Having to eat lunch on shop floor

catkins

We are very short staffed at work (due to people leaving because of the manager) and next month it will be worse as 3 staff have holiday and/or training days. It means that most days there will only be 2 members of staff in all day.

We have been told that as there should not be only 1 staff member on the shop floor we will have to have our lunch break actually on the shop floor.

That means if a customer needs help/serving we will obviously have to do so. The shop is at its busiest from about 12 until about 4 and due to the nature of the business, most customers need help and advice which can often take quite a time.

This means it will be virtually impossible to have a stress free relaxing break. It also means we will have to think about what food we eat as anything that smells is not going to be allowed (I often take chilli or curry for lunch).

I would accept this for maybe 1 or 2 days even though I would not be happy but for just about the whole month!

It means we will never get an hour as we can not just keep adding time on every time we deal with a customer. We will have to keep snatching a bite of food and a drink and hope a customer does not approach just as we have a mouth full of food! I don't think it looks very good to the customers either.

What do others think about this? To be honest, I am pretty close to leaving due to my manager and this may well be the last straw

getmore4less

Are you paid for your breaks.

Suggest that management provide suitable lunches if your normal ones are not suitable for the environment.


Why can the managers not provide cover?

theoretica

Could you negotiate for a proper break before 12 or after 4.

catkins

No we are not paid for breaks. There is no one to provide cover as so few staff.

I guess we could ask for a break before 12 and after 4 but we don't start until 9 so that would be pretty early - I wouldn't want to eat lunch that early. Having a break after 4 would be leaving it a bit late for lunch plus we finish at 5 so I am sure the manager would say no.

Even if we did have our break before 12 or after 4 there will still almost certainly be customers, just probably not as many.

I don't know if there is any law relating to breaks but surely you should be entitled to some time away from the workplace to be able to relax? As we don't even get paid for them I don't see why we should effectively work extra time each day for nothing

TELLIT01

catkins wrote: »

We have been told that as there should not be only 1 staff member on the shop floor we will have to have our lunch break actually on the shop floor.

How are you supposed to handle 'comfort breaks'? If the manager is around to ensure there are 2 people on the shop floor in that situation then they should also be available to cover lunches. The problem is one that the management should be resolving, not the staff.

pmlindyloo

If you are working more than 6 hrs then you are entitled to a minimum of a 20 mins uninterrupted rest break. (It may be a longer period - look in your contract)

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/rights-at-work/basic-rights-and-contracts/rest-breaks-at-work-overview/

Easier said than done, I know, so suspect it will be about compromising if you want to stay there.

There must be some compromising that can be done - good luck!

getmore4less

catkins wrote: »

No we are not paid for breaks. There is no one to provide cover as so few staff.

you need to remind them that as they require you to stay at your station they will need to pay them.
(the time should also be counted in compensatory breaks but that may not make nay difference in practice)

I guess we could ask for a break before 12 and after 4 but we don't start until 9 so that would be pretty early - I wouldn't want to eat lunch that early. Having a break after 4 would be leaving it a bit late for lunch plus we finish at 5 so I am sure the manager would say no.

the statutory break(20mins) should be in the middle(ish) of the day
on a 9-5 11:40-12:00 would be OK but not after 4:00
problem is that only gets one of you a break

Even if we did have our break before 12 or after 4 there will still almost certainly be customers, just probably not as many.

I don't know if there is any law relating to breaks but surely you should be entitled to some time away from the workplace to be able to relax? As we don't even get paid for them I don't see why we should effectively work extra time each day for nothing

You need to address the not getting paid,that may resolve the situation, with a solution that is satisfactory, managers cover because they are worried about the bonus(salary budget blown) or maybe time off another time(throw in a few extra hours for a day off ).

What happens if one of you goes off sick, will they shut or find cover?

If they can find cover they can do that now.

catkins

TELLIT01 wrote: »

How are you supposed to handle 'comfort breaks'? If the manager is around to ensure there are 2 people on the shop floor in that situation then they should also be available to cover lunches. The problem is one that the management should be resolving, not the staff.

We only have 4 staff at present. Each week in May there is either someone on holiday or someone on training leaving 3 staff members. One colleague is only part time and as we all have to have a day off it means most of the days there will only be 2 staff in.

getmore4less wrote: »

You need to address the not getting paid,that may resolve the situation, with a solution that is satisfactory, managers cover because they are worried about the bonus(salary budget blown) or maybe time off another time(throw in a few extra hours for a day off ).

What happens if one of you goes off sick, will they shut or find cover?

If they can find cover they can do that now.

Don't know what they would do if one of us went sick. There are no other staff that could cover.

ohreally

What you have had proposed to you does not constitute a break for the purpose.

You referred to "adding time on", if you are being interupted then the clock resets!

The challenges are managements problem, not yours.

kingfisherblue

catkins wrote: »

We are very short staffed at work (due to people leaving because of the manager) and next month it will be worse as 3 staff have holiday and/or training days. It means that most days there will only be 2 members of staff in all day.

We have been told that as there should not be only 1 staff member on the shop floor we will have to have our lunch break actually on the shop floor.

That means if a customer needs help/serving we will obviously have to do so. The shop is at its busiest from about 12 until about 4 and due to the nature of the business, most customers need help and advice which can often take quite a time.

This means it will be virtually impossible to have a stress free relaxing break. It also means we will have to think about what food we eat as anything that smells is not going to be allowed (I often take chilli or curry for lunch).

I would accept this for maybe 1 or 2 days even though I would not be happy but for just about the whole month!

It means we will never get an hour as we can not just keep adding time on every time we deal with a customer. We will have to keep snatching a bite of food and a drink and hope a customer does not approach just as we have a mouth full of food! I don't think it looks very good to the customers either.

What do others think about this? To be honest, I am pretty close to leaving due to my manager and this may well be the last straw

Is the shop part of a chain? Maybe they could arrange cover from another branch.

TELLIT01

kingfisherblue wrote: »

Is the shop part of a chain? Maybe they could arrange cover from another branch.

Whatever the cause of the problem it's shouldn't be the employee's issue to try to sort it out. That's what managers are supposedly there to do.