Has the 30 min break always been a standard?
Posted by KuriousAndFurious@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 187 comments
I recently moved from a job that gave a 1hr lunch to a place that only gives 30mins and the difference is horrible.
The 30 min break is so depressing, you eat, you have 10 mins and then you're basically back at it. In high school you would get an hour, by the time I left 6th form they had reduced that to 30mins as well. I mention this because businesses usually want the government to run schools under business conditions.
So, for those who might have been working fulltime in the 80's/90's/2000's - Has the 30 min break always been a standard?
Whithorsematt@reddit
Opposite for me really. After an hour I'm half asleep and don't want to go back to work. I'd rather have 30min and go home half an hour earlier.
anonaccount119@reddit
When I worked for the LA they didn't let us leave site but closed all the lunch spaces during covid and never reopened. I used to spend like 50 minutes in the stairwell cupboard because if I sat at my desk I'd have to answer calls and questions.
I missed 30 minute lunches so much
NoisyGog@reddit
Ooh I love my hour lunch break (when I can take it). I have my quick lunch, and go for a long walk.
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
I used to go for a 20 min walk too at my old place, always made me feel better!
Some_Explanation_464@reddit
Same but my new boss doesn't seem to like it.
BasildonBond-Now56@reddit
I read that very wrong!
SeoulGalmegi@reddit
Nah, they just misspelled it š
SeoulGalmegi@reddit
Right.
In some ways an hour is 'too long'. It generally doesn't take an hour to eat, my head is still in work mode so I'm thinking about stuff I'll do after the break ends..... so why not just start it now?
If anything I'd prefer more shorter breaks - the ability to grab a coffee for 15 minutes and just chill. Take a stroll outside for 10 minutes or whatever.
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
No reason that shouldnt be an option for you
glasgowgeg@reddit
Any job that requires staffed hours during a specific period can't do it.
If your shift is specifically 09:00-17:00, you can't just decide you want a 30 minute lunch instead of a 1 hour lunch and leave early, because you still need cover until 17:00.
Whithorsematt@reddit
Well yes, I can't go home until there is someone to cover me.
Unlucky-Plastic7316@reddit
It's not an option for any sort of reactice based work
drivingagermanwhip@reddit
I'd rather they'd be just accept half an hour extra at lunch is not going to make any difference and the main thing for my productivity is I don't feel stressed out
mcmanus2099@reddit
Same. Take more than 30min and it's a struggle to get my head back in the game
cynical-mage@reddit
Urgh, my last place gave an hour break plus a half hour break. I wouldn't have minded it being unpaid, but there was no option of starting later or leaving earlier, and location meant being stuck there for the full 10hrs. I hated it.
Danj2792@reddit
12 hour shift.. Allowed 20 minutes break in our contract. Tend to get a lot more due to nature of job but sometimes you struggle to get your 20 minutes.
Impressive-Cheek1609@reddit
Used to be an hour. Eat fast, nap for 40 mins in the car. Man I was so not coping.Ā
dr_wtf@reddit
It's the legal minimum, but it's very rarely standard, except maybe in places like call centres, where they always try to treat people as much like slaves as the law allows them to.
eques_99@reddit
in the UK you can usually decide how you distribute your allotted working hours.
but yes for someone like me, who enjoys his downtime, half an hour seems like nothing.
smith_1125@reddit
If its unpaid and im allowed id almost rather go without. Eat makes me sleepy and id rather do 10 hours knowing im ahead of work that get paid for 9 or 9.5 and be chasing my tail. Im a bar manager for what its worth and I know hospitality is awful, but if I can get shit done and get paid more and make my life easier id rather do that and eat after, it lowers my mental stress to know everything is done
Less_Win2234@reddit
I live in ROI now and I get 30 mins break and 30 mins lunch
Some_Explanation_464@reddit
Lucky you
EvilTaffyapple@reddit
Everywhere Iāve worked has always been 1 hour:
That was retail banking, HR and now the FinTech sector.
trophicmist0@reddit
Largely the same for me, but when I was younger and did some retail work it was 30 minutes.
I have a feeling thisāll be retail / restaurant skewed
vbanksy@reddit
Same. Every job Iāve had itās been an hour and flexible about when that is.
But when I was at school it was 12:15-12:55 so those teachers only got 40 minutes.
TuttiFrutti80@reddit
Be careful or the teachers of reddit will be out in force telling you that the 40minutes is usually really about 10 if that! (Yes I am a teacher!)!!!
TumTiTum@reddit
I mean, doesn't everyone do photocopying, marking and laminating in their breaks?
