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.

@KitBumbleB

Nah, he is just mad

It's the smell OP , at my work if anyone dares eat anything with egg in theirs always a moan . They do stink to be fair .

Feeasco
I hate this immature, nitpicking, inflexible atmosphere in the workplace

As I (and many others) have pointed out above it is likely that the reason the OP is being asked not to eat breakfast at her desk is because she is microwaving whisked up raw egg. If you have ever done this you will know that it smells awful even if the resulting scrambled egg tastes ok.

You might see it as inflexible or nitpicking but I consider the OP’s behaviour to be selfish. Her total disregard for the comfort of others (forcing them to work in a smelly environment) is disrespectful.

Nobody is stopping her from eating during breaks or at lunch time. Nobody is stopping her from eating cold snacks at her desk in between these breaks if she can’t cope going a few hours without food.

@SunShinesBrightly

Feeasco I hate this immature, nitpicking, inflexible atmosphere in the workplace

As I (and many others) have pointed out above it is likely that the reason the OP is being asked not to eat breakfast at her desk is because she is microwaving whisked up raw egg. If you have ever done this you will know that it smells awful even if the resulting scrambled egg tastes ok.

You might see it as inflexible or nitpicking but I consider the OP’s behaviour to be selfish. Her total disregard for the comfort of others (forcing them to work in a smelly environment) is disrespectful.

Nobody is stopping her from eating during breaks or at lunch time. Nobody is stopping her from eating cold snacks at her desk in between these breaks if she can’t cope going a few hours without food.

i understand your points but then why would the smell be any better at lunch vs in the morning ?

Most people, as everyone has pointed out, wouldn’t cook eggs as they’re particularly smelly. That’s common sense!

But it is down to office cultures and maybe size too. I work in a huge, international organisation in a very busy (non public facing) section. You don’t get a chance to step away for an hour’s lunch very often, so the microwaves and tea/coffee points are super busy.

They offer multiple kitchen spaces, with seating, on each floor though, so the option to eat away from your desk is there, but they tend to be used for informal meetings, and people heat up food and eat at their desk.

Personally, I’d be ok with telling any of my team to rein in the antisocial food choices, but I’d hate to work where you got told to split lunch breaks or your desk time got monitored. I wouldn’t cope.

I used to work with a man who heated up eggs, beans and kippers for his lunch in a legal office. It was awful. He actually apologised and stopped doing it and he was the senior partner.

Yes,op you will have had complaints from other workers. Its not very professional for other colleagues and worse if you have clients call in. Why can you not eat first thing prior to work?

Hawkins001
It wouldn’t but presumably people use the canteen or staff room to prepare eat their food at break and lunchtime? It’s generally accepted that people eat at certain times of the day.
Whatever the rules it’s very rude to bring in food that stinks the place out.

Also op is not there that long so is still probably on her probation period.
She's lucky they gave her a word rather than letting her go.

OK, having read most of the replies, I think the solution is straight forward:

1. Avoid heating smelly foods at your desk.
2. Non-smelly should be ok.
3. Keep your hands washed and your keyboard sanitised.
4. Don't call it breakfast, just call it your morning break. Bravo for continuing to work during your break. It is clearly safe to do so as you are not driving or caring for people at the time.

@BorderlineHappy

Also op is not there that long so is still probably on her probation period. She's lucky they gave her a word rather than letting her go.

Really??

So having potentially paid recruitment fees, trains for a couple of months, decided it she was good at het job.

It's better to let her go, rather than have a word?

@bananafish

Most people, as everyone has pointed out, wouldn’t cook eggs as they’re particularly smelly. That’s common sense!

But it is down to office cultures and maybe size too. I work in a huge, international organisation in a very busy (non public facing) section. You don’t get a chance to step away for an hour’s lunch very often, so the microwaves and tea/coffee points are super busy.

They offer multiple kitchen spaces, with seating, on each floor though, so the option to eat away from your desk is there, but they tend to be used for informal meetings, and people heat up food and eat at their desk.

