How do you feel about having company meetings on lunch breaks? (office, manager)

[bobtn]

Good question, coors. Even more vital would be if a manager was found based on their actions to hold grudges, would their boss hold it against them, in their perfomance review? Too often, co-ercion attempts are meant with a wink-wink non-nod from those next up in the chain of command.

[coors]

Originally Posted by LongtimeBravesFan

I'd rather skip lunch altogether and just leave earlier.

Our lunch is "required". lol You know as in 'required meeting" but without the meeting.

[Yzette]

Only a jerk would schedule a non-emergency meeting between noon and 2:00. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

[duster1979]

We have them from time to time, and I don't have a problem with it if certain criteria are met:

1) The meeting is essential and not just "fluff;"
2) The company provides a (good) meal;
3) Hourly workers are paid for the time;
4) If I have errands that I need to run over my lunch break I can slip out earlier or later and do them.

[myrc60]

I'll go if I'm paid for the time but they also need to throw in free lunch and it better not be McDonald's. Otherwise its time for a call to the Labor Board.

[coors]

Originally Posted by Yzette

Only a jerk would schedule a non-emergency meeting between noon and 2:00. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

From an owner or department manager viewpoint, everything could be considered an emergency. Furthermore, it's 100x easier to schedule it at lunch then to schedule it at 2:15.

[jobaba]

As a 'non-office' worker, sometimes lunch happens for me...

Sometimes lunch is a cigarette and a granola bar.

[coors]

Originally Posted by joe from dayton

We would NEVER expect an hourly employee to attend a lunch meeting without being paid for it.

So what happens if everyone is sitting eating lunch off the clock and a manager or boss calls a meeting and doesn't mention clocking in for the meeting. What are your options? lol

[janetvj]

Originally Posted by coors

I have a question. Do you think managers or bosses hold grudges or look down on the people who DON't show up to these sessions? I think this a clever example of how companys try to get to get the most of there employees and not pay them for their time. Because if you don't go you 'll be seen as an employee who doesn't care. Do you agree?

Coors - I agree that this is a good question. And to be totally honest, I would have to admit that I would notice if a particular employee consistently avoided participtating in all of the sessions, although I'd certainly understand if they missed some of them. But honestly, I think our employees look forward to them. Contrary to what a lot of people think about government workers, the employees of our agency work vey hard and have a lot more on their plate then they should have due to cutbacks and reductions in workforce. We have found these sessions to be a great way to encourage camaraderie and share knowledge that ultimately helps them to do their jobs more effectively and helps with promotional opportunities. There is simply not enough time in the day to address a lot of their concerns during the normal 8 hour workday, so we try to work it in during the lunch period and not have them stay past quitting time in order to participate (although a lot of them elect to work past quitting time just to deal with their workload). These are salary workers, so we can't pay overtime, although they do earn compensatory time off. It may not work everywhere, but it has worked with us.

Also, since the "unpaid" lunch time is only a half hour, and the sessions often run to 2 hours or more, it's not as though they are missing out on a lot of free time. Those individuals that may have conflicts with time once the lunch period is over will excuse themselves while the rest stay on and the ones who stay then share whatever is discussed with the others later. And sometimes some of the employees may have personal business to attend to for the half hour lunch time but then they join us for the remainder of the session. It's all good.

[highlife2]

I dont worry about it, I get to work at X and leave at Y I dont subtract time from what happens inbetween unless im dilberatly going out and doing something personal for an extended period of time.