Sharp Survey Reveals 'All Work and No Play' Lunch Break Culture

Of the 110 people that took part in the online survey, 45% said they missed their lunch hour three times a week and 20% said they never took time out to have a proper break.

Mark Wilson, managing director of Sharp Consultancy, says:“With the increasing use of email and endless online networking sites, it’s not surprising to see that people tend to stay at their desk to eat lunch rather than go out for a walk.

“Even when employees are out of the office they are reachable via their mobile phone so can’t separate themselves from their work and take time to relax.

“As convenient as it sometimes may be, cutting lunch breaks are not good for an employee’s health and employers should be encouraging their workers to take regular rest breaks out in the fresh air to ensure that they are getting some form of exercise and that their batteries are recharged for a productive afternoon ahead.

“An employee that is able to concentrate on the tasks at hand is far less likely to become a health and safety risk at work and will work a lot more effectively.”