No eating at desk policy

c68zapdsm5i1ru

No eating lunch at your desk, please. This has just been introduced into my workplace, even for people in offices on their own. No real reason given.

Just wondering if this is a standard thing in workplaces, and is it usually adhered to?

super_furry

Sneak a sandwich into your sock and eat it in the jacks.

That'll show those pricks.

biko

It could be that the smell isn't nice.
It can also be that the company wants you to take a proper break and not push food into your face while still working.

Kimbot

Jakob Ashy Headboard wrote: »

No eating lunch at your desk, please. This has just been introduced into my workplace, even for people in offices on their own. No real reason given.

Just wondering if this is a standard thing in workplaces, and is it usually adhered to?

Its done in a few places, normally because people would come in to the office with a chipper etc and stink the office out of it.

I eat at my desk everyday with no issues

Blazer

Jakob Ashy Headboard wrote: »

No eating lunch at your desk, please. This has just been introduced into my workplace, even for people in offices on their own. No real reason given.

Just wondering if this is a standard thing in workplaces, and is it usually adhered to?

Its a good thing, it gets people away from their desk for 20-30 mins to relax and chat to their co-workers etc.
It's a really bad habit to fall into at work and leads to more stressful days.
That 30mins to unwind is worth its weight in gold.

Allinall

Their house- their rules I would have thought.

It's a terrible habit to get in to imo.

They're doing you a favour.

Winterlong

Mr Tuna Noodles across the partition from me would not be happy with this rule. I would be delighted!

The Backwards Man

Lunchtime should be banned outright.

When the big end goes on the Zetor and you need to order parts, the bastards are out to lunch

When you crash your tooth in a lump of Yellow Man and need a dentist real quick, the bastards are out to lunch

When you're in town for the only time in a week and need to buy a stamp, the bastards are out to lunch

Yous don't even work half a day, why do yous need to me munching in the middle of it?

Koptain Liverpool

I wish they introduce such a ban in my work. I' think it's awful that people don't go for lunch and have a proper break together.

Your Face

I eat at other peoples desks.

ScumLord

Sounds like a challenge.

Eat your lunch in the doorway and see how that goes down.

Jakob Ashy Headboard

Jakob Ashy Headboard wrote: »

No eating lunch at your desk, please. This has just been introduced into my workplace, even for people in offices on their own. No real reason given.

Just wondering if this is a standard thing in workplaces, and is it usually adhered to?

I was talking about work practices with my father recently. When he was my age, everyone got a full hour for lunch and they got a full sit down 3 course meal for free.

Then we got onto expenses. He said when he was submitting expenses, he had been told that if he was away for business, they didn't expect him to sit in his hotel all evening. If you went to a show, expense it.

I said "Dad, what year are we talking about?". He said: "It was about...1956".

I said "Yeah, things have changed."

OP, are you given anywhere to have lunch other than your desk? In my place there is a kitchen slightly larger than a phonebox, but we are "allowed" eat at our desks. It was pointed out to us during induction that we are allowed eat our desks like it was one of the benefits. :rolleyes:

If they do provide you with somewhere to eat, then go eat there. If they don't then raise it with them.

Shenshen

I've seen people dripping jam from the morning toast all over their keyboards. If nothing else, it would make your desk a little more hygenic.

Maguined

Sometimes eating lunch at your desk is preferable than a cramped kitchen full of annoying twats you are stuck with for the rest of the day you just want a couple of minutes away from them and listening to their boring stories about their shítty nieces and nephews.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

I can understand asking people in shared offices not to eat cooked food at their desks.
But surely someone in a room of their own, eating a sandwich and reading the paper or something interesting on the internet is not bothering anyone, and getting a proper break from work?

I actually find our canteen more stressful than relaxing at times. People talking about work, a loudmouth who always hogs the conversation to discuss her family, her health etc etc, or just the general noise level when a lot of people are there at the same time.

team_actimel

I've never heard of it being a rule in workplaces before but I think it should. It would encourage people to be more social with their colleagues.

A pet hate of mine is those colleagues who always eat at their desks and think nothing of scraping their forks as loudly as possibly against their ceramic bowls. Gives me shivers.

Mortpourvelo

Can we introduce a ban on food that smells like 40 day old road kill on the highway to Death Valley ?

Some **** used the microwave and stunk the place up.

PressRun

I think it's a good rule from the point of view of getting people away from their desks and out of the office to socialise at different intervals throughout the day, as well as the smell issue.

I don't see any problem with having tea or coffee at the desk, though I know of a couple of employers who don't even allow this.

TerrorFirmer

I eat at my desk but only because there is no canteen, just a kitchen. I only ever eat cereal, sandwiches and cold food though, would never bring something hot into the office...not fair to subject other people to that. Would prefer a canteen though, but usually I go for a walk for 20-30 minutes just to get out of the office for a bit before eating.

