isn't a sustainable way to work, so you've got to take the opportunity to speak up when it presents itself.

Why are you working so many hours above your contract?
Why do you not take a break at lunch? Even to eat and just stop working? You can still sit at the desk if you want but you should actually take a break.

If you burn yourself out your company could get in trouble for allowing you to work so many hours without taking a proper break. And without paying you for those hours.

It's a legal requirement that you take a break. It doesn't matter that you're working over your hours. In fact that makes it worse as longer hours would mean you should be taking a longer break.

Take it alone if you want. Go to your car and read or listen to the radio. Eat at your desk but go for a 30 minute walk (I've done that many times). Read in your office. Do a sudoku. Doom scroll on your phone. Listen to a podcast.

Whatever you enjoy doing that isn't work, do that.

This is sheer stupidity.

We all need to remember that we are completely replaceable. All of us.

Work the hours your paid for OP and if the work doesnt get done so be it.

I would phrase it with your boss as you've explained here.

"It's impossible for me to fit in all my work during my contracted hours. I work through lunch as I can't commit any longer to my working day than I already do. But I agree with you I should take my break away from my desk so will make arrangements to do this. Please be aware this may mean re prioritising a few tasks"

That way you've covered yourself against any comeback but also taken on board what she's said.

I am equally in a job where the work never ends. I could work 80 hours a week and still have stuff on my desk. So I work my hours and do what I reasonably can in those hours.

Occasionally I will stay back late, if it suits me, to try catch up and clear some of what is around my desk. Just to make room for more 🙄

But I don't get any extra thanks, or pay, for it. I don't get a medal at the end of the year for going above and beyond. Work hours are there for a reason. If the work you are being given far exceeds the hours it is possible to do it in then you are being taken advantage of.

If you handed in your notice tomorrow you'd be replaced pretty quickly. And you'd be forgotten about in a matter of weeks.

Still not legal to work through lunch. Lots of people do but if managers cracked down we’d all have to comply.

It's probably not a taking a break rather than eating in your office that's the issue. Set aside 20mins to eat and browse mumset

I think this is about the legal requirement to take an unpaid break. So working through and going home early is not legal.

Where you take your break is less of an issue though.

Why do you do that? Are you hoping for a big promotion? I can't think of any other reason why someone would give all their time, including lunch breaks, evenings and weekends to some company that likely would forget about you tomorrow. Crazy.
Lunch breaks are so rare in my profession which not surprisingly has a high rate of burnout that job ads actually state protected lunch break as a 'benefit'. Take your lunch fgs, go for a walk, finish work on time and spend your evenings and weekends doing things you enjoy. There is more to life than work.

"If not now, then when you crash and burn, and MN advises you take her to an employment tribunal on the grounds of unreasonable workload."

Some MNers may well advise op to take to a tribunal. Would be a bit embarrassing for op though (and the posters advising it) if she hasn't tried to address the workload issue, if op feels there is one.

I didn’t interpret it the way you did. I realised OP meant she would just be working later if she took her break. It sounds like a very corporate environment and unfortunately workloads are often punishing with routine unpaid overtime the norm. Working lunch means less unpaid overtime at the end of the day.

It is a duty of care and HR issue. You are legally required to have a break if you work a full day.

If you eat crunchy or smelly food in a shared space, she may also be gently trying to nudge you away from doing that. A colleague of mine will quite happily graze on carrot sticks and crisps for what seems like hours every afternoon.

If you are so busy that you need to work extra hours every single week, it's your CEO's problem.
If not now, then when you crash and burn, and MN advises you take her to an employment tribunal on the grounds of unreasonable workload.
Or do yourself a favour, and take a proper break. I used to be "too busy" to take a lunch break. When I started taking one, I was less stressed - it helped me get work into perspective.

I second what @JFDIYOLO said.

Yabu. Duty of care. I always go for a walk by myself in my lunch break. I can chat while I work so need fresh air and exercise in the middle of the day.