The article has been automatically translated into English by Google Translate from Russian and has not been edited.

Have pity on your colleagues - do not eat lunch in the workplace

'09.05.2017'

Source: USA today

67% of US office workers eat in the workplace, and this is very annoying to their colleagues, according to a Gallup poll, reports USA Today.

“It worked like a clock. Every morning at 8.10 sharp, our former employee would walk into the office and unwrap a sandwich he had bought from a nearby diner. It was a fried egg sandwich. I was afraid of this moment. After the rustling of paper and aluminum foil stopped, the stench of overcooked eggs and stale grease swept through the room and seemed to me as if it were my desk. I almost cried. Why can't he have breakfast at home? ”I muttered to myself.

“In the end, I couldn't take it anymore. So I went to his table and asked him to stop bringing my stinky breakfasts. I have an intolerance to the smell of eggs. So I told him. Then he took his fragrant food to the conference room, ”one of the office workers shares her impressions.

Is it a wake-up call? Probably yes. According to a recent survey Gallup, 67% of US office workers eat at their workplace more than once a week. The trend is definitely increasing: in 1990, more than half of Americans were at least 30 minutes away from their jobs for the lunch break, but now, according to GallupThis number has decreased significantly.
“One of those nasty colleagues was my boss. And one of his annoying habits was to eat with his mouth open. At about noon, he would go down to the dining room and return to our enclosed space with some healthy food (he was a vegetarian). And then it began. Loud chewing and, worse, chomping as he savored his hummus and quinoa sandwich (or whatever). And I couldn’t even complain to anyone that I didn’t like it, since it was the person who annoyed me so much who decided the issue of my salary. So I was just subservient. Five days a week, ”says Patricia Rossi, a Florida-based business etiquette expert.
Patricia argues that eating your lunch at work is an acceptable practice, but you need to take into account the feelings of colleagues and not to abuse such things very often.
“There are situations when it is impossible to leave the workplace - urgent work, a deadline, an important call. And you need a snack. Do this discreetly, and do not chomp or disturb your coworkers with food smells. You are in the office after all, not at the Master Chef competition, says Rossi.

Oh, this fragrant food!

“I'm not entirely innocent in that sense. I don't eat very often at my desk, and when I do, I usually bring food from a nearby deli, which has a lunch buffet with items like fried chicken and shrimp. No one has complained so far, but I'm still worried that the smells might not be to your liking. However, I know I’m not doing as badly as a former coworker who brought in the leftovers from his home meals and reheated them in the office microwave. Whatever he ate the day before, the next day you smelled it. Okay, lasagna was not scary yet. And the pot roast was more or less acceptable. The chicken, however, pecked at my olfactory system. And then the fish appeared. I think it was salmon. It made me pink with annoyance. And please, let's not even mention the smell of popcorn, ”says another injured office worker.

Heidi Antezana, a specialist in office etiquette and experience management, is one of the people with a keen sense of smell. “Avoid foods with strong and long-lasting odors,” she says. She even advises keeping a toothbrush on your desk. "Try brushing your teeth after dinner," she adds, "otherwise the smell will last."

Photo: depositphotos

“Stay away from food liberally flavored with garlic or onions. Especially if you are working in close proximity to someone. Otherwise, the smell can fill the entire office and offend your colleagues' sense of smell, ”says Jacqueline Whitmore, founder of the school of protocols. Palm beach inc.
Behavioral behavior expert Patricia Fitzpatrick from The Etiquette School of New York more categorical. “Good work etiquette dictates that no one in the workplace should eat anything that might annoy colleagues, such as food with a strong smell or greasy food,” she says. "And you should never use the microwave to heat food that smells like fish."

Hygiene, slurping and other noises

Jacqueline Whitmore also speaks of the sounds of food and drink: “Try not to rustle paper bags, such as packages for chips. This can be a distraction. ” Other distracting sound effects that Whitmore warns about are drinking: “Do not sip your drink loudly and do not chew ice and avoid overly crisp foods.”
“There are 400 times more bacteria on tables than in toilets,” says Antezana.
“In addition, if visitors come to you, it is visually unattractive and the impression of you will be terrible. Crumbs in all folders, sticky keyboard - wow! ”Heidi continues.
“Food on your table can also attract insects,” adds Whitmore. - Clean up after you. After all, your mother doesn’t work nearby and will not clean up after you! ”

Kitchen madness

The use of office kitchens and appliances also creates a host of challenges in the workplace. “Clean up spills or stains, and don't leave a mess in the microwave or on the table. And if your food has been in the shared refrigerator for more than three days, be sure to throw it away, ”says Whitmore.

Antezana has some additional rules: “Cover your food when heating. And if your spaghetti sauce is splattering all over the microwave, wash it off before the next person can use it. The same goes for the toaster - make sure it is clean of your bread crumbs. "

Rossi is also a supporter of cleanliness and garbage disposal. “Always clean up after you carefully,” she says. "Throw away wrappers, containers and anything with a lingering odor in a large wastebasket that is not indoors."

Photo: depositphotos

But despite all the recommendations made by experts, the most important thing is to avoid eating at the workplace whenever possible.
“Use your lunch break to do errands, walk or relax, get out in the fresh air, and socialize with coworkers,” says Whitmore.

Heidi Antezana warns that to sit all day without moving is dangerous to your health.
“Move - that's what a break is for! Nearly 86% of Americans sit for most of the day at work, and nearly all studies on this topic show how unhealthy it is, ”she insists.
Fitzpatrick and Rossi also recommend walking, at least short on 10-15 minutes.
"It's good for boosting morale and restoring performance," Fitzpatrick recommends.
“Even a quick walk down the street or around the office is beneficial. Especially if it's a hike for a sandwich, ”laughs Rossi.

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