Eating drinking at work

[Surfer]

Also I understand it's a legal requirement for employers to provide access to drinkable water. For frontline roles (or public facing) does that mean no drinking water until lunch or break?

Finally...if none of the above is actually stated in the employee handbook or work policy can they still enforce it verbally with the same clout?

 

[mattyg]

"discriminating" between public facing staff and non-public facing staff in terms of being able to eat at your desk seems fairly reasonable... frankly I could think of other ways they might want to "discriminate" too such as dress codes, not allowing them flexi time or the ability to work from home as someone has to man the front desk etc..

this isn't "discrimination" in the unfair/prejudice sense of the word though - that concerns unfair discrimination on the grounds of say race, age, disability etc..

They wouldn't have to discriminate.

NO staff can eat where customers have access

 

[Avenged7Fold]

Salt and Vinegar crisps have quite a strong smell, you don't have to sit right next to somebody to pickup on it. One of reasons I hate them, they smell (and taste) awful.

I've never seen anyone microwaving leftovers or eating Salt and Vinegar crisps in in restaurants, at least not the ones I go to.

You have to sit pretty close to someone to be so off put by the smell of vinegar from their crisps to describe them as 'unbearable'.

With delicate sensitivities like that, it cant be easy to eat out at places that serve anything you may not like, should the person upstairs order it. You must keep track of every place that serves vinaigrette with their salad.

 

[Rroff]

Where I work no food is allowed around customer/public facing areas, in many areas, but not all, drinks are only allowed in bottles/containers that have a sports cap or similar. AFAIK rules on something like this can be brought in at any time as needed without having to be in the contract, etc. though if for instance you spend a lot of time talking to customers or on the phone, etc. they shouldn't be preventing people having drinks to hand.

You have to sit pretty close to someone to be so off put by the smell of vinegar from their crisps to describe them as 'unbearable'.

With delicate sensitivities like that, it cant be easy to eat out at places that serve anything you may not like, should the person upstairs order it. You must keep track of every place that serves vinaigrette with their salad.

Funny one - I'm quite happy eating salt and vinegar crisps but I don't find the smell when someone else has them particularly pleasant - not to the point I find it properly objectionable. One I find kind of objectionable to my senses is oranges for some reason - and it travels a fair distance for me a good 20-30 feet. I've relocated sometimes on break because I wouldn't choose to sit there and endure it heh.

 

[Avenged7Fold]

Also I understand it's a legal requirement for employers to provide access to drinkable water. For frontline roles (or public facing) does that mean no drinking water until lunch or break?

Finally...if none of the above is actually stated in the employee handbook or work policy can they still enforce it verbally with the same clout?

They have to provide access to water but not let you go on water breaks whenever you damn well please at your time. So this mean you may be allowed to keep a water-bottle you can refill there or that should you require a drink, you may ask a manager or leader to allow you to go for one if your role requires you to be replaced immediately if you are absent for a bit. It is then the managers responsibility to make sure you have adequate water and are not taking the ****.

If it says you are allowed to do these things in the workbook, then you are unless it says it is to the discretion of managing staff. It it is not mentioned, then it is down to their discretion within reason.

To be honest, few workplaces are so petty about these things without reason. Where do you work and in what position?

Kicking up a fuss out of principle won't get you anywhere if you don't seem reasonable.

 

[dowie]

They wouldn't have to discriminate.

NO staff can eat where customers have access

but that is what I mean, discriminate between staff who are customer facing and therefore can't eat at their customer facing desks/work stations vs staff who aren't customer facing and can happily eat in their non client facing offices/at their desks etc..

I don't mean unfair discrimination - just 'discriminating' or rather to avoid using that word as it is perhaps conflating things having separate rules for different staff whether customer facing or not... if you can't eat where customers are and your desk is there then you can't eat at your desk

 

[ebilcake]

You have to sit pretty close to someone to be so off put by the smell of vinegar from their crisps to describe them as 'unbearable'.

