Employer says I am not allowed to heat up my breakfast

[KittyKatty123]

I work full time, 9-5, computer facing all day, work that requires a lot of concentration. I understand the important of taking regular breaks to get away from the screen but don't take the mickey with this. I can't eat first thing in the morning so I have always eaten mid-morning, at my desk, sometimes something cold, sometimes something that needs a minute or two in the staff microwave.

Past employers have never had an issue with this.

I'm fairly new to this job but in the past two months that others have observed me doing this, including my line manager, no-one has ever raised it as an issue. We have access to a microwave and toaster so sometimes I'll bring in a tub of beans, or eggs that I've already put in a bowl and whisked at home so it takes 2 minutes in the microwave to heat them, sometimes I'll do some toast at the same time. All during the space of time it takes me to make my first cup of tea of the day - which is taken after having already put in 1-2 hours work since I got in that morning.

All of a sudden my line manager took me aside and said "it had been noticed" that I was heating up my breakfast and that I was no longer to do this as it was in work time, that the microwave and toaster were only for lunch breaks, unless I decided to split my break over both. This seems ridiculous to me as it takes max 5 minutes and I then bring it back to eat at my desk whilst working. I have seen colleagues gone for much much longer than this if they get into social conversation with colleagues.

Also, this instruction was directed only to me, not as a general "heads up" to the team or department as a whole, so it very personal.

In my mind, from an occupational health point of view, it is very important to take regular breaks throughout the day from VDU work, to make tea, go to the loo, chat with a colleague etc, so why is heating up food whilst making my tea any different.

Am I being unreasonable here? Do others do this at work with no issue? As I said, past employers have never had issue with it and I don't take the piss with it. Thank you.

I do find you microwaving eggs and beans like it's a greasy spoon quite funny. I wouldn't have a problem with it but I'm sure you have a reputation at work as the breakfast woman. As pp have said, I'm sure the smells may be off putting. A quick cup of tea and a breakfast bar is more considerate.

@LethargicActress

Really, if you're not taking the piss I don't see why it would be a problem. I imagine smokers take up much longer out of their day to have smoke breaks.

I never understand why people say this! Do you really think that those of us who smoke are given extra breaks to go out for a fag?

We aren’t in the 80’s anymore, smokers just smoke when they get their allocated break time the same as everyone else.

Not where I work - got to be ten minutes per fag break - and I count at least four per day.

It could be worse, we’re not allowed to eat anything with a fork, a spoon is ok. So get told off for eating melon with a fork but eating it with a spoon or your fingers is ok. Doesn’t matter if it’s hot/smelly but has to be eaten with fingers or a spoon. No issues with samosas/hard boiled eggs/ beans etc, totally illogical.

This kind of petty bullshit from employers is so exhausting. If you get your work done within an acceptable timescale and to a sufficient standard it's just pathetic beyond belief for them to gripe over three minutes spent using a microwave.
Agreed. I’ve never worked anywhere like this but judging from the “cheeky” and “you must stare at your computer relentlessly” comments on this thread it’s not unusual. My old work was rife for people necking full English breakfasts from the canteen at their desks, or fish and chips on Fridays – all sourced on unmonitored, unscheduled breaks. We all got our work done, no one went around checking “Ooh, that’s your third cafe coffee of the day – let’s tot up the time spent”.

If it’s about the smell, they should say so, so she knows the breaks are OK and she can arrange different warm snacks – instant porridge pots, microwave croissant (is there such a thing?), toasted waffle, run to Pret for a bacon roll, etc.

@Lollyneenah

My colleague does this too and tbh I don't like it. Wanders off for 10 mins then strolls back taking 10 mins to eat it. I think it is slightly piss taking and doesn't make you look very serious about a new job. One thing to quickly scoff an alien bar with a cup of tea but somehow sitting there with a bowl looks lazy. Sorry!

