“Chaining yourself to a desk or scarfing down your lunch in your cubicle isn’t a recipe for success – it’s a recipe for disaster. Without taking adequate breaks from work, employee productivity, mental well-being, and overall work performance begin to suffer.” – Alan Kohll, Forbes.
To put it plainly, people get mentally and physically exhausted from the daily grind that work entails. Thus, ensuring that employees take regular breaks during the workday is key for maintaining company morale and optimizing employee job performance. In fact, studies shows that strategic work breaks during the workday can relieve stress, enhance mental recovery and is associated with many other health benefits. Moreover, adhering to labor laws regarding work breaks safeguards employers and employees, facilitating a compliant and supportive work environment. Employers who prioritize and encourage regular work breaks realize improvements in company morale, team performance, and employee motivation.
What is the Purpose of Taking Breaks at Work?
We are human and so we need short pauses during the workday to, rest and regroup in order to maximize our abilities. Moreover, research Cornell University demonstrates that taking breaks at work is important for
recovering from stress, which can, in turn, improve energy levels, concentration, and overall sharpness.
What’s more, work breaks help employees decrease the development of fatigue, sleep disorders, and cardiovascular disease. So there are benefits that extend beyond the workplace.
“When employees see work breaks as useful and necessary, they are less likely to skip or shorten their break,” Zhanna Lyubykh, Simon Fraser University, Beedie School of Business.
Other Types of Work Breaks
Bathroom/Restroom Breaks
Restroom breaks are short breaks that allow employees to use a restroom or WC. They are generally about 10 minutes long. Many employers expect employees to use the facilities during regularly scheduled breaks and lunches.
Denying employees permission to use the restrooms as needed could adversely affect workplace sanitation and workers’ health, leading to legal issues for these and other reasons.
Smoking Breaks
Many companies in the 21st century do not allow smoking on their property, although some employers allow workers to leave the premises to smoke.
Smoking breaks are widely accepted and seen by some as a good way to network with colleagues.
6 Reasons Why Employers Should Encourage Employees to Take Work Breaks
Reason #1: Mental and Physical Recovery
Taking breaks, particularly those that are relaxing or involve socializing, helps reset the mind and body to their original functioning state. This restoration reduces stress and improves employee alertness.
“Taking small breaks during a work shift can significantly reduce muscle fatigue and potentially reduce its consequent risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders without negatively affecting productivity.”- Karla Beltran, University of Alberta.
Reason #2: Recharge Energy and Vigor
Implementing regular breaks into the workday, such as stepping away for lunch, has proven to recharge energy levels while simultaneously reducing feelings of tiredness. Over the medium to long-term, this practice works to prevent employee burnout.
Reason #3: Enhances Productivity
Short breaks spread throughout the day, also known as micro-breaks, helps to sustain work performance. These brief pauses reduce the need for extended recovery at the end of the day and are essential in keeping the team productive over the long haul.
Reason #4: Improves Mood
Taking time out for relaxing breaks has a direct positive impact on mood. Work breaks provide an opportunity to reset emotions and promote a positive mindset, which is instrumental in managing stress.
Reason #5: Facilitates Social Connections
Breaks that allow for social interactions with coworkers are not just pauses; they are a means to connect with colleagues and facilitate feelings of synergy and recovery.
These social breaks are particularly important in team-based settings as they create a harmonious work environment.
Reason #6: Prevents Long-Term Health Issues
Consistently incorporating breaks into daily and work routines is a key strategy for preventing the onset of chronic health issues related to workplace stress, such as fatigue, sleep disorders, and heart conditions.
Regular work breaks serve as an important mechanism for relieving stress, and safeguarding individual long-term health.
“The ideal work-to-break ratio was 52 minutes of work, followed by 17 minutes of rest. People who maintained this schedule had a unique level of focus in their work. For roughly an hour at a time, they were 100% dedicated to the task they needed to accomplish.” – Travis Bradberry, Next Big Idea Magazine.
Labor Law & Work Break Regulations
Australia
Australian labor law requires employers to give full-time employees working between 7 to 10 hours a day, 2 paid rest breaks of 10 minutes and one unpaid meal break of 30-60 minutes.
Work breaks vary according to the industry and the applicable modern award or enterprise agreement.
Canada
In Canada, most labor laws and workplace regulations, including break entitlements, are covered by provincial law, or the federal labor code in federally regulated industries.
For example, employees working less than five consecutive hours in Ontario are not entitled to a break. Labor standards law requires that employees be given one 30-minute break for a five-hour shift or longer.
In the province of Alberta, an employee is entitled to one 30-minute paid or unpaid break after the first 5 hours of work for shifts that are between 5 and 10 hours long.
“This legislative requirement ensures that employees have an opportunity to take a meal break during their workday,” – Andrew Monkhouse, an Attorney at Monkhouse Law in Toronto.
United Kingdom
Labor law in the U.K. mandates that workers who work more than 6 hours a day have the right to one uninterrupted 20-minute rest break, which could be used as a tea or lunch break.
The break doesn’t have to be paid; it depends on their employment contract.
United States
Currently, no federal law requires employees to offer breaks during work hours for meals or for any other purpose.
However, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, federal law mandates that if a company allows for break periods, any break under 20 minutes should be paid, and any over 30 minutes can be unpaid and classified as “off-the-clock.”
In short, the federal government leaves it up to the employer or State laws.
Rest breaks (under 20 minutes) are paid, and meal breaks (over 30 minutes) are unpaid. These federal standards automatically apply if a state has no laws regarding breaks.
“In the workplace, employees are entitled to take breaks. It is important for employers to know the laws regarding breaks in the workplace to ensure compliance. Failure to provide your employees with breaks could lead to claims being made against you.” – Lucy Cobb, Employment Law Specialist.
Final Comments
Modern workplaces are socially complex and stress laden. Thus, incorporating regular breaks into the workday is a key component of maintaining employees’ mental health and productivity.
As the article demonstrates, taking work breaks reduces stress, improves mental recovery, and prevents long-term health issues from arising. In addition, employers must adhere to labor laws regarding breaks to ensure a compliant and supportive work environment.
Consistently allowing and encouraging breaks can have a positive impact on work performance outcomes, and company morale.
Thank you for reading our article!
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