Reasons why some Employees Habitually Skip Lunch
Lunch time should provide employees with an opportunity to get something to eat and relax. Employees should use their lunch break to eat a meal that will boost their energy levels and help them maintain their concentration during the afternoon. They also have an opportunity to talk to their colleagues about non-work related matters and to possibly take some exercise by going for a walk. It is therefore important for employees to take a lunch break, since otherwise their productivity may be adversely affected. Yet, many people decide not to have lunch, instead skipping it on a regular basis.This can sometimes happen in a competitive workplace where every employee feels that he is in competition with every other employee. People get it into their heads that their employer will be impressed if they work through lunch because it will show how dedicated they are to their job. They are prepared to go without eating just so that they can finish a project, presentation or discussion with a client. However, by not taking a break employees can become stressed and overwhelmed by everything, so that by the end of the afternoon they are hungry, tired and unable to concentrate. This is hardly likely to help their productivity.Some employees decide to skip lunch because they don't get on with their colleagues and would prefer to spend time in front of their computer either doing work or using social networking sites. Instead of using lunch time to get to know their fellow employees better they retreat into their own little world, which might leave their colleagues with a rather negative impression of the type of person they happen to be. There are employees who prefer to avoid social situations because they are being bullied or are quite shy and lunch time makes them feel anxious, so that they prefer to just get on with their work.For some people, it is not so much the social side of lunch that is problematic, but rather the issue of food. If an employee is on a diet, he might prefer not to be around other people who can eat whatever they want when he is limited to a salad or perhaps he think he can save a few calories by not eating anything. There are individuals who are not comfortable eating around other people because of their own relationship with food, so that rather than facing up to their issues they prefer to avoid them by skipping lunch altogether.Employees who skip lunch may want to believe that putting in the extra hours will benefit their career, making it look as though they are keen to work longer and harder than anyone else, but this could backfire. It may cause resentment amongst colleagues, even if an employee chooses to skip lunch not for their career progression, but because of other issues. The majority of people who decide to eat lunch instead of working through it will feel much better for eating and taking a break, which will be reflected in the quality of their work.