Emma1980

don't see a problem with cold food that doesn't smell but if it does smell, then eat it elsewhere!!

i hate the smell of soup....to the point where it makes my stomach heave....my problem i know, i end up having to walk out for a few minutes until it's finished - extreme i know but thats how much i hate the smell!!

and those egg mcmuffins too....bleurgh!!!!!!

Bracken81

The last thing i want to hear on lunch.............is people waffling about work issues!!
Or their kids!!!

Rather read the paper online at my desk :-)

ScumLord

Mortpourvelo wrote: »

Can we introduce a ban on food that smells like 40 day old road kill on the highway to Death Valley ?

That should be easy enough. Death valleys arid conditions would slow down the decomposition process due to it being inhospitable to insects, the sun drying out the corpse would mean even bacteria would be hard pushed to get very far in breaking down the tissues. That would all mean that the animal will petrify, it won't smell good but it wouldn't be anywhere near the smell of a decomposing body here.

Goya

Koptain Liverpool wrote: »

I wish they introduce such a ban in my work. I' think it's awful that people don't go for lunch and have a proper break together.

Personally I don't mind that - I often prefer to take my lunch alone (although just for a bit of me time, not due to irrational anger at ordinary people and their nieces and nephews! :eek:) Eating at the desk due to the smell and crumbs (and in fairness if it's not stinky food and effort is made not to leave crumbs, that's fine in my opinion) is my only issue, just spending the rest of their lunch break at their desk is not a problem.

There was a mouse in my workplace once - this is why I get bothered by the crumbs thing.

Steve F

Blazer wrote: »

Its a good thing, it gets people away from their desk for 20-30 mins to relax and chat to their co-workers etc.
It's a really bad habit to fall into at work and leads to more stressful days.
That 30mins to unwind is worth its weight in gold.

What ever for?

MeatTwoVeg

They've banned **** at your desk in my place.

andekwarhola

My colleagues are fine but I like lunch time so I can read and relax alone.

Unless you have to personally clean other people's desks, don't sweat about the crumbs.

CINCLANTFLT

MeatTwoVeg wrote: »

They've banned **** at your desk in my place.

I was just about to post the same! I do it in the toilets anyway, but some guy got caught down in the PC repair area! He thought no one could see over the partition behind his Work bench.

Penn

Do you want ants? Because that's how you get ants!

andekwarhola

Emma1980 wrote: »

i hate the smell of soup....to the point where it makes my stomach heave....my problem i know but when my co-worker decides to have soup at their desk which is next to mine, i end up having to walk out for a few minutes until it's finished - extreme i know but thats how much i hate the smell!!

I suggest working from home if you're that sensitive.

Badly Drunk Boy

Flimpson wrote: »

Personally I don't mind that - I often prefer to take my lunch alone (although just for a bit of me time, not due to irrational anger at ordinary people and their nieces and nephews! :eek:) Eating at the desk due to the smell and crumbs (and in fairness if it's not stinky food and effort is made not to leave crumbs, that's fine in my opinion) is my only issue, just spending the rest of their lunch break at their desk is not a problem.

There was a mouse in my workplace once - this is why I get bothered by the crumbs thing.

I was just about to mention that the crumbs would attract (non-human) vermin so that would be another reason for it. I normally go to the canteen for lunch but today I was delayed so sat down to read this thread with a nutritious packet of Thai chilli & basil Velvet Crunch. I can feel the nutrients enter my blood-stream and see the crumbs all over my keyboard. :pac:

Grayson

Emma1980 wrote: »

don't see a problem with cold food that doesn't smell but if it does smell, then eat it elsewhere!!

i hate the smell of soup....to the point where it makes my stomach heave....my problem i know but when my co-worker decides to have soup at their desk which is next to mine, i end up having to walk out for a few minutes until it's finished - extreme i know but thats how much i hate the smell!!

and those egg mcmuffins too....bleurgh!!!!!!

I hate baked beans. The smell just turns my stomach. There was a girl who sat two desks away from me and would eat a fry up with beans every morning. And then she'd leave the plate on the desk all day long. There was a guy who sat opposite me who did something similar but would leave plates there for days so there' be a pile up of plates on his desk at the end of the week.

BrokenArrows

Jakob Ashy Headboard wrote: »

No eating lunch at your desk, please. This has just been introduced into my workplace, even for people in offices on their own. No real reason given.

Just wondering if this is a standard thing in workplaces, and is it usually adhered to?

We never had an official policy but one of my previous managers had his personal policy.
If you're sick stay at home.
If you're on lunch then leave the desk. Eat food elsewhere.
If you're working then be at your desk.

I think its easier just to have a blanket ban on stuff rather than "you can eat at your desk but only if it doesnt smell or noone in the office".
One persons doesnt smell is another persons tuna.

theteal

We don't really take lunch breaks as such so good luck enforcing it here

Grayson

BrokenArrows wrote: »

We never had an official policy but one of my previous managers had his personal policy.
If you're sick stay at home.
If you're on lunch then leave the desk. Eat food elsewhere.
If you're working then be at your desk.

