People working through lunch..

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No idea if this is a common thing at other companies, but at my place it seems the normal thing to do is that people just work through their lunch or take about a quarter of what they're actually entitled to.

I've never understood it, and I always make a point of taking my full lunch break as I need that time away from my desk before I go into the tasks that need completing in the afternoon.

Is this common these days?

I aim for one lunch break if about 15 minutes a week. Rarely achieve it though!

I always go out as its a break from phones. Day can be long otherwise

My baby is an absolute germpit so I usually work through lunch to make up some hours!

Apart from rare emergency scenarios, I've always left on time and taken my lunch break.

In fact, when I was at my peak of overworking, I left at 5 on the dot every day, and took my laptop home with me. Gym, shower, dinner, then back on it at 7. Much more productive that way, and I always had at least one long day of travel each week.

But yeah, I always take my lunch now.

I haven't taken a lunch break in 40 years working for NHS there are always too many notes and referrals to do.

It's depended on my job how I've done my lunch break.
Some jobs I've worked through because incomplete work work end up being completed in my own time.
Some jobs I've taken a full lunch hour, gone for a walk, done errands etc.
Other jobs I've taken a short lunch break so I can leave early as that provides me with value.

Yes I realised that as I posted it. 😂

Luckily not!

I always take my lunch break. Even working in high pressure environments when no one else did.

My workload was my own, so it didn’t impact anyone else, and I couldn’t leave early by taking a shorter one.

It was never an issue and I’ve been regularly promoted.

I firmly believe not taking it is a pathway to burnout and no one can be productive the entire day. Getting out for fresh air is invaluable.

Most jobs aren’t actually that important that something can’t wait for an hour.

I used to do it because I worked with people in other time zones/had lunchtime deadlines. I then left earlier. Worked for everyone.

We only have 30 minutes for lunch in a 10 + day , canteen is 10 minutes away easily. We tend to work through lunch eating at our desks if we're in the office, and leave a few minutes early when we can. Our jobs are clinical, so sometimes can't take a break until we've finished, but it all evens out.

It's common because people are given too much work. They'd rather work through lunch than go home later. Very few jobs are just fine with it if something you're assigned doesn't get finished on time. DP is often at work until 9pm (WFH) because his boss simply signs up for everything to look good and then shafts it into him.

90% of our staff take the full hour and I would expect them to. I don’t because I come and go as I like so often don’t get in until 9.15 and leave at 4.30. Quick 15 min sarnie for me. I’ve never understood why people work so many extra hours for nothing. I never work more than my contracted 35 hrs.

In teaching your lunch break is unpaid and is usually about 40m.

You'll spend the first ten of those dealing with a kid/detention.

Then you'll have a meeting that couldn't be fit anywhere else because of the other meetings in the meeting slots.

If you manage to scran your sandwiches or do a wee before more kids come to find you about something urgent, you're doing well.

And then the bell goes and you're off again.

We once had a wellbeing initiative which was publicised for a month. It was to "take your (unpaid) lunch break without having meetings" on one particular Wednesday in June.

Not sure it was especially successful.

I do, I can never get ahead of where I need to be. But on the rare occasion I do (usually planned lunch with colleague or something desperately needed from shop if wfh) I'm probably more productive afterwards.

The problem is when everyone does it, and works late, it raises expectations of what it's possible to do in normal hours.

I work through lunch most days. I’d rather that than work an hour longer. I’ve got too much work to do

Very few teachers take much of a lunch break.

I always make sure I walk to the lunch hall and eat rather than having a sandwhich at my desk, even though I usually only have 10-15 minutes. Getting out of my classroom into the fresh air is very important to me! But I generally take dessert either to my duty or back to my desk. Pupils don't want to stay at the end of the day and many of them get the bus, so it's the only time to catch up with them 1:1.

Depends on the person. I always work through my lunch break but then I get flexibility when I need it for other things like if I need to leave early for school pick up etc. If I'm having a quiet day I'd maybe take it but I never block out the time in my diary.

I do, every day, and I block the time out in my calendar when I’m busy. I do not have the patience or the stamina to work for 8 hours without a proper break, and doing so is bad for you anyway. I’d say my workplace is about a 50/50 split between people who do it my way, and people who work through. It’s noticeable though that almost all of the working mothers work through. I think there’s a fair bit of guilt and compensatory presenteeism there, tbh, and they don’t realise that they’re undermining everyone else’s right to insist on a break.

Depends on how I feel. Sometimes I'll work through, sometimes I'll sit at my desk and look at BBC News abs sometimes I'll take the hour and watch something on Netflix or go for a walk. But I work from home so not sure if that makes a difference.

This

Take the full lunch break or leave work early? I rather leave work early. Plus, if I didn’t, it meant being stuck in rush hour on a crowded train and not getting home til 6 because I’d have to wait for the next train which was an hour later.

I take my hour but my colleague takes half as she has a commute. Once she started talking to me about work and I still had ten minutes left so I just said not off my lunch yet sorry! I felt bad but I have worked through when it's been month end madness

I wouldn't mind working through my lunch break if it meant I could finish earlier. However, that would be frowned upon at my company. Often people just work straight through and I have no idea how people can stare at a screen for 8 hours with no break at all!

It's the people getting arsey if anybody takes their full hour. I just don't get it

And most of these people don't even claim overtime which is just stupid..