Dive Brief:
- A typical lunch break is 30 minutes or less, according to 56% of workers in a new OfficeTeam survey. Respondents said they're using their lunch breaks to surf the internet or go on social media or catch up on personal calls and emails. Less than a third say they use the time to do work.
- Survey results broken down by age showed that 60% of workers ages 18 to 34 will surf the web or go on social media during lunchtime, compared to 55% of workers ages 35 to 54 and 34% of those 55 and older. Workers in Boston, Phoenix and Washington, D.C., are more likely to work during lunchtime. Professionals in Houston, Miami, New York and San Diego most frequently socialize with colleagues over their lunch breaks.
- OfficeTeam recommends employees should make the most of their lunch breaks by eating a well-balanced meal, getting to know their coworkers, meeting with mentors, stepping away from the workspace and taking time for themselves.
Dive Insight:
When an employee pauses mid-day to enjoy a non-boring salad and a conversation with a coworker, he or she could regain a lot of the energy spent on tasks throughout the morning. In the same way a vacation becomes more restorative when the vacationer unplugs from the office, lunch breaks provide a much needed breather when the luncher turns attention away from the computer.
Employers may want to consider how their employees use lunch breaks. A new Wrike study revealed that 94% of employees in the U.S. and U.K. experience high work-related stress. Excessive stress leads to burnout, which, in turn, can cause chronic health conditions. The Wrike poll even specified that almost half of workers said workplace stress causes them to totally "check out" of their careers at some point. And it's not so good for the bottom line, either. When employers encourage employees to take a break, whether it's for lunch or a quick walk, they not only help workers cultivate healthy habits but they also encourage efficiency and productivity.