I think its easier just to have a blanket ban on stuff rather than "you can eat at your desk but only if it doesnt smell or noone in the office".
One persons doesnt smell is another persons tuna.

I used to have a desk stuffed with healthy snacks. Oat bars, some nuts etc. I could be on phone calls that lasted up to 12 hours and unable to leave so I always had food in my desk to keep me going.

I think saying nothing smelly is fine. Just no meals. Coffee, snacks are fine.
I can only imagine the heap the place would have been in if they banned coffee

Jen44

im eating at my desk right now

Robsweezie

Do a Larry david and kick up a right stink about it

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Blazer wrote: »

Its a good thing, it gets people away from their desk for 20-30 mins to relax and chat to their co-workers etc.
It's a really bad habit to fall into at work and leads to more stressful days.
That 30mins to unwind is worth its weight in gold.

Is it? That is entirely dependent on each individual and what industry/job you work in. There should be a ban on eating very smelly food at your desk, that's fair enough, but a complete ban on eating at your desk should be avoided.

Saint_Mel

MeatTwoVeg wrote: »

They've banned **** at your desk in my place.

Do you have to go into the canteen to do it instead?

_Kaiser_

I regularly eat lunch in my office. There is a canteen but it's usually busy/noisy and overheated so it's far nicer to just close the door and relax for half an hour while I eat .. most days in fact I wouldn't leave the building at all until home time.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

Well, today I quietly ate a sandwich at my desk in my private office. I made sure to leave no crumbs or other incriminating evidence!

I'm not anti social. I'm quite happy to hang around the canteen chatting to people while I make my coffee or prepare a salad, and to go up now and again for a tea break. But I also like a bit of down time on my own. In addition, when I go up to the canteen there's often two or three people sitting there, saying absolutely nothing to each other, just doing crosswords or looking at their phones and so on. It's not really any more sociable and chatty than someone having lunch quietly at their desk.

ArnoldJRimmer

I eat at my desk every day, even have a kettle here so I can make my own tea and coffee (its not free or subsidised in the canteen).

And aside from the time I made a trout curry, I don't see how that can bother anyone. The alternative is go down two floors to a packed canteen, queue for a microwave, queue for a tea/ coffee and potentially have some bellend sit beside me muttering on about how many years its been since he last took all of his holiday days

Alternatively, I boil the kettle beside me, use the microwave a 30 second walk away that is usually free, have a relaxing lunch eaten in 15 minutes and then have the time to go for a walk, or catch up on the news online.

ArnoldJRimmer

ArnoldJRimmer wrote: »

And aside from the time I made a trout curry

Jaysus.

davmol

I eat lunch at my desk and I usually bring in some stench fish like mackerel,Salmon etc.

Im sure some of my workmates cant stand it but no one has said anything yet.

Edups

Mortpourvelo wrote: »

Can we introduce a ban on food that smells like 40 day old road kill on the highway to Death Valley ?

Some **** used the microwave and stunk the place up.

God that reminds me of a post I seen here a few days ago or that

Something like "I eat curry noodles but people complained about the microwave smelling like curry.

So I changed to chicken and mushroom so I did'"

Just had me laughing.

kfallon

MeatTwoVeg wrote: »

They've banned **** at your desk in my place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3BNsttZQGQ

Edups

ArnoldJRimmer wrote: »

And aside from the time I made a trout curry

You're that fùcker then

maximum12

Grayson wrote: »

I could be on phone calls that lasted up to 12 hours and unable to leave so I always had food in my desk to keep me going.

Needy girlfriend ?

cbreeze

Jakob Ashy Headboard wrote: »

No eating lunch at your desk, please. This has just been introduced into my workplace, even for people in offices on their own. No real reason given.

Just wondering if this is a standard thing in workplaces, and is it usually adhered to?

We always ate sandwiches at our desks for lunch until a new colleague started microwaving stew so then our manager banned all eating except coffee and biscuits which was annoying for those with non-smelly eating habits. When manager was away we went back to our usual practices.

Mortpourvelo

MeatTwoVeg wrote: »

They've banned **** at your desk in my place.

The uncaring ba***rds!!!

Snugglebunnies

Grayson wrote:

I hate baked beans. The smell just turns my stomach. There was a girl who sat two desks away from me and would eat a fry up with beans every morning. And then she'd leave the plate on the desk all day long. There was a guy who sat opposite me who did something similar but would leave plates there for days so there' be a pile up of plates on his desk at the end of the week.

Wow you're the only other person I've heard of hating beans as much as me! Let's be friends! ðŸ˜

Dubh Geannain

Homicidal Maniacs.

So you decide to adhere to the policy of not eating at your desk and die of starvation as a result. It's the most likely outcome I can see.

If you do manage to make it out of work alive, and I don't fancy your chances, you could sue for constructive dismissal, although you will be too emaciated to see out the course of the legal scrap.

Quite the bind. Have you given photosynthesis a try?