Daveddozey@reddit
If Iām lucky I have time to make a sandwich while the kettle boils, although thatās often while on a call of some sort.
An actual break? Hah.
TheOneAndOnlySenti@reddit
I've always had 30m breaks working in factories. Working night shifts (12hrs) and get 1hr to split as i please which is lovely tbh
Some_Explanation_464@reddit
I think it has always been standard. In my opinion
360Saturn@reddit
No, it used to be that you would get a mandatory hour's lunch, and it would be paid.
Working day also ran 9-5 so you would be expected to work an 8 hour day only. The modern 8.30-5.30 with a half hour break is taking workers for a ride.
cup-of-tea-76@reddit
I get a twenty minute break which is the basic and legal requirement (this is by choice and the shift I volunteered for but it comes with a very generous shift allowance so extra money)
The question is, are you paid for that full hour break and I bet you arenāt
But I agree, half hour does feel short (but you are paid for that half hour?) and for me an hour is too long
45 mins would be perfect
BeatificBanana@reddit
How do you know if you're getting paid for your lunch break or not?
My contract just says what my annual salary is and what my working hours are.Ā
Do you only know if it's paid if youre paid hourly rather than salary?Ā
cup-of-tea-76@reddit
Do you get paid weekly or monthly?
Just look at your contracted hours and see if it corresponds with how many hours you are at work
If itās the same then you are being paid for your break, if you are spending more time at work than the hours you are being paid then you arenāt
But your contract shoild tell you if your breaks are paid or not anyway
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
It is unpaid - I would happily start 15/30 mins earlier or finish later in order to have that longer break through the day so I could actually switch off for a bit.
20 mins sounds even worse, I have no idea how you're managing that!
cup-of-tea-76@reddit
I suppose it depends on the industry or where you work and the flexibility of the place (and what you can get away with)
Iām in aerospace so an engineering environment, I work a compressed 4 day week and 11 hour days
But I have the freedom to decompress when I please, step away from my work with almost no questions which actually makes me more productive
I get that many of not most donāt have that luxury
maldax_@reddit
In the UK, workers are legally entitled to one uninterrupted 20-minute rest break if they work more than 6 hours in a day. This break must be taken during the shift, not at the beginning or end. It is generally unpaid. So 30 minutes is more than minimum, but surely you hour was also unpaid. You should be getting to go home half an hour earlier if you only have a half hour lunch
mangonel@reddit
There's no way you could fit three pints into a 30 minute lunch break, when you factor in getting to and from the pub, getting served, and wolfing down a bag of peanuts.
chrisrazor@reddit
You only need that if you're being beamed up to a vogon spaceship.
NibblyPig@reddit
This is why you have to eat and drink at your desk
CaptainWordseye@reddit
3 pints in half hour is absolutely possible. Granted my manager wasnāt happy, but invite him and it becomes a Friday ritual.
jawide626@reddit
Not with that attitude
Heavy-Locksmith-3767@reddit
Challenge accepted
Funky-Cycle@reddit
You all are getting breaks?
BeatificBanana@reddit
You should be, if you work more than 6 hours a day you must be allowed to take at least a 20 minute break. Your employer is breaking the law if you aren't allowed thatĀ
Educational_Walk_239@reddit
Scrolled far too long to see this. I donāt think Iāve had a ālunch breakā in about fifteen years. Just eat as I go.
BeatificBanana@reddit
If you work more than 6 hours a day you have the legal right to one uninterrupted 20 minute break. An actual break, where you stop working for 20 minutes. If you're not getting this then your employer is actually breaking the law.Ā
Brettstastyburger@reddit
I get 30 minutes. I take on hour for my lunch minimum. Not working here to be slave driven.
marsman@reddit
I technically have an hour (and sometimes even get that...) although mostly something kicks off and that's the end of having a meal break and I'm eating whatever I have in 5 minutes when I have a moment..
ggracie7@reddit
When I left school & started working full time, an 8 hour day would reward you with a 1 hour PAID lunch break, or, a 30 minute break, with two 15 minute breaks each side of lunch during the shift. You would also receive food discounts depending on where you worked.
After a few years, it knocked down to a 30 minute paid break.
Iām still in shock that itās now a 30 minute UNPAID break. Takes the piss. 40 hour contracts have slyly become 37.5. Even worse, doing things like refilling a drink, or going to the toilet is frowned upon.
I now work my full shift without a break (by choice) because I donāt see why I should add an extra 30 minutes into my day unpaid - I have a huge breakfast, and clock out 30 mins early.
