How many days extra are you working for free?

Office workers are granting their bosses 16 days of work per year for free by rarely taking a full lunch hour and eating at their desks.

10:47 12 July 2012

 

Office workers are granting their bosses 16 days of work per year for free by rarely taking a full lunch hour and eating at their desks. 

 

50% of workers went so far as admitting to feeling "guilty" for taking their full entitlement in a survey of over 1,000 workers by Ashton University. 

 

The Birmingham-based school unveiled that an astonishing 60% of UK office workers eat their lunch at their desk and carry on working early which equates to around 128 hours a year or more than three weeks.

 

Dr Patrick Tissington of the university, said: "People do feel under pressure at work, many spending long hours at their desks, tapping away at keyboards, staring at screens and sitting with bad posture in awkward positions.

 

"It’s important to take regular breaks, get up, move and walk around a bit." 

 

The study went on to advise that instead of furthering their careers, workers should first concentrate on their health and take it easy. 

 

Tissington said: "Resting, or taking a break in the middle of the day helps to clear out the mind and prepares us for a productive afternoon.

 

"It doesn’t matter what it is you do during the lunch break as long as it's something different."

 

He concluded that "the feeling of guilt for taking lunch breaks is a subject that is concerning and probably requires proper investigation".