To tell colleague to at work to leave me alone I when I am clearly having a break?!

[acaiacai]

I work for a global company...I cannot WFH but I sit at a desk for 70-80% of my job. We take our lunch breaks at our desk now. We used to go to the canteen but due to social distancing rules etc if you have a desk you eat there so that those who don't have desks can use the canteen.

Colleague keeps coming up to me while I am on lunch break to talk work stuff, looking for me to sign paperwork etc...it is clear as I am eating, chatting with colleague next to me (we tend to take lunch at the same time do we can have no work related chat etc)

It's starting to bug me..she has only started on our team recently but came from another dept.

I want to be nice about this but surely she should have the common sense to leave a person alone on lunch break! I mean If there was no Coronavirus then I would be in the canteen and she would come looking for me there!! (Well at least I bloody hope she wouldn't!!)

[BashfulClam]

I remember a very clingy colleague being like this. I used to feel like I was doing two jobs, mine and most of his. He was capable but just didn’t believe it and needed a lot of hand holding. If you sent him an e-Mail he would ask what it was....read the e-Mail. He had no boundaries even if you were speaking to someone else or on lunch. I remember eating at my desk at lunch as I had done personal stuff to do online. He came up ‘quick question...’ which was how all the interactions began ‘oh John I’m actually on lunch I can’t help!’ He blinked then just carried on regardless. Our ops managed sat next to me and said ‘John she said she was on lunch, in fact I’ve noticed how much time you are monopolising from Bashful and her work is really important. I think we need a meeting to discuss training for you!’ I bloody loved her, she had already moved him from next to me due to all the time I was spending helping him. I’m actually too nice though.

[Eckhart]

I won't be allowed to put a flag on my desk unfortunately...company guidelines states no decorations etc etc at our desks. We are a highly regulated industry

Would they let you wear a lunch-hat?

[Thisismylife1]

Are you highly paid? If yes then I think the reasonable expectation is you don’t take a lunch break so I suspect she is confused that you’re not working!

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

Are you highly paid? If yes then I think the reasonable expectation is you don’t take a lunch break so I suspect she is confused that you’re not working!

It doesn't matter how rich or well-paid you are, everybody needs (and is legally allowed) to have time to eat and digest their food properly.

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

....also, Sally is protective of her own lunch break (and it sounds to me like she's at a similar level to OP) - she just doesn't care about OP having that same right.

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

Lunch tabard? Hi-viz yellow vest with "CAUTION: DO NOT APPROACH" emblazoned across it?!

If your desk is at the end, are you allowed to get some murder-scene tape - "Police: Do not cross" - and cordon off your own workstation?!

[Gifgif]

'Sally I'm having my lunch. What time are you planning yours?' ... 'OK, I'll come and find you then'.

[Hopoindown31]

Be very clear and quick when she approaches. It sounds like your niceness means you aren't being absolutely clear that she is intruding on your personal time.

"Hi, I'm on my lunch so I'll deal with it at 1 pm (or whenever) so can you either come back then or drop me an email, thanks"

If it is something to sign just say "pop it in my desk and I'll take a look at it after lunch, pop by later to pick it up".

If those obvious mentions of this don't work, talk to your boss about it and ask if alternative lunch arrangements can be made as you are constantly being interrupted whilst having lunch at your desk.

[Hopoindown31]

OP, you mention that you work for a global company, so if you do need to speak to your manager "wellbeing" appears to be the hot topic at the moment, so probably worth mentioning that.

[chocoholicc]

"I appreciate that I'm at my desk right now, but I am actually on my lunch break so I'm not dealing with any work related enquires until I'm off my break"

[switswooo]

'Sally I'm having my lunch. What time are you planning yours?' ... 'OK, I'll come and find you then'.

I wouldn’t commit to finding her to help her. She should just email or call OP if OP is not at her desk.

[Gifgif]

I wouldn’t commit to finding her to help her. She should just email or call OP if OP is not at her desk.

Good point. OP, maybe bring g it up as wellness issue with your manager. If lots of people are eating at their desks they probably need a policy.