Ooh I love those alien bars - they taste out of this world 👽👽👽👽👽👽

Apart from it slowing you down and being smelly, it’s just not hygienic.
This is my favourite comment of this whole barmy thread. Is she stirring the eggs with her mouse? Wiping the beans on her bum? Licking the fork and using it to dial the phone? Where is the hygiene issue!

Eggs cooked in the microwave smell.If I was your colleague I wouldn't be happy.It's abit antisocial to do that in a communal kitchen in a place of work.

@lawandgin

You cannot work at the same speed when you are eating egg or beans on toast. I suspect "a couple of minutes in the microwave" is actually a lot longer when you factor in the slow down in work while you are eating. Plus people have probably complained about the smell. YABU

I wasn't aware we were all supposed to work at a constant speed throughout the day.

What's an Alien bar? I've just googles and all I get is pictures of space creatures sitting in a pub!

@SturminsterNewton

What's an Alien bar? I've just googles and all I get is pictures of space creatures sitting in a pub!

I was assuming an autocorrect for cereal bar

You're absolutely taking the piss to cook a bloody hot breakfast and then eat it at your desk when you're working!
It's no one else's fault you can't eat early - have something appropriate/cold. You honestly can't think it's fine to be working away whilst eating beans on toast at your desk?

It's the smell and the health and safety issue of walking about with a bowl or plate of hot food or the risk of dropping a load of beans on the carpet not sure why this has come as a great surprise to you it's common sense surely?

I start work at 8am. I eat my breakfast at my desk around 9:30am. Not a break. I take porridge pots that I add hot water. So less time to make a cuppa. No one has any issue with this.
However if I was making beans and eggs it would be flagged

Take a cereal bar or breakfast biscuits.
The instant porridge pots are nice

I dislike when workplaces are fussy about thing's like this but again to be fair, eggs and beans seems a little pushing it since they are smelly and does kinda sound like you're taking a break to make a full on breakfast and that coukd make people feel its unfair as they dont do it.. but at the same time like another pp has said, smokers get their breaks so ... can you force yourself to eat it before you leave? Then maybe just have fruit and a ceral bar as a snack if peckish at your desk later on...or maybe have some hot porridge instead, less smelly and not making the toast seems a bit less

YABU to cook eggs and beans in an office. They definitely do smell.

As for eating breakfast at work, I guess it really depends on the job and workplace. Nobody's going to check how many breaks I've had at work, nobody cares if my meeting with a colleague involves a run to the coffee shop next door, etc. But then the flexibility goes both ways. I'm often doing work late into the evenings or at the weekends.

If you have a job where you turn up at 9 and leave at 5 on the dot, I guess I can understand them wanting you to stick to your set lunch break. I'd still rather work somewhere more flexible though!

Yes it is the dropping beans , definitely a danger hazard.

I think your manager / colleagues who have ‘noticed’ your hot breakfasts are basic bellends. What uptight losers! There are a lot of them about, as is clear from the posters on this thread. I can see why you are pissed off as this would really get to me. If you have the balls I would just carry on as before. What are they going to do about it?

you should be away from your desk to digest it properly.
Oh wait, this one’s good too. Very different digestion sitting at a desk vs sitting at a … table.

I say you up the ante, OP: microwave chocolate mug cakes. Microwave frozen burrito. M&S chicken jalfrezi. Can you get a plug-in fondue heater for your desk?

This thread in unintended comedy.

It's the smell OP that's all.

No, it's not nice to smell someone's food while working. Cold breakfast is ok because it doesn't stink.

Egg and beans stink. I’d complain if you sat near me.

It's not etiquette in my office to eat smelly food at your desk. It is inconsiderate to your colleagues.

I used to have a colleague that would take their full break and then return to their desk and unpack their lunch and start to scoff it. It really annoyed me as they were effectively taking a longer break. I never complained but managers noticed and pulled her up eventually.

If there is an area you could eat it away from your desk and within the timescale of your break fair enough.

What job do you do? If someone said this to be I’d be looking for a new job…

I wouldn't want to share office space with someone who was eating a smelly, eggy cooked breakfast! It would turn my stomach. So, on that basis YABU, sorry!