With delicate sensitivities like that, it cant be easy to eat out at places that serve anything you may not like, should the person upstairs order it. You must keep track of every place that serves vinaigrette with their salad.

I've even changed train carriages because could mess Salt and Vinegar crisps.

 

[CyberScy]

I'm a QA Technician/Tester, work environment is a standard run-of-the-mill office. We don't really see any customers (bar the ones who visit the Office) and as so, there's not really any set rules for us. Office etiquette still applies though

 

[Avenged7Fold]

Funny one - I'm quite happy eating salt and vinegar crisps but I don't find the smell when someone else has them particularly pleasant - not to the point I find it properly objectionable. One I find kind of objectionable to my senses is oranges for some reason - and it travels a fair distance for me a good 20-30 feet. I've relocated sometimes on break because I wouldn't choose to sit there and endure it heh.

There is something in citrus fruits that seem to carry. I don't mind the smell but it is crazy how far it can travel or stay on the fingers after peeling an orange. The hospital near me use to have a policy of having no fresh oranges in the staff canteen. One of the nurses had a terrible allergy to something in the peel could have their reaction triggered by someone merely pealing an orange across the room. Luckily the attacks she suffered were always in a hospital.

I've even changed train carriages because could mess Salt and Vinegar crisps.

This aversion to SnV seems like it almost would effect your quality of life depending on how many people around you liked those crisps. Ever pick up a walkers bag of cheese N Onion and been smacked in the face with blue-green green-blue packet trickery?

 

[Armageus]

It's GD....people get angry about everything

Indeed - I first read this and thought it was some kind of spoof of the Teachers allowing children to go the toilet thread... now I'm not so sure

 

[IronWarrior]

Guess, you guys wouldn't want the person next to you doing this then.

 

[Uther]

Some people seem a little over sensitive to smells.

 

[dowie]

What if

Both employees are in the same role (not frontline). The only difference is that the desk of one is visible to the public. Ok to say that no food or drink at that particular desk because it's public facing?

Or would the employee themselves have to be in a frontline public facing role. In that case then yes fine to treat them differently?

I think either would be OK, perhaps makes more sense for the rule to apply because the desk is public facing... then again that person isn't potentially going to have to deal with the public with a mouthful of food

 

[Avenged7Fold]

Plot twist, the no food rule is actually there because people overly sensitive to other peoples food freak out and run out out of the building.

 

[hondo]

It's a bit off topic but every time employee handbooks are mentioned, it gives me a smile.

One of the rules in our employee handbook stated.
You are strictly forbidden from entering the bodies of female students.

 

[Avenged7Fold]

An absolutely reasonable rule

 

[hondo]

An absolutely reasonable rule

Absolutely!!! They all had learning difficulties, difficulties taking a wash, shower, bath was one of the biggest difficulties.

BTW Phew, I was always glad to go outside to eat meals.

 

[stillcarp]

Plot twist, the no food rule is actually there because people overly sensitive to other peoples food freak out and run out out of the building.

Some people have food allergies ie nuts, shell fish, wheat and diary which can lead to death.

It's a bit off topic but every time employee handbooks are mentioned, it gives me a smile.

One of the rules in our employee handbook stated.
You are strictly forbidden from entering the bodies of female students.

Anyone found to be dead in a upright position will be sacked on the spot.

 

[d_brennen]

I worked for a recruitment agency an age ago and my boss caught me smashing pasty on my desk. Said sorry and quickly backed out so I just assumed eating there was fine too... It was a crazy lifestyle, living off pub lunches, booze and working into the night

 

[Avenged7Fold]

Some people have food allergies ie nuts, shell fish, wheat and diary which can lead to death.

As I mentioned earlier in the thread but that does not really dictate whether people can eat at their desk or not, just what foods can be taken into the building/staff areas. I believe workplaces have to ask whether you have any allergies or underlying medical conditions upon joining, should they need to cater around your needs.