Fewer than half of all office workers get to leave their desks at lunch, study reveals

FEWER than half of modern office workers say they get to leave their desk at lunch, according to new research.

A study of 2,000 office workers found most people now say it is rare or unrealistic to take a proper lunch break away from their work, with most staying at their desk instead.

A lack of time and a perception that there is always too much work to be done were among the top five reasons to eat lunch at your desk each day.

The study, which was conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Eggland’s Best, also found younger workers were more likely to disagree that taking a full lunch break is realistic, while workers aged 45+ were most likely to agree.

With few workers receiving a full lunch hour – more frequent snacking appears to be the trend.

The survey found 68 per cent of office workers snack twice a day, and three in ten workers enjoy snacking three times a day or more while at work.

In fact, 44 percent even have a ‘snack drawer’ at work dedicated to little bites to keep them going throughout the day.

Kimberly Murphy, Director of New Ventures and Innovation at Eggland’s Best, said: "As the workplace shifts, so does the traditional lunch hour.

"With the average lunch ‘hour’ now likely to be 30 minutes or less, workers are now snacking at least twice a day, not surprisingly between breakfast and lunch, and then when hunger strikes again between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m."

Although taste and convenience ranked as important factors for workers when choosing snacks, beating off hunger pangs and satisfying cravings came out on top followed by the need for an energy boost.

That might explain why the most sought-after qualities in any snacks is high protein content, followed by high energy.

When not working through their lunch, office workers will use what little time they have to focus on their minds rather than their bellies - with three in four workers using their lunch break to take a walk.

And the benefits of headspace are clear - those that opt to take a break from their desks and step away from the hustle and bustle of their frantic computer screens seem to feel better as a result.

Over half of office workers feel refreshed after taking a proper lunch break.

But when office workers decide to get work done and work through their lunch, they are left feeling tired (44 per cent), stressed (31 per cent), overwhelmed (24 per cent), exhausted (26 per cent) and anxious (20 per cent).

“Whether it’s stress, lack of time or sheer boredom, snacks are an important part of office life and many office workers prefer to munch on food at their desks", Murphy continued.

"Having high protein, high energy snacks easily at hand will allow office workers to keep themselves productive throughout the day.

“If you’re short on time, head over to the supermarket to pick up new Eggland’s Best Snacks, which includes a nutritious Eggland’s Best Hard-Cooked & Peeled egg, along with two other delicious items packed into a portable and convenient snack tray.”

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