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.

Toasted teacakes in the afternoon are one step away from the total disintegration of society as we know it.

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

But is anyone else doing the same thing?

In fairness he "took you aside" and didn't exactly bawl you out in front of the whole office; also if you're the only one doing this it will be personal

Never mind what your previous employer found acceptable; best just stick to a cereal bar in future

@Namechangedox

Is instant porridge pots a no no then? My shift starts at 7.30am and finishes at 8pm there's no time for breakfast in the morning.

That's fine because don't you just pour hot water into those and stir?

Big difference between that and a full-on meal of beans on toast.

This does make me glad I full-time WFH though. I can be as smelly as I like, go make tea and snacks and food whenever I want, and eat noisily and messily at my desk I don't think I could cope back in an office environment now.

It’s the bloody eggs that’ll be giving off the smell. Tbh it sounds like you’re having a full English at your desk, eggs, beans and toast.

I would hate to share an office with anyone eating food that smells.

Get yourself a small food thermos and heat up at home and then eat that at your desk with some bread.

I think yabu to be microwaving eggs and beans and stuff the morning.. Just stick to a couple cold breakfast. Of course it's only aimed at you because you're the one doing it?

@Starcaller

Toasted teacakes in the afternoon are one step away from the total disintegration of society as we know it.

The thin buttered carby end of the wedge!

I wouldn’t really want to be working next to someone eating eggs and beans and toast at their desk.

How can you sit with a knife and fork , a plate of beans and eggs and work at the same time?

The no coats on chairs is pretty standard H&S to prevent trips from trailing coats.
Also looks very scruffy.

@TempleofZoom

Beans/ eggs on toast is taking the piss and stinks the office out. Ive never,ever seen anyone at work have more than a bowl of cereal or a yoghurt. Yabu and cheeky.

^^THIS

This thread has made me so grateful for all the places I’ve ever worked where everyone just eats whenever and no one cares if someone isn’t “typing” for 5 minutes.

I'm loving all the suggestions of eat away from your desk /in the lunch room/in the canteen/in the staff room/in the break room. I don't know about the OP but we don't have a staff room, or lunch room or break room. There is a canteen but it's in a different building (I work in a hospital in a non clinical role) and there are rarely any spare tables as the place is full of clinical staff who work in that building, along with some patients. It's a waste of time walking over there only to find there's nowhere to sit. I might as well stay at my desk and eat there.

OP, how about some tasty kippers for breakfast? Or even kedgeree?

@viques 😁

@Benjispruce5

How can you sit with a knife and fork , a plate of beans and eggs and work at the same time?

Not all "work" involves typing/using a mouse.

Some involves "thinking".

It's different at lunch time when everyone is eating but cooked stuff, etc at other times, yuk!
Also do you have your eggy, ketchuppy plate hanging around until lunchtime? I would be heaving🤮

@Benjispruce5

How can you sit with a knife and fork , a plate of beans and eggs and work at the same time?

That was my question. It's just not possible for most people during their working hours to have a sit down hot breakfast. Maybe that's the problem? I don't think that makes it a sweatshop!

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

You cook a breakfast at work every morning on your employer’s time and eat it in front of your colleagues as they try to work

It probably smells
Eat it before you go

I'd complain if someone was heating up beans and eggs, it stinks to high heaven and would make me gag. I hate beans 🤢🤢

@Allsorts1

This thread has made me so grateful for all the places I’ve ever worked where everyone just eats whenever and no one cares if someone isn’t “typing” for 5 minutes.

Bloody hell yes.

Are there places where they actually monitor what you eat, where and exactly how many minutes you sit at a desk and type? What sort of jobs are these?

It sounds more like some sort of prison camp. What happened to just trusting people to get on with their work like adults and focus on the output/ outcomes? Not counting minutes or monitoring food.

Offices. They have got to go.