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
Employers have become tighter than a ducks backside
TumTiTum@reddit
Honestly, I don't have time for this shit and I had a good employer.
If you've got the skills, network and resources I would wholly recommend self employment.
It might be hard work, but at least you get the benefit, and there is no micromanager looking over your shoulder and telly you when you can eat, drink, wee, stretch, walk, etc.
I swear some workers are treated like nursery kids. It's demeaning.
Lost-Engineering-211@reddit
Really motivated rn to be self employed but it's so riskyĀ
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
In the 80/early 90s at school we had;
BreakfastĀ - 0730-0800 Elevenses - 1100-1115 Lunch - 1200-1300 Rest 1300-1400 Low tea -1600-1630 High tea - 1800-1845
And I carry that into my work life.Ā
(Sorry for going with that time format, I'm UK but in IT)
GTB2000@reddit
In our office, you can choose to either take the full hour's break, or take half an hour, then finish half an hour earlier. All bar one or two people choose to take the half hour.
SmokyBarnable01@reddit
Always used to be an hour. Now I get 20 mins on a 10 hour shift.
Incident-Putrid@reddit
We have the option of 30 or 60 minute lunches. At first I was wary of only 30 minutesā¦but the flip is a 1630 finish and Iām home before rush hour šš
SteelSparks@reddit
For me every day is ājob and knockā as I call it. I donāt work fixed hours, and once Iāve achieved what I need to do I leave/ sign off (if WFH), so lunch is typically eaten at my desk.
Works in my favour probably 95% of the time. Occasionally when the need arises Iāll end up working a bit late, but because I get time back elsewhere I donāt really mind at all. Give and take.
Robmeu@reddit
No. When I had my first āproperā job in the late 80ās there was an hour allowed for lunch. Theyād only just stopped doing luncheon Vouchers! You had to take at least half an hour but as it was flexi-time you could work the rest, but the expectation. 100% was an hour.
Those were the daysā¦
UsiPat@reddit
9-5 half hour break 9-5:30 1 hour break I prefer going home half hour early
Possible-Ad-2682@reddit
I get 30 minutes even on an 11.5 shift.
I'm mobile, so it's always taken in my vehicle, and to be honest, most of the time it's enough, and an hour would make it a 12 hour day, but sometimes it would be nice to have the option.
RevenantSith@reddit
30???
Iām lucky if I get 5. Often it is 0 in practice.
Source: hospitality
helpnxt@reddit
And they are breaking employment law if you work more than 6 hour shifts
https://www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work
RevenantSith@reddit
Iām aware.
Itās extremely common though, and a lot of places turn a blind eye to it. Itās an open secret that the industry is a bit of a Wild West in a number of regards..
Consistent-Pirate-23@reddit
I was in hospitality too, my boss however was on one long liquid lunch break everyday
srm79@reddit
Always had a 1 hour lunch break, I've not always utilised the full hour but, I wouldn't like a mandated half hour
AirlineSevere7456@reddit
I've worked places with 30 mins, 45 mins or an hour. People take the mickey whatever it is though.
susolover@reddit
Starting in the 80's it was generally prescribed as an hour for lunch (time for a pint and meal) - (Private sector)
1997 - 2009 - Self Employed - make my own rules.
Since 2009 it's been 30 mins for lunch, but obviously finish 30 mins earlier, but if I want an hours lunch no problem, obviously it just extends my day a bit. (Public sector)
Swings and roundabouts really,
GlumAd9856@reddit
I had jobs before where I counted down every minute of the lunchtime break and dreaded going back.
All I can say is that you don't have to live like that - find a new job, something that doesn't depress you so much .
spacewizard2304@reddit
I get a 20 min break at my work so an hour sounds like a really long time š like what do you do for an hour
catwoman526@reddit
Me and some work mates go for a walk and a chat and then we still have 30 mins to eat and chat some more š
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
I would usually spend 25 mins eating and many times I would fit in a 20 min walk, get some steps in, fresh air, even some sun sometimes, it was nice to actually switch off
Sergeant_Fred_Colon@reddit
You guys get breaks!
NoodleDoodlesocks@reddit
Legally you're only entitled to 20 minutes if you work more than 6 hours. I've never worked for an employer that went under 30 minutes though.
Thankfully, my current contract affords me an hour of lunch due to our opening hours when I first started.
Nothing_F4ce@reddit
I rather finish half an hour early than have that half hour in the middle
PuzzleheadedFold503@reddit
Employment psychology bullshit.
