Australia says no to sickies and smokos

[Guest The Pom Queen]

TAKING a lunch break has become a thing of the past for millions of Aussie bosses and their employees, a new survey has revealed.

The research, conducted by The Australia Institute and beyondblue for this year’s national Go Home on Time Day initiative, found that 3.8 million people routinely don’t take a lunch break, with one in two of them saying it’s because they are ‘too busy’.

 

 

In addition, of those who said they do usually take a lunch break 72 per cent said they either choose to eat lunch at their desks, cut short or postpone their break until mid-afternoon.

 

 

beyondblue CEO Ms Kate Carnell AO said many bosses and workers have lost sight of how taking a break can improve their mental health and increase productivity.

 

 

“It’s great that people are committed to getting the job done, but it is sensible to take a break away from your desk or the production line to exercise and think about other things. A regular walk at lunchtime improves both your physical and mental health and you will resume work feeling refreshed,” she said.

 

 

A majority of people acknowledged that taking a break, even a short break to clear their head, makes them more productive. One in four said taking a full lunch break makes work less stressful and one in three said breaks make work more enjoyable.

 

 

The Australia Institute’s Executive Director Dr Richard Denniss said despite Australia’s reputation for being a land of ‘sickies’ and ‘smokos’ the evidence suggests otherwise.

 

 

“Lunch breaks have always been a part of modern workplaces, but in recent decades more and more people report that they are too busy or too rushed to do something as simple as walk away from their desk to eat their lunch. While Australians used to celebrate the practice of taking a long lunch, we’re now struggling to even manage a short one,” he said.

 

 

Go Home on Time Day is an annual initiative aimed at promoting mentally healthy workplaces and the importance of work/life balance. Participating organisations include Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia, Great Place To Work, Murdoch University, Adobe, UnitingCare Australia and several unions, including the ACTU, NTEU, ASU and Unions NSW.

 

 

This year’s campaign focuses on encouraging workplaces of all sizes to recognise and acknowledge the impact the workplace can have on people’s mental health and wellbeing.

On Go Home on Time Day, workplaces are asked to consider promoting enjoyable activities for staff such as a lunchtime yoga class, a morning or afternoon tea and a set time for everyone to go home.

[fifi69]

Some Bosses certainly want their pound of flesh here. The first job I had here I was pretty miffed at being expected to work a nine hour day getting only one 20min break.

 

add to that commuting time on public transport made it a very long day..did nothing for my productivity.

 

what made it worse was when I did get my break, I would be wolfing down my lunch while office workers in adjacent building were out doing some sort of tai chi /Pilates/yoga type thing being all lovely and serene.

 

anyway kicked that job into touch and the others haven't been quite so mean re breaks etc..

[BritChickx]

I will always make time to have a break...i need to eat and drink something otherwise i'll slack a bit from needing a rest! If i'm entitled a break i'll be getting it lol, if a manager has a problem with that then i'll be out of there.

[Guest Guest26012]

Always take short breaks at work on night shift. Have to just get off the ward for a while.

[Diane]

I think this is a natural consequence of more and more people here being on casual contracts. I only get paid for the time I am at my desk for instance, so I see no point in spending half an hour away from it where I don't get paid - I'd prefer to get paid from the time I walk in the door in the morning to the time I walk out in the afternoon! Mind you, I can eat at my desk while working, or grab a cuppa anytime I like: I heard of one employer making their staff clock off every time they step away from their workplace (to the loo, for a smoko, for a coffee etc) so the time is taken off their pay!

[flag of convenience]

Not a little sad the old Aussie tradition of the smoko going the way of the dodo. I believe it lives on in blue coloured areas, like construction and the like. The smoko was more than just a break but a time when colleagues could jell or not in cases and all part of the team building exercises.

[Maruska]

I think it really depends on where you work. As an office worker, you can plan your day ahead and make time for a lunch break. I work in the ER and while I do get a break on time most days, I had days when I crawled to the lounge room for 5 :chatterbox: minutes at 4 PM just to have a super-quick bite before heading back. If your job is such that you never know beforehand what`s coming your way that day, it`s difficult to plan :biggrin:

[Wellers and Whitehead]

I think this is a natural consequence of more and more people here being on casual contracts. I only get paid for the time I am at my desk for instance, so I see no point in spending half an hour away from it where I don't get paid - I'd prefer to get paid from the time I walk in the door in the morning to the time I walk out in the afternoon! Mind you, I can eat at my desk while working, or grab a cuppa anytime I like: I heard of one employer making their staff clock off every time they step away from their workplace (to the loo, for a smoko, for a coffee etc) so the time is taken off their pay!

 

Thats not the norm for casual employment, I was always entitled to breaks/lunch...whether I had time to take them was another matter.

[Guest Guest66881]

Bosses bang on about health and safety at work, yet they readily let you work through breaks regardless, until the day comes when some office jobbie losses a finger in a mouse wheel incident they will keep getting away with it, they have there two hour liquid lunches and drive back to work on it.

[Tappers2oz]

Having worked in A+E I missed breaks many times (and I had my pay docked automatically as I was Bank staff and didn't get paid breaks so I 'lost' pay in a way).

Such is life sometimes. Quick drink, shove down a choc bar full of sugar and off you go again. I wasn't the only one, and I didn't particularly mind as it was needed. Full dept (over full at times) and the staff were all in the same boat.

Not ideal, but neither is a dept full of patients and a lot of the time less staff then there should be.

[Guest Guest66881]

Having worked in A+E I missed breaks many times (and I had my pay docked automatically as I was Bank staff and didn't get paid breaks so I 'lost' pay in a way).

