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.

People keep saying that there is no way you are efficient when eating. I don't think that is necessarily true. I used to have a part time job that extended over lunch. My manager was fine with me eating at my desk as I didn't have a lunch break. I was able to arrange my work day as I pleased so I saved tasks that were fine to do while eating e.g. reading a report or minutes.

Just because you aren't as efficient when eating, doesn't mean that everyone isn't.

and

You are there to work, not cook. You are new. If it doesn't suit you or them, get out.

Wow sounds ridiculous, so people can heat up whatever they want as long as it's for lunch then? Smokers take more accumulative breaks throughout the day than the time it takes to blast something in the microwave and eat it so this really is pathetic. Start logging how many minutes people wander about talking to each other as well and raise that with the manager!

As long as you are productive and doing your job, meeting your deadlines etc.. Then I am baffled why this is such an issue!

Did it not occur to you that people don’t like the smell of eggs? It makes me gag it’s so disgusting.What would you think if you went to a supermarket checkout and the operator was eating while checking out your shopping with one hand? I think you’re being very unreasonable.

I'd find it pretty grim to have the person sitting next to me eating stinky hot eggs or baked beans on toast tbf, just the thought of it is making me grimace. That said, we are not supposed to eat meals at our desks at all. We can use the microwaves at any point (!) but are required to eat in a designated cafe area or off site.

I'm amazed that so many people eat breakfast at their desks in offices on a 9-5 job. It's not hard to eat before work, is it? I I teach from 8:30 in the morning and would be hauled over the coals of professionalism if I tried to do it in between bites of my bowl of cornflakes!

@Lozzie86
100% agree with that
It sounds like a horrible workplace

@ThirdElephant
Well yes, but you aren’t sitting in front of a PC, it’s and entirely different from teaching, or say working retail !

Going to have to go with smell being a big issue! I had to complain to a colleague (hated doing it) but I was newly pregnant, didn't want to tell people, and she would have re-heated quiche and tomatoes every single morning while working. Not only could she not work properly, but it stank, really stank....not to her! She didn't even realise, but cheese and onion quiche really whiffs, and I would then have to quietly disappear to the bathroom and stick a menthol stick up my nose while my heaving calmed down.
Not saying any of your work mates are pregnant, but still, have something cold! x

[quote BeaucoupFish]@ThirdElephant
Well yes, but you aren’t sitting in front of a PC, it’s and entirely different from teaching, or say working retail ![/quote]
It's still working though. It seems very odd to me, the idea of rocking up at work with your morning routine unfinished and making it up in your working time.

I vomit with the smell of eggs.

So it I’ll be the smell

I had a guy who ate an egg sandwich. I didn’t even have time to move before I vomited on the floor.

He stopped eating it though.

Oh my god i cant believe what i am reading here. Am 15 years working in an office in many sectors and never once had this. People are different, some like to eat as soon as they get up some don't. Who cares. I don't drink tea or coffee but i am not annoyed by the person who has to make 20 cups of tea or coffee a day . Smokers now do piss me off, but more so cause of the stench of them when they come back in. Often been in companies where Friday is breakfast roll day - everyone gets breakfast rolls that morning, donuts or cake brought in. Coming up to xmas the office would be full of sweets, We have a training day sandwiches and sweets would be brought in for us. Currently working from home at mo, had my lunch at my desk ( and it was scrambled egg :) )while i was on a call, today had back to back meetings all day. Often been on calls with people eating and drinking tea and coffee including the CEO. Honestly if this was my workplace this would be a red flag to me, would keep an eye on it and would be looking for a new job if something similar came up.

Omg I love the sound of an employee lounge! We don’t even have seats in our kitchen so the only place to eat is at your desk! a microwave is provided so you expect people to be eating hot, possibly smelly things at their desk. Although if you produced a honking Stilton be prepared to get telt !

@ThirdElephant
Everyone is unique !

@Wexone
Precisely !

[quote BeaucoupFish]@ThirdElephant
Everyone is unique ![/quote]
Well yeah, but that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want at work, when you're sharing a space with other people. I think the fact her manager has asked her not to do it is a reasonably good indicator that it isn't accept at this particular office. She can't say "we're all unique" and do it anyway. Or do any of the weird passive aggressive alternatives people have suggested on here

Maybe the office culture isn't for the op and thats fine. "We are all unique" after all! But then she can find another job if it matters that much to her. Or not and just try to fit in with the new office culture.

Tbf I don't think I've ever worked somewhere without a kitchen/canteen/break room

Flip I used to work with a girl who went to the fish man every Friday morning, and then microwaved a whole trout to eat for lunch. It was an open plan office, and it was dire. Prior to that, I worked somewhere with an “approved list” of sandwiches because the cleaner didn’t like emptying the packaging of certain sandwiches from the bin. Nowt as queer as folk!

Welcome to the world of office politics!

Mine I don't think was too much of a pickle, but I did try to keep the smell to a minimum when it the office, which was chips. Usually I preferred to sit outside with them rather than the smell in the office.

Must be a slow news day at the Liverpool Echo... they're running this story as a paid ad on FB

All I can say is I'm glad I don't live in the UK. No paid morning/afternoon tea breaks for most of you, and places with nowhere to sit and eat a meal!!! I've never worked anywhere which didn't have a kitchen with seating. What century are you in?

@Mediocrates

Must be a slow news day at the Liverpool Echo... they're running this story as a paid ad on FB

Meant to tag you in this @KittyKatty123 - just as a heads up

I've put that YANBU - to eat - BUT

As an IT person, your keyboard is going to get disgusting if you eat over it. And yes, hot food definitely spreads a smell more, which people are going to struggle with sometimes.

I'd just split the break and eat in the break room personally.