30 mins is almost wasteful.
Not long enough for a proper break and reset, or to do anything meaningful.
I worked in a place that took upwards of 20 minutes to leave the desk, pass security, and reach any sort of fresh air.
Another reason I smoked. I could take 45 minutes making my way outside, inhaling death, and returning... No questions.
2 minutes late from a break, pay was deducted.
So most people just sat in the back room, made a call, sent a few texts, smashed a coffee and meal deal, and back to work in 15 minutes.
Same way "log in 15 mins early to be on time" adds 5hrs extra unpaid labour per month.
10hrs extra from you for being inconvenient.
C*nts, all of them.
Jacktheforkie@reddit
Yeah, unless you drive for work then itās 45 minutes
eggymantella@reddit
I get 45 mins in my current job and it's a very happy medium! Always found an hour too long and time saved results in a 3.15pm Friday finish
Doomergeneration@reddit
I work from home so my lunch break is fluid
Witted-wolf@reddit
Which one? Tequila ? š
Doomergeneration@reddit
I like to mix it up š
Witted-wolf@reddit
Champagne Friday I hope ? š
SocialMThrow@reddit
30min is optimal. Why the fuck do you want to sit around for an hour mid day just to get home later?
Stephen_Dann@reddit
I get an hour. Usually eat for 20 minutes and then go a walk for 40 minutes. I usually cover at least 2 miles. It is good for exercise and more importantly my mental health.
madformattsmith@reddit
Tesco was a half hour lunch break or dinner break depending on the time my shifts were.
hospitality was a 20 minute lunch break no ifs no buts.
Ok-Information-5509@reddit
Thinking about it when I first started working I usually got an hour for lunch. Which was nice because I got a proper break, could walk around the shops etc. In recent years I have had half an hour which feels rushed but I think it is maybe because a lot of people would rather take a shorter lunch then finish their day earlier
Jezbod@reddit
Old job in private sector it was 1 hour with no argument, now in public sector and half an hour is default, but you clock out and back in so you can take an hour without giving your manager notice and 2 hours with manager approval. The joys of flexi time.
Marsof1@reddit
30 mins break for an 8 hour shift is illegal. The law is minimum 5 minutes for every hour worked if working more than 4 hours. This equates to 40 minutes.
If you work in an office that is fine, if you work in retail or manual jobs than then it is usually 3 breaks, with one longer 30 min break for lunch.
PM-me-your-cuppa-tea@reddit
That's not uk law.Ā
It's like 20 minutes if you work 6 hours plus
semicombobulated@reddit
Contractually we have an unpaid one-hour lunch break, but in reality you are expected to work through it.
Iām happy to work through it, because Iād be bored out of my mind if I had to spend an hour every day doing nothing. But I wish my employers would actually pay me for that hour of work.
Cpan03@reddit
At my current job itās 45 minutes for a 12 hour shift and you gotta split the break into a 15 minute break and a 30 minute break, can be brutal sometimes I canāt lie
ConsciouslyIncomplet@reddit
I think thatās against Working Time Regulations? A 12 hour shift you should be getting at least 90mins? (1 hour and 2 x 15 mins breaks?)
Someone more learned can define the exact rules?
ConsciouslyIncomplet@reddit
Is this paid or unpaid lunch?
Time-Invite3655@reddit
I've experienced a variety.
In two retail jobs, I had half an hour. At both places, you'd have to be searched before you could leave and it was never easy to track down someone to do it (in one, it had to be the manager; in the other, it was the security guard) - by the time you were able to leave, it scarcely seemed worth the effort for the tiny amount of time you had left. In a third retail job, I worked 9 hour shifts, so I got 45 minutes as a single break. I didn't leave (due to there not being anything nearby and the staffroom actually being vast with a lovely view out of the window), so that felt like a really nice length of break...
In education, I was incredibly lucky in one school as I got 1h15m - that was enough time to go home, sort washing or prepare something for dinner, or go out for a sit down lunch in a cafe etc. In fact, the staff all bonded well as a lot of us did go out for a cafe lunch one or twice a month as a team... In the next school, I only had 30 minutes. That felt very rushed; there was nothing within walking distance and, on the few occasions I popped out in my car, I ended up having no time to actually eat any lunch by the time I'd got back... I'm now back to having an hour for lunch and I love it. I have time to go for a walk (especially on sunny days like today). prepare a simple hot meal if I want to, watch something on my phone, run errands etc. It is enough time to either relax properly or get little jobs done. :D
For reference, in all settings, the lunchbreak has been unpaid. So, I can understand the appeal of a shorter lunch and an earlier finish (or more money coming in if working until the same time).
