eating food at work

[White_van_man]

my friend is having some troubles at work. His boss has banned eating in the office, everything not even a biscuit with your cup of tea. He can only eat at lunchtime and if their conference room is busy they have to eat outside. He works 8-5 and his lunchbreak is 1:45-2:45. He doesnt get any brakes between that. So basically if he's hungry tough luck, he have to sit it out to lunchtime. He work in an office with no windows and he is looking at VDU's all day. This sounds very unreasonable to me, are they allowed to do this? im sure you are meant to have brakes a few times a day. Any advice would be great.
WVM

[vixpy1]

Not sure about the legalites but its a mind numbingly stupid thing to do from a business point of view..

and to think that some of these people went to uni!

[Lois]

I thought you had to have a 15 min break after every 4 hours of work.

Doesn't sound good for morale let alone health!

[2 Smokin Barrels]

Doesn't work in MacDonalds does he?

[White_van_man]

no, its a small internet call center

[pug406]

Tell him to look at the /display Screen Regulation. This will advise him to take breaks at regular intervals from the PC. His boss can't argue about that, it's the law

[Pies]

pug406 said:

Tell him to look at the /display Screen Regulation. This will advise him to take breaks at regular intervals from the PC. His boss can't argue about that, it's the law

Not strictly accurate,the law states you should take breaks from using the VDU,this could mean doing other tasks such as paperwork,sweeping the floor etc.It does not state you have regular tea breaks

[Muncher]

Find another employer!

At the end of the day, if you go health and safety mad, taking all proscribed breaks, your career won't be going anywhere with these kind of people.

[wedg1e]

Me Julie says that Euro law is 20 mins per 6 hours, plus 5 mins per hour 'looking otherwise than at the screen' if sat at a VDU all day.

... and I wouldn't argue with her

[dans]

8am-1:45 without a break!! the employer is taking the proverbial as well as being mind numbingly stupid - no employee will stand for that for long and any that do will underperform wildly. Tell your mate to get a new job.

[2 Smokin Barrels]

I'd take a saw into work, and whilst nobody is watching I'd cut big teeth marks in each desk.

[Migsy]

VDU regs say 5 mins for every hour worked and I think its a max of 4 hrs before you must take a break.

Call centres (decent ones) usually have set breaks within the session, ie. 15 mins within a 3 hr working period.

And don't forget the free eye test paid for by your employer if you're a heavy VDU user.

Having spent 11 years in call centre management, its standard practice to have no eating at the desk or hot or fizzy drinks. Water only. Saves those coffee/keyboard moments and using the CD drive as a drinks holder!

Edit to add - WVM, where is the internet call centre you mention? Not in Cambridge is it?

>> Edited by Migsy on Tuesday 1st February 19:26

[MilnerR]

Note to self: no matter how bad things get under no circumstances accept a job in a call centre...

If i was your mate i'd spend the time staring at a VDU searching for another job (assuming the web isn't filtered).

[Migsy]

MilnerR said:

Note to self: no matter how bad things get under no circumstances accept a job in a call centre... If i was your mate i'd spend the time staring at a VDU searching for another job (assuming the web isn't filtered).

Internet access? Noooo way! Not in my centres they don't!

[JULIANHJ]

MilnerR said:

Note to self: no matter how bad things get under no circumstances accept a job in a call centre... If i was your mate i'd spend the time staring at a VDU searching for another job (assuming the web isn't filtered).

I've just started in a call centre. Drinks are ok, but no food. What bugs me is there is no net access or even non-business reading material allowed. Extremely dull when business is yet to kick off and we're taking an average of 2 or 3 5-10 minute calls per hour. Lots of bored people. The longest period worked between breaks is 2 hours, which is ok.

[Rich25]

Why doesnt he have a meal replacement drink like a nourishment? Not the tastiest thing in the world but he's allowed to drink, and its not solid food.

If he really wanted to take the piss then I suppose he could take in eveything liquidised, like mars bars or fruit smoothies instead of solid fruit.

[Yugguy]

ALL managers are w@nkers. They lose their humanity the second they get that title, and to them we are no longer people, simply work units. The fact that we have lives and feelings does not occur to them anymore.

[muley]

White_van_man said:

no, its a small internet call center

It'll probably get smaller

[off_again]

God this type of thing really gets my goat.... people are people and shouldnt be treated like some form of robot! Treat them well and fairly and they will produce, enforce ridiculous rules on them, and guess what - they get peeved off and do a crap job.

If someone is taking the michael, well you then put in place measurement metrics and prove to them they are crap - using it as evidence to "let them go".

I have heard of worse in call centres - like no toilet breaks, but that it absolutely against the law and said manager was fired promptly.

[docevi1]

Yugguy said:

ALL managers are w@nkers. They lose their humanity the second they get that title, and to them we are no longer people, simply work units. The fact that we have lives and feelings does not occur to them anymore.

No they aren't, there are some superb managers in this world and there are some terrible ones. I personally tend to find the Managers who are worst are the ones who are managing the lower end jobs and are only there due to promotion rather than ability.

There was a post by DanBoy I think sometime ago about his manager in HMV who all the staff wanted to thank due to his great skills...