A new report finds fewer and fewer workers in Jersey – and across the country – are taking a lunch break during the day.


The survey – conducted by Right Management – shows only about 1 in 3 employees almost always takes a break to eat lunch – while 65 percent of workers say they either eat a quick snack at their desk, or don’t eat anything at all.

Phil Kirschner, President of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, says this is happening “as a response to trying to deal with all the work pressures over the last few years – a lot of places have fewer employees, or are asking their employees to do more…in order to get everything done and still have some time for themselves, I think a lot of employees, at least sometime during the week – are not taking lunch.”

He also says “people are under tremendous pressure at work -feeling they can’t afford to take much of a lunch break so they’ll eat at their desk or sometimes skip lunch so they can get all the work they need done… I think this applies to virtually every employee- no matter what position they occupy.”

Lynn Brown, Vice President of Right Management agrees.

“People are feeling a lot of pressure of the downsizing of organizations that’s taken place the last couple of years” she says, “people feel they all have to do more work with less resources, and because of job security and feelings of wanting to maintain their role in the organization, they want to look as productive as possible.”

She adds “it is good to get up, go outside, either eat something, take a walk, talk to colleagues – you get a little bit of a break to clear your head if that’s all possible…it’s something we would strongly encourage employees to do – it’s an important part of staying productive at work.”

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