Manager insisting I take lunch

[Shanna8]

Hi, I would really appreciate some advice. I am PA to the CEO of a large organisation. I work in a solo capacity, no team or colleagues to have lunch with. This suits me fine. Our canteen is very busy, noisy and full of fellow co-workers who lunch together every day e.g. Finance colleagues sit at one table, HR colleagues sit at another table etc. The CEO sits with other Executive members. It's a bit clicky tbh ... but not having someone to have lunch with does not bother me in the slightest. I take lunch in my office, which I prefer. I tend to eat while working as I'm very busy and would prefer to work through and get home at a reasonable time. My Manager (CEO) has raised this with me on 3 occasions in recent weeks i.e. you really need to start taking lunch, you should not be working while having lunch etc. Yesterday she made another comment and I now feel pressurised and upset. I have told her previously (jokingly) that I have an aversion to the canteen, that I cannot stand it! There are other "solo" workers who also take lunch in their office and yet they are not being targeted. I could approach one of these colleagues for company at lunch time but I don't want to do this. It will result in me being tied to this arrangement every day, having to go to lunch when I don't want to/have something urgent on. There is no-where else to go for lunch except my car. I feel upset and resentful that I will be forced to sit in my car every day when I would prefer to keep working. I am now wondering why my Manager is insisting on this? Is it a duty of care / HR issue? Is she fearful I will take sick leave and cite being over-worked with no breaks? Is there any solution? Should I talk to her? AIBU???

She isn’t being asked to socialise. She’s been asked to take a break and not work through her lunch. She doesn’t have to socialise while she’s doing that.

You need a break. You would work better if you had a break. How would you feel if your children worked through their lunch at school.

It definitely depends on the company/industry. Everywhere I worked (finance) most people would eat at their desk while working.

Haven't read the full thread but surely the solution is to eat at your desk if that's what you prefer (me too) but don't work at the same time.

Read a book or a magazine, do a bit of your own life admin, whatever. Then take a short break away from the desk (a walk round the block?).

At least that way you're meeting the mandatory break requirements, but not having to mingle in the canteen.

There is a solution though.

Go out for a walk on your break.
Eat in your car
Eat in the canteen (which you can do, you just prefer not to).

Your employer has a duty of care towards you, it's very unhealthy to sit and not take any breaks. It's also a legal requirement.

Just eat at your desk. Millions of people in offices never leave their desk all day by choice.

This. Getting up and having a walk around- no need to socialise if one doesn't want to.
Eating at a desk never looks good, either. It also can be smelly, depending on what is being consumed.

There is an awful lot of evidence to show that people are more effective and efficient when they have breaks. You may find you need to work less overtime...

I was just thinking this. The CEO maybe doesn’t like people stinking the office out. I hated that immensely myself and we provided a rest area to discourage it.

Take a book/magazine and read that whilst you take your lunch, at your desk if that’s what you want.

unless it is company policy no eating at desk, then they can’t force you to go to canteen.

I think you should view her remarks as something that's meant to be positive. She's obviously trying to look out for your well being. Also she is literally telling you that you should feel free to take that break. So take it... and be glad you work in a company where even the CEO thinks it's important that people take care of themselves.
It worries me as well, if I see someone always working through lunch, never leaving her desk and doing overtime as well.
There is a reason why you should take a break after a maximum of six hours of work.
You don't have to join anyone in the canteen if you don't want to, just go for a walk?

I've worked in offices where people go to the gym or for a run at lunch time.

They finish, have a quick shower and eat their lunch at their desks while working.

The OP just needs to show she is having a break at lunch time where ever she eats her lunch.

Surely if your manager has time to take a proper lunch break and you don't the distribution of work is unfair?
I don't blame you for wanting to eat alone, not everyone wants to socialise.
I would go out to your car or out of the building at lunch time while they head to the canteen, and then come back in a few minutes later and eat lunch where you want.

She is fulfilling a duty of care and she might also care about you on her own account!

I’m a line manger and it’s really important to make sure that people get breaks away from their desk and screen. I do Pomodoro with my colleagues and they seem to like it.

No, it was more about reporting back on issues the boss could do something about, not snitching. He was a very well respected boss, and it was a very happy department we worked in.

Its duty of care to make sure you are having a break away from your desk.

And no one is "forcing you to sit in your car" - what a hyperbolic leap.

You need to talk to your boss.

What are you eating for your lunch? It could be an issue with the smell of the food in your office.

Apart from that you need fresh air & exercise. I’d just sit in the car for the amount of time it took me to eat.

I think it's the "getting home at a reasonable time" that's at the heart of this. Are you working through lunch so you can leave earlier? Your manager may prefer to have you present in the office until later in the day.

There is a solution. Just lock your computer and eat your lunch.

It’s a legal requirement that you take a break if you work more than 6 hours. You are being unreasonable.

That’s good advice! OP has to talk to her boss.

she might go out for a walk, do some yoga / meditation in her office, have lunch in her office (but not working) etc. There are solution to this but OP needs to communicate clearly (and respectfully).

There are many solutions though you just won’t entertain any of them.

1. eat in canteen alone
2. eat in canteen with colleagues
3. go for a walk
4. eat outside

If you appreciate it’s a legal requirement then why don’t you take a break? I really don’t understand.

I'm with you on this, OP.

Your boss isn't treating you as a person, just as an employee.

Your wants and needs are just as important as everyone else's.

I'd hate being forced into a busy canteen, daily. I'd also hate having to sit in my car.

It sounds like you bend over backwards in terms of hours for the company and this seems like such a small thing to bend on for you.

I'd ask to have a proper conversation with boss about it, if I were you.

She probably thinks it makes her look bad like she's cracking the whip too much and not letting you have a lunch break

It isn't a legal requirement for op to take breaks.