Workaholic Brits are 'giving away' up to £29 billion worth of free labour a year

Daily Mirror

2 days ago

A quarter of those not taking their full lunchbreak end up skipping it entirely twice per week - and there are fears it could be contributing to burnout
Hardworking Brits are essentially 'handing over' a staggering £29 billion worth of labour annually by not fully utilising their lunch breaks, according to a recent survey. The poll, which involved 2,000 adults in full or part-time work, revealed that those who do take a lunch break typically only use 70% of the time they're entitled to.
Those who don't take their full break end up skipping it entirely at least twice a week. For a full-time employee working an average of 233 days per year, based on the average full-time salary, this equates to an annual loss of around £1,012 worth of time.
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Almost half of the respondents cited an overwhelming workload as the reason for this, with other factors including feeling pressured to return to work and believing there's not enough time to go anywhere during the break.
Over a third also felt their lunch breaks were 'too short', with the average duration given during a workday being a mere 39 minutes.
In a bid to reclaim the afternoon break for Britain's workforce, bakery brand St Pierre established a 'respect zone' in Potter's Field Park, paying tribute to the sacred lunch break and urging Londoners to 'eat avec respect'.
The space is designed to whisk lunch-breakers away to Paris, encouraging workers to emulate the French, who are renowned for savouring their leisurely and relaxed lunches.
A spokesperson from the brand emphasised: "Lunchbreaks shouldn't be a luxury – and especially not something we feel pressured to forego.
"Even though life is busy and work is important, we need to remember to take time out for ourselves to really get that break we need – and go back to work energised, refreshed, and satisfied by a delicious meal we were able to properly savour."
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It seems this reminder comes at a crucial time as 22% of Brits believe our lunchtime traditions pale in comparison to our European neighbours, with Spain (33%), Italy (28%), and France (27%) setting the standard to aspire to.
Moreover, a whopping 23% feel there's a lack of respect from employers towards taking time for lunch. Four in 10 workers call on bosses to actively promote full lunch breaks for their teams.
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Those who do carve out time for lunch don't escape work entirely; over half find themselves still engrossed in job tasks like replying to emails or taking calls.
This may be because 52% admitted they tend to stay at their desks during lunch, even if not doing work – with a popular alternative being mindlessly scrolling through social media (42%).
Four in ten respondents agree that skipping regular lunch breaks can lead to professional burnout, not to mention negatively impinging on productivity, as indicated by 28%. Yet, over a fifth admitted they would find it hard to break the unhealthy habit if they were given the chance.
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The latest figures survey also shows 38% spend their lunch breaks alone, although nearly half (46%) would prefer company.
St. Pierre's spokesperson added: "It's a sad state of affairs that our main break during a long day of work isn't really being treated as one – and that we can't seem to switch off even when given permission.
"There's something to be learned from the French here – taking that moment to really unwind and enjoy a delicious meal, without thinking about other things.
"We're also missing a prime opportunity in our everyday lives to connect with other people over good food and conversation."