Fine-Night-243@reddit
Work used to be more sociable. I used to have an hour in an old job and we'd go for lunch or coffee, or play pool or table tennis in the staff club. Very civilised. Now with WFH we hardly see eachother in person and everyone eats at their desk if they are in the office.
CharmingSwing1366@reddit
iām the opposite, iād hate to have an hour break - cos you end up being at work longer i work in hospitality so shifts can be all over the place but if i get a choice ill always take a 6hr shift over a 7hr one bc i donāt have to take a break šš
PsychologicalPea1412@reddit
My new job employer gives 30 mins break. Honestly, itās not enough. Our office is a bit of a trek to the nearest shop. By the time I get there and head back, thatās all my lunch break gone.
Aggravating_Cloud657@reddit
The I ky time I got given a 1 hour break was when I worked over a 9 hour shift.
Every job I've had has been a half hour lunch break as standard (and I've had 15 in the morning & afternoon).
I have colleagues who take an hour lunch and work earlier/later to cover it.
Wormwolf-Prime@reddit
When I worked in Manchester city centre I loved an hour for lunch. Now I work in Hyde and normally work through it. Location location location.
darybrain@reddit
Over the decades I've worked for far more companies that do 30 or 45min lunches compared to an hour. A handful have had odd timings such as 35min because of their start/end times. Many were very strict about their times including the earliest and latest a lunch break could be taken. It has been a very rare thing to find a company who treats you like an adult and just wants the work done and care much less about other stuff ā I could go out and meet folks for 1.5-2 hour lunches and stay late and no-one cared.
Odd_Committee_100@reddit
I know some people prefer half hour, but I need the mental break from work that a full hour provides
Wait-Whos-Joe@reddit
When i worked in primark, it was two 15min tea breaks and an hour lunch, shit job but loved those breaks.
Im civil service now, so i get 5 mins DSE break every how and 30 mins lunch, but with flexi i can take 1hr+ if i need, which isnt bad
acceberbex@reddit
Mine is technically an hour and I'd eat in 10 and be bored. Was nice in spring and autumn to wander round the farm estate we're on in the remaining time but now I choose a 30 mins break and an early finish (condensing hours) and the half day off is so much better than an hour lunch where I'm trapped at work (or at home without enough time to do anything really)
TimboJimbo81@reddit
30mins not long enough to get couple pints in on liquid lunch back in the day hence the hour
No_Statistician1002@reddit
Mine was 30 mins in the council. Had time to drive to co-op. Get food , eat then go back š¤£. Literally no time to even relax.
doc1442@reddit
Maybe you should have got your lunch prior??
No_Statistician1002@reddit
Co-op had a hot food section and especially on cold days I just preferred to get something hot we didnāt have the canteen open since Covid
doc1442@reddit
You donāt have a microwave?
Boboshady@reddit
I always had an hour at school, and take an hour at work. I understand why schools have moved to shorter lunches though - it helps keep the kids on-site where they are out of harm's way and can't readily go get a maccies, and it shortens the day which benefits everyone.
Workplaces that only give 30mins can suck my ass, though I'm in a privileged position of not having a customer-facing role...I can understand why it's more important when there's people to be served, and when I DID work at a place with walk-in custom in my youth, I'd stop my lunch to serve them if needed.
I've never had, nor know anyone who mentioned having, a 30 min break in my younger adult years.
Ultimately though, it means you get to go home 30mins earlier...this is a win, right?
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
I just feel that 30 mins added to the middle of the day is much more appreciated by myself than getting home 30 mins earlier.
I am a slow eater, hate rushing, takes me time to actually switch off. Another poster mentioned 45 mins being the sweet spot and I agree with that
doc1442@reddit
How the fuck does it take you 30 mins to eat
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
I like actually chewing my food
doc1442@reddit
And unless youāre a cow or a beaver, it shouldnāt take you half an hour to chew your lunch.
Boboshady@reddit
Each to their own I suppose. I eat quickly and would just waste the additional 30mins, so would rather get back to it and cut the day short.
I wonder if they'd let you take the extra time, if you asked? it's not an unreasonable request if you're struggling to eat, digest and reset in 30mins, especially if you're only asking for another 15mins. I can only imagine that in most circumstances, having someone hang back an extra 15mins at the end of the day can only ever be useful?