[Screamnastic]

Speak to her first thing. I would be polite and general in my first attempt. I am going to take an undisturbed lunch break from now on. Is there anything you need from me?

Put an in tray on your desk.

Put a recurring appt in your calendar at any point between 12 and 2 and change it when you know what time lunch you are taking that day. I would put a message on which asks that you are required to have lunch at your desk and ask that you are not disturbed.

I think she is angling for an invite to join you for lunch. I very rarely take a lunch break but occasionally do so to catch up with a friend based in another city. CF would plonk themselves down and join in. I had an awkward conversation but they would still come over. We met on different floors or went for a coffee instead.

[Screamnastic]

I would only have this advance conversation once.

[acaiacai]

@Thisismylife1 it doesn't matter what my pay is...no I'm not expected to work through without a break. Even my boss and her boss take a break

[Dohrehmee]

Sally as you can see I’m on my lunch break Abd do my wish to be disturbed when my in my lunch break. Now can we discuss when I am
Done which will be Iin exactly thirty minutes. I’m sure you can appreciate that no one wants to work whilst they have their lunch break. Then turn around and ignore her

[thosetalesofunexpected]

Big Sandy Ball WTF that colleague of yours had some nerve doing that while you on lunch break chilling out reading a book.
What did you say to that collegue of yours when she took book of you?How did you react?

[thosetalesofunexpected]

😂😂😂😀 @panamaPattie
"Fuck off Sally I'm eating my lunch .
Fixed it for you, You’r welcome
L.o.l

[Hadalifeonce]

I would treat her like I used to when DC interrupted. Sally, I am at lunch, come back later, then ignore.

[QueenPaws]

Change tight schedule to lunch break

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

The problem with asking her to 'just' leave it on your desk is that it seldom happens that way. There will be a detailed explanation of what it is, in-depth specifics of what you need to do and where it needs to go afterwards or when is best for your to return it (not on her lunch ) and general faffage - but that 'just' will minimise and justify all of this in her mind.

She reminds me of those people who, when giving a speech, spend absolutely ages telling you about all the things they would have told you if they'd had enough time - all the while wasting the supposedly insufficient time that they do have to actually tell you anything of interest or relevance.

[sapnupuas]

I had a colleague stand at my desk for over a minute waiting while I was talking on my personal mobile on my lunch break.

I was, admittedly, a complete dick and just ignored her. I didn't even turn to look at her as I was clearly not "at work". So she went to my boss.

It wasn't even an urgent query.

[NameChange84]

Complain to her line manager.

I had this problem when I was a house parent in a boarding school and effectively a teacher and therapist, available from 8am until 11pm (non residential) as well as teaching. I couldn’t take meals at the same time as the kids as I had to be available for supervising.

The amount of people, colleagues who would often let their “favourite kids” join, that would pile into my office at lunch or dinner was infuriating. Or they’d try and badger me to sit and eat with them at the normal eating times when I was on duty (so school lunch was at 1pm but mine was at 2pm, school dinner was at 6pm but mine was at 8).

I’d sit down in peace at 2pm having been available since 7.45am and not having got home until 11.30pm the night before. The door would fly open at 2:01,
Colleague breezes in “Hiya, will you help me do this risk assessment for the residential? I forgot to tell you, I’ve put you down to get it approved but it’s ok I’ve spoken to the office and they can get cover for your classes on the Friday afternoon. You are ok to drive the minibus aren’t you? Cos I don’t have my licence but I thought you could, it’s only Wales so not too bad and we should get there for 9ish. Have you ever administered Thalia’s epipen cos she really wants to go but she’s had a few random episodes and I’m not confident with needles but I thought you’ve got First Aid so you might be ok...”

Door flies open again

“HELLLOOOOOOOO MISS, I’ve JUST brought Demi-Rose here as she’s got a migraine but still needs to do her mock so I thought it’s always quiet in Misses office so I’ll just pop her in and she can take her test with you. Exam conditions, she needs to finish in one hour and fifteen minutes.
She won’t be a bit of bother will you Demi-Rose?”

