SmallBizResource Blog -- SmallBizResource

Why Lunch Time Isn't Just About Food

Posted by Judy Mottl Monday, Aug 27, 2007, 08:47 AM ET

To lunch or not to lunch? Is a lunch break valuable to business productivity or should we let it die off like the dinosaur? If current reports are true it's pretty much on its way out in the workday. And I think that stinks--for both employees and business owners.

Just think what a lunch break can provide away from the basic goal of eating: the chance to build inter office relationships, allow employees to get to know other employees they might not interact with for day to day business, the chance for employers to get to know their own staff better, and most importantly, the opportunity to refresh and refuel our energy level so that the second half the day is productive as the first half.

Some companies I've worked for have done some innovative things with the lunch time model: weekly lunch-and-learns highlighting a new business goal or program; tech workshops on a new system or tool for employees; a weekly field trip to a local zoo or arcade for letting off steam; even a weekly confidential (no bosses allowed) 'ask the big boss' Web conference call to deal with any lurking issues.

So is lunch happening in your company these days? Are you fostering the lunch break or encouraging employees to work while eating? Have you turned the break room into office space or storage space? Or are you putting picnic tables in shady areas to encourage that employees leave their cubes for a bit?

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