Lunch breaks provide the much-needed down time among employees who have a very hectic pace each business day. Some employees often opt to have their meals at a nearby restaurant in order to break free from the office for an hour or two. However, these employees tend to forget that they can actually accomplish more if the eat their lunch at their desks.
Why Do Employees Outside The US Eat Lunch At Their Desk?
In one of the studies conducted in Australia, it was found out that Aussie employees who do not leave their desks during lunch break could have extra 40 working hours annually. This means having more hours to spend on some urgent tasks, therefore boosting one’s productivity.
However, this is not just about impressing another person – it is about showing dedication to work as you accomplish more tasks per working day. Most of these are younger workers who are between 25 and 34 years old, those who are perhaps more passionate about doing more while in the workplace.
Why Do US Employees Eat Lunch At Their Desk?
In a separate study conducted in the US, only about one-third of American workers take their lunch breaks. The study was conducted just last year by Right Management, a consulting firm working on human resources. According to the said survey, about 65% choose to eat at their desks, and some do not take their breaks at all. This is actually an emerging trend as proven by another study conducted by CareerBuilder. The study they have conducted shows that 40% take brown-bag lunch at their tasks and continue accomplishing tasks right after finishing their meals.
Not leaving the office desk during lunch breaks does not look beneficial at first, but in the long run this means having more hours to spend on more important duties. For instance, those who often spend their lunch breaks outside have the tendency to go over break. Instead of spending only an hour—which is the average allowed break—some tend to spend an additional hour because they still need to go back to the office. For those who eat out, about 30 minutes are spent on going to the place and going back to the office alone. This time frame does not include the time spent on eating.
However, when one stays at the office and eats at the desk, it means spending only an hour or even less on lunch breaks. This practically means workers can get back to work on time. They can also start earlier if they wish to do more tasks.
In this era when having a stable job is a challenge for many workers, it is recommended to be professional and cautious when inside the workplace. Any negative comment such as taking over breaks could threaten one’s tenure at work. If you want a positive reputation, do yourself a favor — eat lunch at your desk.
Image courtesy of rhodes.