Personally, I’d be ok with telling any of my team to rein in the antisocial food choices, but I’d hate to work where you got told to split lunch breaks or your desk time got monitored. I wouldn’t cope.

Just exactly like my office.
Like weirdly so

Mumsnetters are aghast at people eating. Everyone knows that the only acceptable thing is wafting a lettuce leaf then claiming you’re ‘soooo full’ that you can’t possibly eat a single thing for the next two days.

Honestly, the dysfunctional attitudes towards food on MN are beyond a joke.

Not really, there's just a time and a place. Even the tube has signs asking travellers not to eat smelly food 🤷🏻‍♀️
It's unpleasant to be stuck in an enclosed space with the stink of someone else's food, especially when that person is having "breakfast" mid morning on her own say so.

@SixQuidGames

Mumsnetters are aghast at people eating. Everyone knows that the only acceptable thing is wafting a lettuce leaf then claiming you’re ‘soooo full’ that you can’t possibly eat a single thing for the next two days.

Honestly, the dysfunctional attitudes towards food on MN are beyond a joke.

You know I’ve changed my mind about this whole thread. You’re right. This is all down to my dysfunctional attitude to good.

Can’t wait to serve people at work on Monday. Think I’ll take a morning break about 20 mins after arriving (I won’t bother clocking out, customers can just wait and I’ll disconnect the phone or just let it ring). I’ll make cheese and beans on toast I think and eat it while I speak to customers. I will gesticulate with my fork when I’m explaining where things are too.

Everyone deserves to eat when, what and where they like! Of course if my boss complains I will immediately escalate it to protect my human right to eating hot food at any time of the day I feel like it and not wasting my break time on this.

OP - I think you may be happier in a job at The Little Chef.

They'd be bankrupt in a week but you'd be satisfied.

@SixQuidGames

Mumsnetters are aghast at people eating. Everyone knows that the only acceptable thing is wafting a lettuce leaf then claiming you’re ‘soooo full’ that you can’t possibly eat a single thing for the next two days.

Honestly, the dysfunctional attitudes towards food on MN are beyond a joke.

Not at all! I love food...I am a healthy size and weight but I eat a breakfast BEFORE leaving the house. Because it's anti social to cook stinking eggs in a shared space.

Mumsnetters are aghast at people eating. Everyone knows that the only acceptable thing is wafting a lettuce leaf then claiming you’re ‘soooo full’ that you can’t possibly eat a single thing for the next two days.

What utter rubbish! It's nothing to do with being aghast at people eating, but there is a time and a place - and that is not in an office. It's okay to have a quick snack - not one that involves cooking - but most of us have breakfast before work, and lunch in our lunch break.

OP works in an office, not a shop. Things that are appropriate in one working environment might not be appropriate in another.

Eating meals at your desk is no more appropriate in an office than in a shop. I have to confess I have eaten food at my desk, but I didn't cook it beforehand, and I didn't work with anyone else, and I certainly didn't do it regularly. I've been around for many years, and honestly I can just imagine how the bosses in my first job would have reacted to this sort of thing. OP has a lunch break, she can heat food then - otherwise she either has breakfast beforehand, skips breakfast, or has something simple to eat at her desk. Employers are allowed to make rules about this sort of thing - it is not a right to eat a meal at your desk.

@beachtosunset

OP - I think you may be happier in a job at The Little Chef.

They'd be bankrupt in a week but you'd be satisfied.

Why do you think they'd be bankrupt? OP is not over eating?

Maybe bring some left over Pilchard curry in for lunch instead?

@Offmyfence you get a refund/partial refund if you let someone go who came through recruiters if it's under 6 month? I think?

This thread HAS to be a joke. I'm calling it. Eggs and beans at your desk OP? You may as well just sit there farting

They are talking about this thread on Jeremy Vine on the TV now.

@Angelonagelee

They are talking about this thread on Jeremy Vine on the TV now.

that fits my impression of Jeremy Vine really

[quote SliceOfCakeCupOfTea]@Offmyfence you get a refund/partial refund if you let someone go who came through recruiters if it's under 6 month? I think? [/quote]
You think wrong!