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
We take inbound calls so unfortunately its a lot more ridged, they need bums on seats so usually the 30 mins is help them facilitate that, booo
Consistent-Pirate-23@reddit
At my old school it was an hour and 10 minutes, the canteen had āsittingsā and each was 10 minutes and year groups were rotating
First was 12, second was 12:10 etc.
First was rubbish as it was always teachers and prefects pushing in. They wondered why people went off site ššš
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
Wtf? You had 10 mins to get food and eat??
Consistent-Pirate-23@reddit
It was more that you couldnāt line up until your year groupās time
It wasnāt even the most senseless rule in that place, it was literally the tip of the iceberg
peanutthecacti@reddit
I officially have a 30 minute unpaid lunch, we donāt really actually take it though. We do go early so itās swings and roundabouts and we make sure we come out on top.
Previously we officially had a 20 minute paid lunch, or two on a 12hr shift. In reality itād either be a several hour break or no break at all, but again weād come out on top.
SmugDruggler95@reddit
Industry specific
I've worked manual jobs and in Engineering and only ever had 30 mins
Worked in kitchens for a bit and got an hour
DeadBallDescendant@reddit
An hour equals a pint of Cruzcampo and a quick wander around TK Maxx. They're not taking that away from me.
StrangerThings1106@reddit
>In high school you would get an hour
Well yeah, you're an adult now, adult life sucks. Get used to it š
StaffSuch3551@reddit
Depends on the industry. I have always found that manual labour jobs tend to only give half hour, whereas office jobs tend to give an hour. I find this a bit backwards tbh, as those doing physical work could do with a longer break than those who have already been sat at a desk for 4hrs.
I have only ever worked in a workshop/machine shop, environment, and the standard is always been half hour. Although the last two jobs I've had have also had a mid morning break of 15mins, so maybe this is becoming the new standard, although personally I'd rather combine the two and have one break of 45mins.
WhaleSharkQueen@reddit
First proper job gave 2x 15 mins and a half hour.
Call centre job.
Every job I've had since that was 30 mins only, and they were all on my feet the entire time. Make it maie sense.
Thankfully current job on good nights half my shift is sitting on my butt playing my switch but even on busy nights I can get 2+ hours. Officially my break is half an hour, but at the very least there is a chair tucked around the corner we can sit on if it goes dead during 'normal' busy hours.
Bksudbjdua@reddit
I choose a 30 mins lunch.... I get to leave 30 mins early
Consistent-Pirate-23@reddit
Hospitality was nothing Retail was half an hour, unpaid and not a minute longer, including the traditional āif I am going on my break then customers mysteriously donāt exist, if I help you and take my break then I will get yelled at for going overā
Call centre was an hour, both times
Different_Fall1391@reddit
One place where I used to work had a 2 hour lunch break. Most of the staff were part time and finished at 1. Three of us weren't back until 3. I used to have lunch at a garden centre and sit in their cafe with a book, amazing in summer. One of my coworkers used to have a nap on the sofa in reception.
ohsaycanyourock@reddit
My job has flex time, so I can have anything really (within reason, I let my manager know if it's going to be extra long), but I nearly always just take half an hour. I don't need any longer, just want to crack on and finish the working day. I also had half an hour at high school back in the 2000s; an hour sounds so long to me!
Apprehensive_Bus_543@reddit
How are you supposed to get to the pub, eat and get back to work in 30 minutes?
Lox_Ox@reddit
The legal minimum is a 20 minute break every 6 hours and this is what you will get in a lot of minimum wage jobs (or you did 15 years ago). Anything more is bonus! I don't stop being thankful for it either.
infieldcookie@reddit
Iāve never had one shorter than an hour. All office jobs, 35 hour weeks. I donāt think Iād want only 30 minutes, I find the breaks go too quickly as it is!
adamlbrown3@reddit
Presumably the trade off is that you get to leave half an hour earlier at the end of you shift, no?
I think that's a deal most people would take
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
What is anyone doing with that 30 mins that makes such a huge difference to their day?
adamlbrown3@reddit
Well if you're younger you can go play sport or go out with your friends, if you're older that's an incredibly precious extra half hour to spend with your kids.
xycm2012@reddit
We went the other way at my work. We used to have an hours lunch and a 5pm finish. I often found Iād spend half my lunch break working anyway. After polling staff, they reduced lunch to 30 minutes and changed to a 4:30pm finish. Much prefer it, as do the majority.
quasarr007@reddit
You get paid per hour. Your employers might feel they paying you for nothing
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
They're not paying my break
smeghead9916@reddit
I've always had unpaid breaks, so I prefer shorter so I'm not there all day and all night.... I'm already there for 12.5 hours as it is.
