Employees too guilty to take breaks at work, new survey says

Katy B. Olson | May 15, 2014

Despite the majority of workers spending more than eight hours on the job each day, over 25 percent of employees don’t take a break other than lunch. Their excuse? A new survey from Staples, reports Yahoo Finance, reveals that one in five of those employees surveyed say that guilt prevents them from taking breaks at work.

Extra time on the job doesn’t necessarily equal greater productivity. In fact, fewer breaks may result in major financial losses for the company. “An alarming trend that’s plaguing workers is job-related stress, which costs companies hundreds of billions of dollars each year,” John Trougakos, Associate Professor of Management at the University of Toronto, told Yahoo Finance.

A recent survey says today’s employees don’t feel comfortable taking breaks. From Seattle Municipal Archives.

“However, these costs can be reduced with regular work breaks, while improving employee effectiveness, satisfaction, and reducing strain and fatigue. Disconnecting from work can do wonders for people’s energy and mindset.”

The problem isn’t awareness. The survey also reveals that employers and employees recognize the significance of taking breaks. Ninety percent of the employers polled said they promoted employee breaks, and 86 percent of the workers polled admitted that breaks would encourage their productivity.

Stress and burnout are related problems, the study suggests. Forty-one percent of those employees polled claimed to feel burned out from longer work hours. Fifty-five percent said that they felt unable to leave their desks for a break. Yet the survey also points out another employee belief: respondents claimed “regular breaks” would benefit work, personal happiness, and health.

Breaks are simple enough to encourage, but employers must provide follow-through, too. “It’s important that employees understand the value of taking a quality break,” Tom Heisroth, Senior Vice President, Commercial and Enterprise Sales, Staples Advantage, told Yahoo Finance. “Disconnecting can increase their happiness, health and productivity.”

“This survey indicates employers are encouraging employees to take a break, but they need to back that up by providing a well-stocked breakroom that encourages employees to step away and not feel tied to their work.”

The survey, which was conducted in March of this year, asked more than 200 office workers employed at organizations of various sizes throughout North America about their breaks, breakrooms, and work habits.

Staples recommends that employers provide employees with a well-equipped breakroom to encourage breaks throughout the day. Some extra tips:

– Offer healthy bites and beverages. (Some of the top choices? 57 percent of those surveyed preferred nuts and granola bars. Trash the junk food: only 10 percent of those polled opted for chips, cookies or candy.)

– Consider employee comfort: Provide a dedicated room or designated area, equipped with comfortable chairs, to encourage employees to take brief breaks.

– Disconnect: Twenty-five percent of those polled don’t truly take a break from work — they stay connected to email, smartphones, and other technology. Encourage employees to detach while taking a break to “maximize the usefulness” of the time spent.

Some other suggestions? Trougakos also recommends building a break-taking culture to lower employees’ guilt around taking breaks, and also encouraging positive interactions — “something…to generate positive feelings” — during break times to boost both productivity and creativity in the workplace.