I try to interject that I’m on a half hour lunch break and I’m teaching Period 5 so will not be in my office to ensure exam conditions or supervise...door flies open again.

“Miss, I know you are on a free right now but Matron’s bays are full. Emily has been feeling a little peaky just over exertion from PE and I thought she could lie on the sofa? Ooohhh hello Demi Rose what are you up to?”

“Miss Carter, while you’re hear Miss NameChange84 and I are just doing the risk assessment for the Wales residential. Could you get childcare that week as we could do with an extra person to be on the safe side for ratios?”

“Hiyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaa oooohhhhhh what’s going on in here, are we all having a skive?”


“OHMIGOD MISS SERIOUSLY I’VE JUST FUCKING WALKED OUT OF DOUBLE SCIENCE BECAUSE MRS CLOVERLY IS BEING A TOTAL BITCH AGAIN AND I CAN’T FUCKING FACE HER COS SHE KNOWS IM WORRIED SICK ABOUT MY LITTLE BROTHER AND SHE KEEPS DIG DIG DIGGING AT ME AND I CANT TAKE IT I JUST CANT FUCKING TAKE IT AND I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA HAVE A PANIC ATTACK AND THEN MEGAN LAUGHED AND I WANTED TO PUNCH HER BUT I REMEMBERED WHAT YOU SAID AND I TOOK A DEEP BREATH BUT I FEEL SO STRESSED AND PLEASE MISS PLEASE CAN I JUST SIT IN HERE UNTIL I CALM DOWN COS I AM SO STRESSED AND I DO GENUINELY THINK IM HAVING A PANIC ATTACK AND ITS JUST NOT FAIR”

Colleagues bugger off and leave me with a hysterical ugly-crying hyperventilating teen, a vomiting first year and some girl that I’ve never met but who seems to be trying to get out of a test.

Seriously, every lunchtime and dinner time. I’m not joking at all when I say I nearly had a nervous breakdown (I left due to Stress).

She’s being a twat. Line manager plus hand up in the stop signal “I’m on my lunch break. I don’t work through lunch. Come back later or leave it there.” and use broken record technique until she leaves.

[Eckhart]

@NameChange84 It sounds awful and I have every sympathy, but, given that you've now left and had time to recover... am I allowed to laugh at your post?? It was the block capitals that got me!

[NameChange84]

[quote Eckhart]@NameChange84 It sounds awful and I have every sympathy, but, given that you've now left and had time to recover... am I allowed to laugh at your post?? It was the block capitals that got me![/quote]
Laugh away! It’s a long time ago and makes me laugh now to think about it too.

With the block capitals I was trying to convey the reality of the 15 year old Drama Queen tornado. I know anyone who has taught secondary will know exactly how the energy shifts when she rocks up. Just loud. And emotional. And needy. BIG EMOTIONS AND ARE YOU LISTENING COS NO ONE LISTENS AND I JUST NEED SOME ATTENTION AND CAN YOU GET ME OUT OF GAMES COS IM SOOOOOOOOOO STRESSED I CANT EVEN HANDLE HOCKEY COS I HAVE CHEST PAIN COS IM STRESSED AND COURTNEY IS ALWAYS LOOKING AT ME FUNNY AND MISS HATES ME COS I SAID SHE FANCIES THE FRENCH ASSISTANT BUT SHE HAS NO SENSE OF HUMOUR AND I CAN’T DEAL WITH IT. CAN I JUST SIT WITH YOU AND HAVE A CUP OF TEA AND SOME BISCUITS?

Quite often followed by...

“REALLY CAN I STAY THANK YOU SO MUCH YOU’RE THE BEST MISS.”

Tears instantly stop.

“You look nice today Miss I’ve not seen that dress before...

Are you going on a date?

Do you have a boyfriend?

Do you have kids?

Do you want kids?

Do you like kids?

You’d be a well ace mum Miss.

Can I have another biscuit?”