Acrobatic-Ad584@reddit
Isn't 20 mins more the norm these days
Fine-State8014@reddit
One place I worked we had half an hour lunch but got to leave at 12.30 on a Friday. That was good.
CranberryCheese1997@reddit
An hour is horrible. Standard company policy at an old work of mine used to be an hour break when working a 10 hour shift, but when I become manager I broke it down into 30 mins mid shift and 2 15 mins breaks people could take at their own discretion. Everyone much preferred this. I'd let people go home early or take a long lunch if they wanted to so long as they've worked their full contracted hours and take that mandatory 30 min midshift break.
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
Fair play
Boredpanda31@reddit
I worked for a local authority for 3.5 years - we got 1 hour 15 minutes for lunch. Plus the first team I worked in got a 30 min break in the morning and a 15 min break in the afternoon.
Then moved to another public sector role and it was an hour.
Good thing about those two places was we built flexi time, so if you didn't want the full lunch break (or wanted longer) it was fine.
Then I moved to the NHS...30 minute lunches. They really do suck. I'm a remote worker now and I am not prepared at all so I spend the majority of my lunch break airfrying chicken and chopping up my salad or boiling / scrambling eggs for my toast.
30 mins really is no time at all.
knight-under-stars@reddit
I'm thankful to work at a company that treats people like adults.
As long as your shit gets done, where and when you do it is your business.
mitchley@reddit
We can do an hour lunch, or we can do 30min lunches, no lunch on Friday, and finish 3 hours early on the Friday. I work on an industrial estate, with nothing to do, I know which one I'm picking.
Nutellover@reddit
Where I work you must work 7.5 hours between 8am and 6pm and take a minimum of a 30 minute break, but feel free to take up to 2.5 hours all at once or a 30 as lunch and the rest as smoke breaks or whatever, so long as you've done 7.5 hours at your desk. Getting coffee, going to the toilet and visiting the canteen don't count, they're all free extras.
SituationMundane5452@reddit
Iām a Hgv driver. What the fuck is a lunch break?
doc1442@reddit
That thing youāre meant to take between your legally limited driving hours. The ones that, ya know, are set to stop you from operating a large piece of machinery in public when youāre too tired to do so.
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
Fair fair, office problems haha
gxb20@reddit
Always worked in construction and itās always been 30 minutes (or less) unless going for a fry up
Odd-Accident-3287@reddit
30 min would Be good For me A hour is to long
Seaside83@reddit
I started work in 2000. On the shop floor we always got 30 minutes. I got a different job within the same company in 2009 but as professional staff (office based) and moved on to a 42 minute lunch break. 2 years ago the T's & C's changed as part of a pay deal, and I'm back down to 30 minutes with the option of a longer break if I clock off.
I'd much rather have 30 minutes lunch break and go home earlier!
nikokazini@reddit
We have an unpaid hour. Majority usually take 30 mins so they can start later or finish earlier
MissionLet7301@reddit
Same, contracted 37.5 hours of work a week, entitled to an hour for lunch, mandatory 30 minute minimum break.
If you take 30 minutes that means you can do 9-5 every day, if you take an hour that's 9-5:30, most people would rather finish earlier. People usually only take an hour if they've got an errand to run.
OkConsideration5272@reddit
Goodness, I'm astonished by all the people saying they get an hour. I've had half an hour in every job I've had since the 2000s, apart from ones where I did 12 hour shifts. Really thought it was the norm now.
I'd much rather stick with half an hour and go home earlier, but I can see that this would be hard in roles where you've got to wash and dry your dishes within the half hour rather than let them drain, or simply leave them on your desk if you've got a meeting to rush to.
aquabobi@reddit
I've worked for the NHS since the '90s in many different positions and have always had an hour for lunch.
incrediblepepsi@reddit
Used to be an hour.
Then "you get half an hour, but get to go home half an hour earlier!" which was seen as great by the majority.
However somewhere down the line we ended up with the same start and finish times but only a half hour for lunch instead of an hour.
mjstokes85@reddit
I have an hour, Iād prefer 30 mins so I can get it done and finish 30 mins earlier! Takes me 5 minutes to eat then 55 minutes of waiting to start work again š¤£
Whatiii@reddit
At my job its '1 hour' but you can work through it and clock your hours, take 2 hours and work your hours, take 30 mins and work your hours. Its flexible provided you do your hours and don't miss meetings that are required because you took a 3 hour lunch.
