Employees who skip lunch may be lowering productivity, happiness
Posted on October 31st, 2011 Read time: 1 minutes
There never seem to be enough hours in the day, and as employees work to meet deadlines and quotas, they can be known to make sacrifices, such as working late or taking projects home.
One cut that can be particularly dangerous for employees is skipping lunch breaks, and according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, this situation is becoming more common. HR services must be aware of this trend and take the appropriate action to ensure the productivity, health and happiness of staff members.
A recent study conducted by Right Management found that long lunches could be a thing of the past. Of 751 workers surveyed, 34 percent said they ate lunch at their desks and 16 percent stated that they rarely took any break at all. In addition, 15 percent of respondents said they only left their desks for lunch on occasion.
While on paper, this might seem to signify that workers are more dedicated and productive, the opposite may be true.
"One does have to wonder if in the long term, individuals would be better off taking that break, clearing their heads … and coming back rejuvenated and revived," Katherine Ponds of Right Management told the publication.
It is up to employees to determine when their minds may need a break, but it is also important for employers to create a culture where lunch breaks are accepted and encouraged.
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Posted on October 31st, 2011 Read time: 1 minutes
There never seem to be enough hours in the day, and as employees work to meet deadlines and quotas, they can be known to make sacrifices, such as working late or taking projects home.
One cut that can be particularly dangerous for employees is skipping lunch breaks, and according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, this situation is becoming more common. HR services must be aware of this trend and take the appropriate action to ensure the productivity, health and happiness of staff members.
A recent study conducted by Right Management found that long lunches could be a thing of the past. Of 751 workers surveyed, 34 percent said they ate lunch at their desks and 16 percent stated that they rarely took any break at all. In addition, 15 percent of respondents said they only left their desks for lunch on occasion.
While on paper, this might seem to signify that workers are more dedicated and productive, the opposite may be true.
"One does have to wonder if in the long term, individuals would be better off taking that break, clearing their heads … and coming back rejuvenated and revived," Katherine Ponds of Right Management told the publication.
It is up to employees to determine when their minds may need a break, but it is also important for employers to create a culture where lunch breaks are accepted and encouraged.
