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.

What I don’t understand is people getting all het up about the idea of you possibly having all this extra time on a break at work, shock horror! So depressing…life is short…I’m so glad I don’t work in an office where that’s the general attitude!

Well, in my previous job we had set break times. So, if person A took longer on their break than they were supposed to, it meant I couldn't go on my break at the time I was supposed to as I had to make sure the floor was adequately covered.

Lots of people work jobs where X number of people have to be available at once, so if someone decides to double their break time or mess around making eggs, it impacts their breaks and workload too.

I think preparing a hot breakfast is a bit much personally.

Also like it or not eggs smell. I wouldn’t fancy sitting next to someone chowing down on them 1st thing.

Your pissing off your colleagues and your boss is trying to tactfully sort it take a hint.

@KittyKatty123

Just to add - if it is a cold breakfast - apparently this is OK!!

Problem solved then. Have a cold breakfast and something warm at lunch.

Yanbu in that it's completely normal where I work to eat breakfast at your desk and I have heated porridge for example at this workplace and the one before. But YABU to have eggs.

If the smell is an issue, your line manager should have said so.

If your colleagues have a problem with it, they could tell you, or convey it through your line manager.

Eggs and beans make a good breakfast - great for concentration!

Eat your breakfast before you go to work.

I knew somebody who was sacked for doing this. He’d previously been self employed for years and found it hard to adapt to not being his own boss.

I'd find it really irritating to have to sit and listen to the sounds and absorb the smell of you eating your eggs and beans and the clink of your fork or spoon at 10.30am or whenever. And then presumably you go and wash everything up, do you, and bring it back and put the Tupperware and cutlery in your bag... It would drive me nuts if I was trying to work. It's selfish and anti-social of people to heat up smelly meals that waft through a large office.

I have no doubt it's the smell and the irritating nature of your ritual that has pissed colleagues off. If you can't eat before you set off for work (why not?) then have something cold and odour-free when you arrive. You're mistaking the office for an extension of home and there are different rules at work.

Why do you have to have cooked egg or beans? Just have a cold breakfast

Imagine other workers have complained about the smell.

@Divebar2021

So grateful I work where I do… no-one clocking me in and out, no-one analysing my refreshments and getting in a snit about eating at my desk, no intrusive supervision. As long as the work is done properly - that’s what matters.

I'm reading this thread and thinking the exact same.

This kind of micro managing drives me insane. It would just make me want to not work a minute longer than my allotted hours/be in any way flexible and be petty back.

I can see the points about the cooking smells, wouldn't bother me but understand why it would for others

If the smell is an issue, your line manager should have said so.
Yeah that would go down really well and I'm sure the op wouldn't have been upset to be told her food stinks by her manager.

Just thinking about this. DH has retired now but he was a gardener. He's another one who can't eat breakfast at 6am, so he'd take a sandwich and 2 packets of crisps with him to eat at 10.30. Would your employer find something like that acceptable OP?

I very occasionally had breakfast at work like with a bowl etc, I’ve brought in the cereal yoghurt in a pot combined once or twice or ate a Pret sausage brioche or similar at my desk but not every day and try to eat breakfast at home.

Has the OP been back since s/he posted?

It would be so lovely, wouldn't it, to see staff , in A&E eating their porridge while you're waiting for a biopsy.
I'm pretty sure that children and students wouldn't mind teacher/lecturer nipping out to scramble some eggs, mid lesson.

I feel sure that most patients, at a GP practice won't mind waiting until the receptionist made some toast.

Most rail travellers won't mind waiting a few minutes while the driver munched a breakfast bun.

Yes some offices don't mind it much , but can you imagine if everyone did it?

Split your break. You can't make bloody scrambled eggs and beans on toast while you're meant to be working. Or eating it. It's not like a sandwich. And I'd watch for taking the piss with your welfare breaks too.

I was never allowed to eat at my desk. There was a microwave so food could be reheated, but in the canteen only.
I agree with the others, it’s that you are eating hot food at your desk. Some people are very sensitive to smells and noise.

We have a policy that any good that requires two hands, means you have to clock out. I think that although breaks are important, chats, tea, eating, all take up time. What happens if everyone wants a cooked brekkie, what about the dirty plates, the smell etc.

I just don't think it's very nice. I would feel really gross doing that when no one else is eating. A cup of tea and a biscuit is not an issue. But eggs heated up in the microwave is just a bit yucky.

You could just sit in the kitchen and eat it and half your lunch break.

I used to eat at my desk at work, but during lunch time. When most people were either doing the same, or were out for lunch themselves.

I don't think it's very nice when no one else is eating, to eat anything. Just feels wrong.

But I do understand it's a bit embarrassing and not a comfortable feeling for you that you have been told to stop doing it.

I think it's probably going to be the fact it's eggs, I used to work in an office and do this and everyone complained about the smell of the eggs haha

@Cas112

I think it's probably going to be the fact it's eggs, I used to work in an office and do this and everyone complained about the smell of the eggs haha

I used to work somewhere and one of my colleagues would microwave broccoli and fish. So gross! We would always moan about it to his face though.

He did used to do it at lunch. But sometimes he would have lunch at 11 or so. No one cared when anyone had lunch or for how long - ever. I would hate to work somewhere like that.

This seems ridiculous to me as it takes max 5 minutes

Bollocks does it take 5 minutes to heat up and eat a hot meal. Time yourself from the moment you get up from your desk to the moment you finish eating. I bet it's more like 20 minutes. Even if you're at your desk, you can't type properly while eating hot food.

You're assuming it's 'Management" who are pissed off with you but I bet you it's actually your colleagues.

It would be so lovely, wouldn't it, to see staff , in A&E eating their porridge while you're waiting for a biopsy.
I'm pretty sure that children and students wouldn't mind teacher/lecturer nipping out to scramble some eggs, mid lesson.

I feel sure that most patients, at a GP practice won't mind waiting until the receptionist made some toast.

Most rail travellers won't mind waiting a few minutes while the driver munched a breakfast bun.

If you read the OP carefully and slowly you’ll note that she works 9-5 at a computer-based desk job.

It probably stinks the office out. Just eat done thing cold.