Is it seen to BU to go to the toilet at work?

[KittySocks]

Posting here for traffic. In the office this morning, there were 2 members of my team having a moan. Essentially, someone had gone to the toilet and had sprayed some of the provided air freshener. Staff member moans that the staff member in question should have waited until they got home before they "stink out the work toilets".

Staff members in question are mid 20s. It started a stupid debate in the office and basically, the older generation see no issue with going to the toilets at work. Younger generation claim they would be mortified and state they would not poop at work!

Is it a generational thing then? I'm of the mindset, if you have to go, you have to go!

YABU - Get a grip - poop away
YANBU - Gross! Hold it in until you get home!

It's ridiculous to make yourself so uncomfortable. What are these people eating that they're so afraid of the inevitable end result??

I also hate the trend of women hovering their hands in front of their mouths when they eat in public. Why? They're just drawing attention to what they're doing, making it 'a thing' when it isn't.

I feel like this is definitely an age thing. When I was young I'm pretty sure I would have gasped at the thought of going for a poo at school or at work. Now I do it regularly because why be embarrassed about something everyone needs to do? You grow up and you don't care anymore. That's my experience anyway.

It depends on how stinky your poop is (obviously everyone's poop smells bad but I feel like some people really have gastrointestinal issues with that kind of lingering Chernobyl smell), the office toilet (1 tiny cubicle vs multiple cubicles) and also how close the office toilet is to the work areas

God how bloody ridiculous!

If you have to go you have to go simple as that really. Your hardly going to be concentrating on work if your uncomfortable and in pain.

Why would I poo in my own time when I can get paid for it?

Honestly, it was totally inappropriate for an office-wide 'debate' on this to be allowed. Emplyees are 100% entitled to use the toilets at work for their intended purpose, and allowing public criticism of them like this borders on harrassment. If you're their manager, OP, I hope you gave them short shrift.

I don't really like using office toilets as sometimes a colleague will recognise your shoes and start discussing work things whilst they are at the mirror examining a spot or something. 😳

So one solution I have found is a plastic bag fitting inside a stout, brown paper outer and then scurry off to privacy of the Filing Room. Top tip: don't use the S and T section as they are frequently visited, best plump for the far end of the alphabet. 👌

Oh it really does help
I don't like the VI poo stuff as much as this one but a couple of sprays before you go and it's magic

Yes! I would walk down to the second floor, so I would be seen going down the stairs, then I would get the lift up to the 5th floor (mostly empty) use the loo, then lift back down to the second floor and walk back up the stairs in full view 🫢

It is really rude of your colleagues trying to shame someone for using the loo. If there's more than one toilet then one could be used for 'smelly' functions but of course people should use toilets at work, as and when they need to.

It can be really horrible using the toilet after someone has done a smelly poo in it so if people can save it for home then I think they should.

I understand the people that can’t help when they need to go and who can’t hold it, but the people that pride themselves for pooing on work time just for the sake of it are gross. Especially when there’s no window.

How can you hold on for 8 hours ? I mean you would do yourself some serious damage surely! They are being very unreasonable!

A point of interest for all those who hold it in. If you carry on doing this on a regular basis for hours on end it can eventually cause a decline in the bowels ability to move poop on with the worst case scenario fecal incontinence. Its no laughing matter.

Jesus, such juvenile teenage bollocks. 1) Everybody shits. Yep, even very young and very gaw-juss. 2) Everyone's shit stinks. Yep, even young&gawjuss's ones. So if you need to go - you need to go. Making 'ewww' faces coming out of the loo is childish. The normal, adult and polite thing is to act neutral and not to embarrass people. Because - see my first point.

I'm mid-30s millennial, for what it's worth.

I never worried about using the toilet at work for no 2s, before lockdown I was working 4 9 hour days so I had to do it. Its lovely being able to work from home now without worrying about leaving a little skid mark behind that I can clean later lol.

Some people can control these things, so then, of course wait. But normal mortals, if you have to go, you go! That is what the flipping toilet is there for, right?
I was once in a hospital toilet, the ones for visitors, and therewas a mother shouting at her daughter (around 8 -10) that number 2s only at home. I really felt bad for that poor child.

You don’t. You poo in the morning before you go to work.

I go an hour after every main meal, like clockwork. Only once a day would mean I was constipated. So I go whenever I need to, as per any toilets’ intended function, without shame and leaving the place as I found it.

Agree. Can't beat a good download.

One of life’s joys really, it’s a nice little mindful break from the day. People are missing out. If it smells that bad, maybe some people need to work on their diets and eat more fruit & veg and less meat.

How can you choose to wait? As others have mentioned that is the perfect way to end up with bowel issues.
Do people genuinely think that using the loo is bad manners?

We had a problem at work where someone was using the (ladies) toilet without lifting the lid. 😱

The building admin people paid one of the cleaning staff to hang around and go into the loo after everyone came out. Eventually they found a suspect. A couple more goes round just checking after her and yep, they were certain they had the poopetrator™.

HR called her in and it turned out she had some kind of grievance. According to what leaked out (!) she said "My department is shitting on me, so I'm shitting on them".

I've told a few people this story over the years and apparently we were not the only workplace where this ever happened. There are some very strange people out there. 😳

If I need a shit. I will shit.

Bad manners my arse

I think the problem is poor design of loos and cost cutting when it comes to location. Loos opening on to corridors are fine if the corridor is slightly cut off from rest of office like ours are. The ideal is having nice individual loos that have a window for fresh air, or at least a good air vent, or bathroom fan type machine, and are located inside a larger room with sinks. And plenty of them!

The loos at our local MacDonalds are horrid because they have heavy doors and no outside air coming in. I always think John Lewis loos are nice though! Bright and airy!

I have Crohn's disease and zero chance of 'holding it in'. Makes my anxiety just a bit worse knowing their are women out there who are scandalised by pooing at work because I have no choice! I have Poo Pourri spray that helps the smell a bit.