Such is life sometimes. Quick drink, shove down a choc bar full of sugar and off you go again. I wasn't the only one, and I didn't particularly mind as it was needed. Full dept (over full at times) and the staff were all in the same boat.

Not ideal, but neither is a dept full of patients and a lot of the time less staff then there should be.

 

What if you administered the wrong drugs or did something that harmed a patient, how would you be treated then? especially if it came out it was because of tiredness aggravated by lack of breaks and meals?

[scuffythetugboat]

TAKING a lunch break has become a thing of the past for millions of Aussie bosses and their employees, a new survey has revealed.

The research, conducted by The Australia Institute and beyondblue for this year’s national Go Home on Time Day initiative, found that 3.8 million people routinely don’t take a lunch break, with one in two of them saying it’s because they are ‘too busy’.

 

 

 

In addition, of those who said they do usually take a lunch break 72 per cent said they either choose to eat lunch at their desks, cut short or postpone their break until mid-afternoon.

 

 

beyondblue CEO Ms Kate Carnell AO said many bosses and workers have lost sight of how taking a break can improve their mental health and increase productivity.

 

 

“It’s great that people are committed to getting the job done, but it is sensible to take a break away from your desk or the production line to exercise and think about other things. A regular walk at lunchtime improves both your physical and mental health and you will resume work feeling refreshed,” she said.

 

 

A majority of people acknowledged that taking a break, even a short break to clear their head, makes them more productive. One in four said taking a full lunch break makes work less stressful and one in three said breaks make work more enjoyable.

 

 

The Australia Institute’s Executive Director Dr Richard Denniss said despite Australia’s reputation for being a land of ‘sickies’ and ‘smokos’ the evidence suggests otherwise.

 

 

“Lunch breaks have always been a part of modern workplaces, but in recent decades more and more people report that they are too busy or too rushed to do something as simple as walk away from their desk to eat their lunch. While Australians used to celebrate the practice of taking a long lunch, we’re now struggling to even manage a short one,” he said.

 

 

Go Home on Time Day is an annual initiative aimed at promoting mentally healthy workplaces and the importance of work/life balance. Participating organisations include Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia, Great Place To Work, Murdoch University, Adobe, UnitingCare Australia and several unions, including the ACTU, NTEU, ASU and Unions NSW.

 

 

This year’s campaign focuses on encouraging workplaces of all sizes to recognise and acknowledge the impact the workplace can have on people’s mental health and wellbeing.

On Go Home on Time Day, workplaces are asked to consider promoting enjoyable activities for staff such as a lunchtime yoga class, a morning or afternoon tea and a set time for everyone to go home.

 

So much for the laid back lifestyle then. Where did it go?

[Guest The Pom Queen]

: I heard of one employer making their staff clock off every time they step away from their workplace (to the loo, for a smoko, for a coffee etc) so the time is taken off their pay!

My sons employer does this as well, he works at the airport. My middle son is currently working for more hours than he is rostered but only being paid for rostered hours. So he starts around 10:30-11 and finishes 12 hours later and gets $300 per week. I really do feel sorry for him.

When I was working I was lucky to get a break as there was always a medical emergency so its go for a break and lose a life or save a life and work through.

[Tappers2oz]

What if you administered the wrong drugs or did something that harmed a patient, how would you be treated then? especially if it came out it was because of tiredness aggravated by lack of breaks and meals?

 

As a HCA I was never in a position to administer anything.

All drugs are double checked with 2 nurses present no matter what so those incidences 'should' be a rarity wether tired or not.

To be honest I didn't get 'tired'. My mind was fine, I was just knackered at the end of the shift.

[Sir Les Patterson]

have never had a "lunch break" for around the last 25 years.......have always eaten lunch/dinner/coffee breaks on the job so to speak.

[Rallyman]

I always encourage my staff to take a mid morning break 10-15 min and the lunch 30 min, keeps them fresh and builds moral as well

[starlight7]

I think Australia on the whole is pretty lax about protecting workers- especially management and middle management. Expectations are verh- quite unrealistically so in many cases

[starlight7]

verh = very high

[Que Sera Sera]

I think a lot of industries do things differently , depending work needs. In the UK your covered by working time regulations but these in themselves aren't as good as most people think. For example an employer only has to give one unpaid 20 min break up to 12 hours, that's it, no extra tea breaks or anything. Many companies probably provide more but they don't have to. My OH used to get just 20 minutes on an 11 hour shift , here he gets 40 mins lunch and to 10 min smokos. So he's happy. I don't get a break but I only officially work 5 hour shifts.

[BritChickx]

When i was doing 12.5 hours at the hospital last week I got 2x 30 minute breaks. I could take the hour in one go but i wanted to break it up a bit. Actually whenever i've worked at the hospital I've always been encouraged to take breaks. I don't have as many responsibilities as nurses though but i've only known one or 2 people to not take their breaks.

[pablo]

I thought you had to have a break in the uk once a 4 hour period was worked tbh,we usually just have the one break from 11 till about 11 .45

[Que Sera Sera]

I thought you had to have a break in the uk once a 4 hour period was worked tbh,we usually just have the one break from 11 till about 11 .45

That used to be the case Pabs, but then it was increased to 6 hours to be inline with the European working time directive.

[fourcorners]

We have no set breaks, just take them as and when needed. My boss is pretty chilled out and knows a break is good for productivity. We all go and sit in the planning area to eat our lunch together and read the papers for an hour. It's nice being encouraged to get away from your desk and I know my productivity benefits.

If I didn't I would just get slower and s l o w e r and s l o w e r.

 

I heard in Sweden in some companies the computers are timed to turn the monitors off for 10 minutes every hour. Excellent idea methinks!