Taking the piss - Lunch break

[DeedlessIndeed]

Okay, so work for an organisation where contracted for 37.5 hours a week + a 30 minute, unpaid lunch break each day.

Everyone works remotely, but visits clients etc in pairs most days.

A couple of members of the team have started to take extended lunch breaks together, when they are working together. This isn't everyday, but fairly routine.

Other team members annoyed. Nothing has been formally raised to management and due to nature of role its easy to falsify timesheets to say a client visit ran over etc.

Today it happened again, it was noted that they took at least a 1hr 30 lunch break.

The staff are mixed, one is a great worker, great attitude etc and gets job done. One has got good experience but hit and miss when it comes to hitting targets. The other is in probation, but has shown good promise.

If report to management likely result is cracking down on flexibility to role, which would impact whole team.

The AIBU (i know, not really an AIBU)

1. Should team report to management?

1. What is likely outcome to the staff? Only can prove most recent incident.

1. Should all staff members involved be treated the same?

Are they definitely taking the extra time and claiming they are working / have you seen their timesheets, or are they taking 90mins unpaid and timesheets reflect this?

I have a half hour unpaid break but also work flexi. There was a time when I would regularly take an hour lunch with a colleague on a Friday. But I always kept a record of my time and made it up over the week. Are you sure they aren’t doing this?

don't cut your nose off to spite your face

Don't bite off your nose to spite your face.

I’d remain “unaware”. 1) you don’t want them cracking down on everyone;2) if they are hitting targets who cares, and if they’re not then it’s a wider performance issue that needs to be addressed; 3) don’t ruin your relationship with colleagues for what should be your managers problem;4) you aren’t going to benefit from telling your manager- you will just disadvantage them- I get that it’s not “fair” but if it’s not going to make your life better why would you bother.

It isn't your job to monitor their timekeeping.
I can't imagine keeping tabs on coworkers to this level.

Do they work Flexi? They may take a 90 minute lunch but between an extra 30 minutes at the start and 30 minutes at the end of the day they don't deny the company any time.

If the flexibility benefitted me too and i could also swan off for long breaks, then I'd keep shtum. This would be the case even if I currently had no NEED for the flexibility.

If I was the manager and found out about this tho, I'd be having words with the staff.

Is it your job to check these time sheets and make sure that they are doing what they are supposed to be doing? If no you shouldn't say anything. Just do your job.

How do you know they haven’t got approval from management/ making the time up/ are actually taking a 1.5hr lunch?

Don't snitch. Mind your own business. Enjoy the occasional longer lunch yourself.

Can't understand the mindset of people who are desperate to tell teacher. You think you'll get a pat on the head and a gold star for tattling?

Unless you are managing these staff or own the company, I would keep my nose out. As long as the work gets done who cares.

Let someone else report it and keep out of it.

Same.

Take an extra long lunch break yourself if you are that bothered.

We all WFH most of the time so no-one really has any idea how long people take for lunch breaks (no time sheets). As long as work is being done and on time then it's not a big deal. I am supposed to have 30 mins as I work full-time over 4 long days but sometimes I take a bit longer if I pop out for a walk as I then need to make/eat lunch when I get back.

If I'm really busy one day I wont take a formal lunch break at all so it's about being flexible to me and that goes both ways.

Do they ever do unpaid overtime? I've found employers are hot on people not taking a longer lunch than they should but don't extend the same strictness of adhering to hours when it involves someone starting early and finishing late. Ten minutes here and there adds up. In the decent companies I've worked for, managers know this and allow people to take a bit of extra time off here and there, knowing that they pay it back elsewhere.

I have always thought that this sort of thing is best left to management

I've always found a fairly good rule in the workplace is that you don't need to be doing management's job for them.

Don't snitch. If you're not the manager it's not your problem.

Does this impact your own workload?

If not, stay out of other people's business.

Are they working later or starting earlier to compensate for the longer lunch? If so, then it doesn’t matter. They are adults managing their own schedule.

Are you their manager? Why are you trying to manage them otherwise?

Or are you just annoyed that they are ‘getting away with it’.

I’d concentrate on managing yourself.

Unless you're their manager, it's not your business.

And if you are the manager, you should know what to do about it without checking on here.

Mind your own business and don't get involved in this petty gossip. It won't serve you well.

Either they're making up the time elsewhere, or this eventually will catch up with them. Either way it's not your role to monitor it.

I'm generally a rules person, but unless this directly impacts you because you're having to pick up work they're missing or you're actually required to speak up when things like this occur I'd just keep quiet but wouldn't lie if asked directly by management.

It's rarely taken well when someone blows the whistle on dishonest behaviour. You'll be seen as either trying to curry favour with management, being sly or being the fun police.

Morally and legally they're in the wrong if they're fabricating their timesheets which is really annoying, but I'd be considering my personal environment in work and the impact reporting them would have on the bigger picture selfishly