Poll finds one in two employees work through their lunch breaks

date: 6 February 2013

embargo: 06:00 hours Thursday 7 February 2013

Commenting on a poll published today (Thursday) by BBC Breakfast, which shows that more than half (54 per cent) of office employees regularly work through their lunch breaks, TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady said:

'These figures shine a spotlight on Britain's long-hours culture. Far too many employees are failing to take lunch because they have too much work to do.

'It is essential that employers recognise the damage this can do to their staff and to the productivity of their workforce. Workers who skip lunch and don't take time away from their desks in the middle of the day are likely to become less productive as the day wears on and are also taking risks with their health.

'We need to change the culture - prevalent in far too many workplaces -that it is acceptable to eat lunch at your desk, and not leave your workspace.'

Last year, the TUC found that employees across the UK worked nearly two billion unpaid hours, worth over £29bn to the economy.

On 1 March it will be the ninth Work Your Proper Hours Day, when employees across the UK will be encouraged to work their proper hours which includes taking a decent lunch break.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- To find out more about Work Your Proper Hours Day please contact the TUC press office or go to www.workyourproperhoursday.org.uk.

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

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Alex Rossiter T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07887 572130 E: arossiter@tuc.org.uk