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We have a policy that we can take two 10 minute breaks at my job, but I never do. I do go to the bathroom whenever I need to, but never take a formal break.
And these attitudes are why Americans are killing themselves through overwork and stress. Compared to European countries, our lack of vacations and time off is pathetic. We should work to live, not live to work.
AGREED! My husband was hurt pretty bad in a fall asleep accident due to him being exhausted after working overseas 16 days straight, 16 hours a day. He has injuries that will be life long now. He survived (thank Goodness), but it was 2 years of hell and a lot of money. His employer took no responsibility (that's another story). He has since told his employer that he will no longer do that. He also makes sure he takes every second of vacation time as he did not in the past!
I understand people want to work hard and show their employer what a hard worker they are so they can advance, but honestly it IS killing the U.S. worker! Bottom line is, employers may act like they care about your well being, but the truth is they only care about the bottoms line! TAKE YOUR TIME TO REST!!!
And these attitudes are why Americans are killing themselves through overwork and stress. Compared to European countries, our lack of vacations and time off is pathetic. We should work to live, not live to work.
You CAN still work to live but be productive. This is where people have a disconnect. Being productive at work has nothing to do with vacation and time off. When it's time to work, it's time to work. When it's time to stop, it's time to stop. I am no more stressed with how I work than if I only worked 4 hours a week.
Many of us are far more well off than those in the European nations who have 3 months vacation per year. In order for me to live the lifestyle I CHOOSE to live, I have to put in the work and excel to get there. I could choose to work like they do, and choose to have less than I have now. But for me personally (and others who share my thought process) I want to have nice things, be able to afford nice vacations, etc.... and to get there requires hard work and dedication while I am at work.
You can do this and still have a good work/life balance.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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We officially get two 10 minute breaks, but no one is watching or timing anyone. Whether someone is in the bathroom, outside taking a walk, somewhere else in the building asking another employee a question, or getting coffee or food at the cafeteria is unknown. As a manager, as long as the work is getting done I don't worry about the reason someone is not at their desk when I pass by. Our employees accrue PTO at 6 hours per pay period (2 weeks) for the first 3 years, though they must pass 6 month probation to use it. By then they have 9 days. This increases with longevity to about 30 days a year after 12 years. If people are not off for the sniffles or hangnail a lot, that's a lot of time for vacations. We also have sick leave for hospitalization or 3+ days off sick.
I have one single 30 minute break that now the time clock system will be different and going into a timecard system to prevent internet clock-ins (yet there is an app that still allows you to be able to do that.) Sometimes we don't get our breaks due to lack of coverage. I had a week where I think I only had one true break.
I'm not a clock watcher though, so most times I don't even realize it is lunch until it's closer to 1pm. Clock watchers are very inefficient.
I have worked with people who stopped and started at the exact second of their shift. They would stand at their computer watching the time and at the exact second of the change of the minute sign off. They would do the same signing on.
I have worked with people who stopped and started at the exact second of their shift. They would stand at their computer watching the time and at the exact second of the change of the minute sign off. They would do the same signing on.
Yep. I have too and when the clock they are watching is a couple minutes faster than the clock they punch out on they stand at that clock for a few minutes each day and watch the time card clock until it hits quitting time and punch out. Take the time to read the below:
That seems trivial right? Think about that in terms of lost Production (I use Production since that is what I have been in for years and efficiencies is part of my job).
Let's say you have a crew of 20 people working an 8am - 5pm shift with two 15 minute breaks and a 30 minute lunch.
Each morning they walk up to the time clock to punch in at 7:58am. It takes about 30 seconds to get clocked in.
Only 6 people can get punched in before the shift officially starts. The remaining 14 are "late" ranging from 30 seconds to 6 minutes late by the time the last person clocks in. Since 14 people were late to some degree, ranging from 30 seconds up to 6 minutes for the last person the total time lost is 39 minutes, and work hasn't even begun yet.
Then it takes 5-10 minutes to get situated and actually begin working. We'll be nice and say 5 minutes tops. 5 minutes x 20 people = 100 minutes.
When the entire floor has begun working, we have lost 139 minutes (2.32 hours).
Some folks begin trickling out for break 1-2 minutes before it begins. We will estimate about 50% of people do this. Then they trickle back in 1-2 minutes late. At 10 people that is 40 minutes lost.
