to be annoyed at those who have cigarette breaks every hour?

[Naime]

I'm sat working my arse off in my horrible air conditioned office. I would love to go outside every hour for 10/15 mins to get some fresh air, but I simply wouldn't get away with saying 'I'm going for a walk, see you in 10!'

AIBU to think that people should smoke on their own time? I have people in my office who literally must spend close to 1.5/2 hours outside having cigarette breaks between 8 and 5. It's just accepted that it's fine for people to be paid to have a cigarette and be paid for it, but if I wanted to take a mental break outside for 10 mins every hour I would be pulled up on it.

Hmmph...

crap manager. Just go for a fresh air break, why not? Aircon offices are horrible.

It's a really unhealthy lifestyle

Oh yes, because having a cigarette every hour is so healthy.

Op just make a point of getting away from your desk every hour so you feel like you have a break too.

I really dislike presenteeism and jobs-worthiness in the workplace but no-one should be having hourly smoking breaks. Speak to your manager.

@WorraLiberty my phone rings a few times, certainly enough time for me to swallow a mouthful of food! I don't think snacking is the same.

I will look in to changing my own situation, and have been trying by working my screen breaks in to my working day. It has worked so far.

Do you think it's bad that I get annoyed at people taking 15 minutes away from their desk every hour to smoke? The answer shouldn't be 'ok well you just take 15 minutes every hour to go for a walk' - it should be to ensure that everyone is working hard, as opposed to everyone simply slacking off instead.

And unless someone is snacking on a 3-course meal with lobster as the main dish I can't see how snacking is prohibitive to working.

And unless someone is snacking on a 3-course meal with lobster as the main dish I can't see how snacking is prohibitive to working.

Yep I have collegues like this who just nip out for fag breaks all the time particularly on a nightshift. I blame the managers who fail to crack down on it.

We have designated breaks at my work for everyone. One in the morning, then lunch break and then one in the afternoon. We are expected to use those breaks for going for a cigarette/eating/making a cuppa etc. We're not allowed to leave our desks the rest of the time unless it's to do work related tasks or to go to the toilet.

YABU because, unlike me, you have lovely, lovely air conditioning in your workplace.

If we had air conditioning I would never leave. Not for a cigarette. Not to go home at night. Not for my own funeral.

No I don't think it's bad, I just think it's pointless sounding off here if you're not going to back it up with actually speaking to your manager.

I live opposite an NHS centre which is not especially big. They are obviously not allowed to smoke on the work property, so come and stand in the car park for our housing area. It's a private car park, so not just on a public road, but the longest amount of time I've probably ever seen the car park without a smoker in it is about 10 minutes in one go. It's constant almost ALL day. They must have loads of fag breaks. And they drop their cigarette ends all over the place so it looks gross.

They must honestly be so unproductive! I keep spotting the same ones popping out with different groups, and I'm really curious as to what their role is. Clearly not a hugely essential one!

I used to go for a vape once in the morning and once in the afternoon, was never limited on time until we got an evil witch for a manager (she's not a witch because of this, but just a witch!) who, amongst many other things, gave us flat 5 mins which we had to clock out for and deduct from our lunch break. I gave up the vape when I found out I was pregnant and spent far more time puking up in the loos than I ever did on a vape break, so jokes on her in the end.

In all seriousness, if you need breaks to get up and walk around, which I know I did when I was heavily pregnant this time last year, then do it. No one is going to frown upon it and you don't have to explain, a simple "I'm going for a walk" is more than sufficient.

@WorraLiberty I never said I wouldn't speak to my manager...

If you're working with a screen you're meant to take regular breaks from it.

If you're not, then more fool you! Especially as you have time to post on here...

Get up & go to the coffee machine, just go for a wander round the office or go sit in the loos & play on your phone.

What do the smokers think about you being on mn for the last hour during work?

Naime

"I'm sat working my arse off in my horrible air conditioned office."

YABU for complaining about having air conditioning.

It depends on what people's job roles are tbh. I haven't smoked for years, but when I did I was a Head Of Dept who came in early, left late, worked at home in evenings and very rarely took a lunch break. What I did do is pop out to smoke whenever I felt like it. I'm sure some people must have looked at me and though 'ooh she goes out often' and I did but believe my the company were still getting more of my time for free than I was taking!

As for my team, as long as they got all their work done I let them manage their own break schedules. There was be odd person who took this piss but it soon came to the team managers and my attention and we performance managed it until it stopped one way or another.

I imagine in a more controlled office environment (call centre for example) this wouldn't be possible however I'd always say to any employee - concern yourself with what you are doing, not what others are doing. If you feel you need a five minute break, get up and have one. Go for a stroll/pee/cuppa. No sensible manager is going to tell you off for going to the loo or making a drink! If you don't feel you need one, don't gripe just because other people are going out to smoke and it's 'not fair'.

I wouldn't feel comfortable taking as many breaks as them even if it would be beneficial. then that's your own issue and not the fault of the smokers.
I manage a lot of people and their allocated breaks are the only time they're allowed cigarettes otherwise it gets out of hand.

Are you sure that these are not paid breaks that are available to everyone but it’s only the smokers that actually take advantage of this? Does everyone get a morning and afternoon break and they are taking this in multiple trips as opposed to one break

Employers are supposed to facilitate regular screen breaks if this is a desk based role

To be honest I can’t imagine anyone monitoring how long and how often I leave my desk- all staff in theory get a paid 30 minute break to be split as they choose but I can’t imagine many of us actually do this- the call centre staff do take regular breaks but it’s quite full on in there and it breaks the day up so I try and make sure they do this regularly and take their full entitlement

concern yourself with what you are doing, not what others are doing. If you feel you need a five minute break, get up and have one. Go for a stroll/pee/cuppa. No sensible manager is going to tell you off for going to the loo or making a drink! If you don't feel you need one, don't gripe just because other people are going out to smoke and it's not fair

Hallelujah!

Op either bring it to your managements attention or stop grousing about it. You’re the only one feeling any negativity from this.

If your management don’t feel the need to intervene then you have to accept it as just how your workplace is.

To be honest I’d rather sit opposite a smoker who popped out every hour than a chronic nibbles/chomper.

Couldn't agree more. I used to pretend to smoke to get a break

I've been working full time for 20 years for around five different companies and smokers breaks have always been unpaid and have to still do their hours in the office. Ie take a shorter lunch or come in earlier or stay later to allow for the breaks. Never worked anywhere that smokers were allowed paid breaks. As a pregnant lady or anyone that needs breaks should take them if they need them for your physical and mental health. I'm sure your employer would agree so if you don't feel comfortable only you can change that.

I take vape breaks at work. There is a group of people in my team that do. In the field we're in, we don't stop working just because we've gone outside. We're still talking about work and working out new ideas. Whats good about it is that you get to meet other people from other related departments that can offer help with certain projects. I was certainly more efficient and progressed further in my career because of this. Maybe people should take a 5 minute coffee break outside throughout the day. It might achieve the same effect for them.

We have a manager who does it. He has five or six instances in an eight hour shift. Often more. He then moans loudly to all who listen that he hasn't had a break

Font be annoyed at the people. If you could you would. Be annoyed at the management for allowing it. Then question it with them.