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!!)

[banivani]

Demi-Rose!!!

OP I sympathise. I work in an office where there has long been a culture of knowledge and routines being connected to a person, not a function and definitely not the office entire, coupled with a using-people-like-google culture. In other words it’s completely acceptable to interrupt people with questions without making even an attempt at finding the answer yourself, and assuming that one person (fucking ME) is the first person to go to (and my answer will be “have you asked your manager what the routine is?”). Etc etc. Not to mention the effusive morning hellos etc etc god I feel myself getting angry just thinking about it.

Anyway, I think this has been up on Ask A Manager several times and she might have some good scripts or at least some funny stories to laugh at ;)

[burglarbettybaby]

She knows exactly what she is doing.
I would call her before she arrives and disturbs your lunch and state clearly she is being rude every lunch (you don't say rude but every lunch break is being interuppted)
Is there a team meeting you could bring this up at?

[twoshedsjackson]

Wouldn't it be a shame if you leaned over to squint at the document without putting your pasta salad bowl down, dripping sauce (preferably including tomato and oil) on to the paper? Or took it from her when you had some (preferably garlicky) oil on your hand?
I guess it would just have to be printed off again.....

[Eryouwhat]

Fgs, such drama! Just say you’re on your lunch and then when she carries on talking, laugh and say sorry didn’t you hear, I’m on lunch! See you later!!

[minionsrule]

I would be tempted to tell Sally that if she can't grasp the lunch break concept and adhere to your right to have an uninterrupted break you will have to ask her line manager to go through it with her.
Seriously maybe email her your confirmed break time, tell her you are not to be approached for work matters and I would cc in her line manager

[ExpatAl]

Just say I’ll see to it after lunch. It’s hardly worth a post.

[Ddot]

Make yourself a small A frame, stateing on lunch! If she still approaches point to sign. And pretend to read your book

[ERFGLA]

Email your break times in the mid morning.
I used to work somewhere where the management’s sometimes took break at their desks and they would just say , and I would be like “ oop! No prob! Catch you in a min “
Also second the headphone bit ..

[Vynalbob]

Screen saver was a good idea but I'd go a step further put a stand up with the
🚫 Sign on top and
'On Lunch Break - Work free Zone' underneath....double sided in case she sneaks......anyone approaches point to sign.

[FelicisNox]

YANBU.

She is rude and lacks boundaries, time to put her back in her box: "I appreciate that Sally but I don't deal with work issues on my break, it's non negotiable ".

Smile, turn away from her. Repeat as necessary.

Speak to your line manager before she does: "Sally keeps interrupting me on my lunch break for work related issues and no matter how polite I am in asking her to come back to me at a more appropriate time she insists on doing otherwise so unfortunately I will need to be firmer with her going forward. No big deal, just keeping you in the loop."

Then do it.

[nosswith]

Respond with not now, I'm at lunch, and say when you will deal with it. Hopefully that will work, but if needs be, talk to your line manager.

[Astressie]

Another angle to take on this: I would talk to management. They have laid down new procedures that are not working. It is up to them to make them work. It will be a lot easier for you if you can refer back to a management e-mail.

Go to your manager and explain you (and others?) are not able to take your full lunch break at your desk. It is a legal requirement so they should listen. Suggest a solution- you may get some brownie points for this which will actually be a positive in this situation. Perhaps people on lunch break at their desks should all use the same sign giving this info. to people. Best of luck, and don't that you are not in control. It is so stressful and I believe this situation is within your control. The above action may help you feel empowered.

[sleepyhead1980]

I agree that she is probably used to a different culture. In my town everyone works through lunch, works late etc. I don't know many people who actually stop working for the full hour over lunch. I doubt she realises there's an issue

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

She’s been at the OP’s firm for 4 years, though, @sleepyhead1980 - long enough to get used to the culture there, surely?

[cms1972]

In theory it's easily dealt with, but some people are so frustrating that it takes up more of your head space than it needs to.
Assertiveness is key! Think about what's the best friendly yet firm line, and practice it a few times.
Then when she approaches next time, say your lines and don't engage in any further conversation, just turn away.
Last week I lost my temper with a colleague who had been bugging me all day. It's better to think beforehand about how to deal with someone, than to lose it and start shouting like I did!!

[ScrumptiousBears]

My DP used to moan about his last job where people would follow him into the toilets to speak to him

[Jeeperscreepers69]

Sitting in canteen years ago and a woman blew smoke all over me constantly from her fag. Even when i was eating. Yuk. I was new so didnt say anything

[TroysMammy]

As people don't get paid for lunch break I'd point out to her that you are on break. You don't get paid for your break therefore you are not in work. If that doesn't work just tell her to fuck off

[Choccylips]

Personally I would tell her its pig ignorant to do that and was on my break and if she doesn't understand the meaning look it up in a dictionary.

[ThumbWitchesAbroad]

If she still doesn't get it, maybe ask her why she considers her time So Much More Important than yours? Is she super special or something? Why is her lunchbreak sacrosanct, while yours is not? Make her squirm until she gets it.

(NB I wouldn't advocate this is a first line of defence, only if she doesn't pay attention to the nicer options!)

[littledrummergirl]

Smile, apologise to the colleague you are at lunch with saying its obviously urgent for you to be needed back at work during your lunch break, and ask Sally how long she thinks it will take so you know what time to tell your boss that your retaking your legal break uninterrupted.
Then email your manager advising them that as discussed with Sally, the very trivial urgent work was needed while you were at lunch and in order to keep the company compliant you restarted your break. You hope this was acceptable, if not perhaps they need to ensure that breaks are uninterrupted.

[heathergem]

Keep it firm and curt, have body language to match and even remind her that it's "....perfectly obvious, I'm on my lunch break Sally".

[Mamanyt]

@sueelleker

."oh I'm going to be at a meeting" and then "I'm getting lunch" "OK, I'll come and find you at your lunch".

LOL, you took the words right off of my fingertips!

[k1233]

I can be quite blunt when needed. I hate people being at me the second I get through the door. I let my team know that I need half an hour when I get in to settle in, check overnight emails for anything urgent, plan my day and, most importantly, get a coffee. Of course I'm flexible but I have been known to say "I haven't had my coffee yet, are you sure you want to talk to me?" Unless it's urgent, people tend to say they'll come back or walk with me to the kitchen.

Lunch can also be rough. Again if I need to be blunt I say something like "I've only got 20 mins for lunch, I'll see you this afternoon - right now I need to eat". I don't engage in conversation or ask what they need. It's non negotiable that I am eating and won't discuss.

I also have a "look" which reinforces what I'm saying - that's rather helpful too.

[Porridgeoat]

Just have something on you desk which signifies a break. Your stapler on your keyboard. Just something small and explain that from now on that’s a secret symbol for lunchtime