Bus8082@reddit
Same. Officially 1hr but 1-2 times a week I take two hours for the gym and work later. Or if I want to finish early Iāll work 8-3 and ātakeā my lunch hour 3-4.
Eoin_McLove@reddit
Where I work itās a 30 minute lunch and two 10 minute breaks morning and afternoon.
aquabobi@reddit
Only ever had an hour for lunch.
FatBloke4@reddit
No, 30 minutes afters 5 hours of work is the legal minimum. It's called a "lunch hour" because one hour has long been the standard for most employers for decades.
Rude-Possibility4682@reddit
20 Min's after 6 hours work is the law, legally you're not entitled to one if you work 5 hours. A company can offer you different or extra breaks as a bonus in their contract with you.
not-my-circus1992@reddit
It's 20 minutes if you work more than 6 hours.
LUNATIC_LEMMING@reddit
For me it's always been 40hour week - 1 hour break, 37.5 - 30 min break
The latter seems more common than when I started working 20 years ago, and i far prefer it. Technically i'm on 40 hours at the moment with an hour lunch so I just work through 30 mins of it and finish early.
Row_Echelon_Form@reddit
I worked in a place a few years ago where you got 1 hour for lunch, but then they trailed a 30 minute break but you got to leave on Friday at 2pm. The latter option was very popular.
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
That's a good incentive to be fair, easy to see why that was popular
StarSpotter74@reddit
Never had a lunch longer than 45 minutes. Currently it's 30. My highschoolers have 40 minutes. Definitely squeezed over time
Head_Lie_1301@reddit
I get a 45 minute lunch, and a 15 minute tea break.
bigonebitey99@reddit
Itās always been 1 hour for me
anchoredwunderlust@reddit
Iām glad to have had an hour in my later jobs but I started out in service and hospitality and they tend to give sets of 15 mins (for food, bathroom, everything). It took me well over a year to re-learn how to eat properly and enjoy my food lol
apocalypsebrow@reddit
Previous jobs were an hour, but current one let's us only have 30 so we can finish early on a Friday and I love it . I don't think I'd want an hour again. Stops me wandering off and spending money at the shops and buying extra snacks!
Chemical-Cake4208@reddit
It's flexible working where I am, so you can take an hour or 30 mins but if you take 30 mins you can finish earlier. On nice days working from home I might take a long lunch, otherwise I'd rather have the time back at the end of the day
jammy445@reddit
At my old job was a 20 minute break for an 8 hour shift, but at the time I was like 19 and thought it was 30 minutes not 20, so complained to my manager that I wanted 30 minute breaks and they let me have them while everyone elseās still had 20š at my current job I do 12 hours and get an hour (but we all take like an hour and 20 ish)
RefrigeratorSalt6869@reddit
It used to be an hour then I worked in retail and it was two 15 minute breaks and half hour lunch break. The last place I worked at was a 45 minute lunch break. Confusing!
Deep_Top8433@reddit
Iāve only worked one place where it was 30 minutes which wasnāt long enough. Everywhere else itās nominally been an hour but with flexi time etc you can take as long as you like within reason. Iāve always felt that 45 minutes is the sweet spot.
KuriousAndFurious@reddit (OP)
I could get behind 45 mins for sure
hughesyg@reddit
I used to have an hour in old jobs. 30mins now. But I wfh so take whatever time I want really š
painful_butterflies@reddit
I get half an hour lunch, but an extra two 15 minutes throughout the day. So much better for breaking up the day, we did have the option of finishing half an hour earlier, but the longer times between breaks sucked.
Cool-Doughnut-1489@reddit
In my former job: 12 hr shift - 1 hr break; in my current job: 10 hr shift-30 mins break.
ForsakenMidnight8061@reddit
In theory it was always an hour. In practice, you were expected to just grab something you could eat at your desk and keep working.
Am very glad I no longer work in a corporate environment.
Puzzleheaded_Drink76@reddit
Always had an hour. Retail and office jobs. (Retail that was if you did a full day. Shorter shifts had different rules)
Aidenk77@reddit
At my work lunch is 30 minutes - when i was in the military it was a bit more flexible, sometimes eat and straight back to work, other times it was eat, time for a quick smoke, then back to work.
rockdecasba@reddit
It's become more standard now yes. I used to get an hour and was nice to be able to run an errand at lunch but understand others feel it drags out.
Tall_Stick5608@reddit
I had a similar situation working in retail. Personally I need a 1 hr break. I donāt want to expend more energy on by break trying to get food / use the bathroom rushing around like a headless chicken
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