Everyone stops working about 2-3 minutes before lunch and stands waiting for the clock to punch out. That's 60 minutes lost waiting to clock out. Let's say 1-2 people trickle back in 2-3 minutes late. 6 minutes lost.
At second break, repeat the actions from the first break. That's 40 more minutes lost.
At the end of the day, everyone files over to the time clock to punch out. Since no one wants to leave late they get there 5-6 minutes early. That's 120 minutes lost.
At the end of 1 day, the total loss of Productivity in hours is 484 minutes, or a total of 8.06 hours. Using an arbitrary number of $15/hr that is a total of $120.90 per day lost. This absolutely matters when capacity of a facility is planned by the number of man hours available per month. Even if you factor in a 95% full time employee (this allows for bathroom breaks, smoke breaks, a sick day here or there) the number is staggering when you add in all this extra time lost.
At 261 working days in 2016 that equals up to $31,554.90 per year that the company loses from something as simple as clock watching.
This is why I don't get how people can't see that clock watching does have an affect on Productivity. You don't have to own a company to see that.
A factory, restaurant, retail, or maybe a job where you are on your feet all day long and performing physical labor is about the only places I can think of where a break is really necessary. As you stated above, in an office environment we use our brains more than muscle. Taking those breaks can disrupt a thought process and sometimes that disruption can take a lot longer to recover from if you are in the middle of a large task.
I have co-workers who seem to live for these breaks. They are very inefficient and rarely get work done because they are constantly watching the clock and stopping their work to run outside. That stop and go has caused them to get behind on work and complain about having to stay late all the time. Aside from the occasional necessity for me to work longer hours for proposals and such when it's time for me to go home, I go home. My work is done.
Yep and in that case I woudl need way more than 2 10 min breaks and a lunch. Seen way too many people develop medical problems doing labor jobs.
Yep. I have too and when the clock they are watching is a couple minutes faster than the clock they punch out on they stand at that clock for a few minutes each day and watch the time card clock until it hits quitting time and punch out. Take the time to read the below:
That seems trivial right? Think about that in terms of lost Production (I use Production since that is what I have been in for years and efficiencies is part of my job).
Let's say you have a crew of 20 people working an 8am - 5pm shift with two 15 minute breaks and a 30 minute lunch.
Each morning they walk up to the time clock to punch in at 7:58am. It takes about 30 seconds to get clocked in.
Only 6 people can get punched in before the shift officially starts. The remaining 14 are "late" ranging from 30 seconds to 6 minutes late by the time the last person clocks in. Since 14 people were late to some degree, ranging from 30 seconds up to 6 minutes for the last person the total time lost is 39 minutes, and work hasn't even begun yet.
Then it takes 5-10 minutes to get situated and actually begin working. We'll be nice and say 5 minutes tops. 5 minutes x 20 people = 100 minutes.
When the entire floor has begun working, we have lost 139 minutes (2.32 hours).
Some folks begin trickling out for break 1-2 minutes before it begins. We will estimate about 50% of people do this. Then they trickle back in 1-2 minutes late. At 10 people that is 40 minutes lost.
Everyone stops working about 2-3 minutes before lunch and stands waiting for the clock to punch out. That's 60 minutes lost waiting to clock out. Let's say 1-2 people trickle back in 2-3 minutes late. 6 minutes lost.
At second break, repeat the actions from the first break. That's 40 more minutes lost.
At the end of the day, everyone files over to the time clock to punch out. Since no one wants to leave late they get there 5-6 minutes early. That's 120 minutes lost.
At the end of 1 day, the total loss of Productivity in hours is 484 minutes, or a total of 8.06 hours. Using an arbitrary number of $15/hr that is a total of $120.90 per day lost. This absolutely matters when capacity of a facility is planned by the number of man hours available per month. Even if you factor in a 95% full time employee (this allows for bathroom breaks, smoke breaks, a sick day here or there) the number is staggering when you add in all this extra time lost.
At 261 working days in 2016 that equals up to $31,554.90 per year that the company loses from something as simple as clock watching.
This is why I don't get how people can't see that clock watching does have an affect on Productivity. You don't have to own a company to see that.
Are you still getting X number of widgets out the door and turning a profit?
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Sometimes we don't get our breaks due to lack of coverage. I had a week where I think I only had one true break.
