J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Got a new guy started working for me, came from another department, not doing a bad job but he seems to spend a fair proportion of his time smoking, three times this morning, two, maybe three this afternoon, seems to take fifteen to twenty minutes as the smoking hut is a fair distance, so that is best part of an hour and a half, maybe longer out of an eight hour day.

Is that typical, think he is going to get told tomorrow that **** is being taken, not even adding in time to build a roll up, all for a break but ffs !

ScoobySteve69

iTrader: (13)

Very typical. Smokers take the ****ing p1ss. I work 12 hour shifts and some smokers spend up to half a shift off their job between official breaks and smoke breaks.

dpb

Twenty five years ago this was the best Only way to get a break it seemed

Nowadays year you'd have thought they should be made to fill in the time they've taken up, unpaid

ronjeramy

iTrader: (1)

Shirley he can only take a *** break when its normal coffee/dinner break? When i worked in a big office block, it didn't matter what floor you were on whether you smoked or not, you had 15mins for a break and that was it.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

It seems to be a bit of a social club, they all troop out, don't think he likes to miss the gossip, some of the managers have been mentioning it so will use that as my angle, basically that they are going to get pulled up on it so best tone it down.

Bloody awful habit, he gave up for ages, sure he only started again as he missed the chat, couple of nice ladies in the smoking club you see.

dukeoffenland

Company my mate works for they clock in and out to smoke. Adds up end of month and deducts from wages / make time up

Turbohot

I think Goverment should force all organisations to give maximum two 5 minutes *** breaks a day to their employees. It will be good for their employees' health and for the environment. Then the fagger can have his sociable *** breaks with the ladies, but only 2 times a day. They will have to do with f**k all for the rest of the time. They'll soon learn to manage without getting out every two minutes for a ***.

bigsinky

before work, lunchtime and after work in our place. it's misconduct to be smoking outside these times.

skoobidude

Don't get me started.. Some of the faggers at my place smoke so much that they're still breathing it out in the stairwell when they come back in. Sometimes I end up sharing the elevator with a particular couple. Foogin stinks! And I enjoy the odd cigar on a weekend every now and then.
I think companies should introduce some rules on these breaks so that other non-smokers in similar roles don't feel like they are doing half their work.

Nick

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Most places do, they are called set breaks. If companies are allowing smokers to take the ****, that is down to said company to deal with.

I'm a smoker and get the same break entitlement as everyone else working the same hours as me. We have a 15 minute break in the morning and one in the afternoon and 1hr unpaid lunch break. On those breaks, I go out for a smoke, but I take no more than my allocated time, and this is watched closely. In actual fact, those that don't smoke actually abuse the breaks more as they don't leave the building, so are less closely monitored.

The only thing my workplace will do for the smoker, is if they work a shorter shift and for example only get half an hour break, they will allow them to take that in two halves. I personally think this is fair enough, but again, the time is closely monitored.

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Why on earth should the government be interfering any more in people's lives? At the end of the day it is up to an individual if they wish to potentially damage their own health and I think the government already interfere enough in this department. It is up to workplaces to enforce breaks so that nobody is any better off than anyone else.

As I've already said, I smoke and just take the same time as anyone else break wise. Why should I get less break time just because I smoke?

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

Is Swati's comment with regard to additional time above & beyond any alotted breaks, i.e. tyour 30 mins lunch break?

It's quite relaxed at the Steelworks in Scunny (well the actual deed NOT where you can do it). If a job for example needs some thought, a smoker may pop outside for a cigarette to think about it etc, just the same way I may pop for a drink or even follow them outside (I'm a non-smoker). It's a bit of give and take and as long as those who smoke don't take the ****, then those who don't smoke don't complain (as we may stop for a few minutes another time for whatever reason). We find in my area of plant that the job gets done better with moral and people pulling together, rather than the draconian headmaster cracking the whip.

Certainly not as bad as the old British Steel mentality of "it'll do". We have a "Bell End of the Month" award we give out for that

For the record we have a 35 min. dinner break in the middle of the shift and tea/coffee breaks of 10-20 mins. a couple hours each side. If we're flat out on a breakdown or priority job etc. we do sometimes work through by our own choice as we generally know the immediate management above (Team Leaders and Mechanical Engineers) will return the favour.

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Choccy, obviously all workplaces will be different, but where I work, there is very limited flexibility. The only time we have been allowed to take any additional break if you like has been times when the air-con has been out of order and they have allowed us to pop down for a quick drink. Other than that, you have your set breaks end of, and I have always stuck to them, and honestly, I have never know of any other smoker being pulled up for abusing breaks.

I don't know if Swati meant what you think, or how I read it, but if how you saw it was the case, even I, as a smoker would say, why should that be allowed? Why because I smoke, should I be allowed extra time? Yes, it might be nice, but it wouldn't be fair. Breaks are breaks and everybody should have the same, how they spend that time, is their business imo.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

No I see what you're both saying. But what I was getting at (albeit badly as I was tired) is Swati's comment regards two cigarette breaks should be for all, whether you smoke or not. I didn't get across well last time. There's a turn of phrase we use here, a 'non smoking *** break'. That's what I'd do if a lad I'm on a job with goes for one whereas I don't smoke. In an environment where you have strict breaks such as yourself (and me in my formal job working at communist Bibby's) then there shouldn't be any deviation from said times (I'm not insinuating your bosses are communists - unless you want to agree ).

Oh, Lisa, please it's Andy - we're all friends in here

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Sorry, Andy.

I couldn't really say that, but I won't stop you from saying it.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

ScoobySteve69

iTrader: (13)

I just go 15 mins earlier for each of my 3 breaks (just to make up SOME of the difference) and if I ever get pulled up over it I will have an epic rant about the hours that smokers spend outside...smelly barstewards

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Have you ever just raised this with your boss?

Torquemada

As I sit in front of a screen all day I just meld the smoking time in with breaks away from the screen and look at some other work related stuff whilst smoking, I don't like to waste work time really (I'm in sales).

One at 1130hrs and one at 1530hrs is the most I do.

3 breaks in the morning is a p*sstake, get him told!

ScoobySteve69

iTrader: (13)

Noooo, I`m not a grass Plus there`s too many `bosses` wouldn`t know who to tell....not that they`d be interested. They`re not not even interested in the fact that the new plant making the stick pack drinks should cost £77 per tonne to produce but is in fact costing £221

Torquemada

Good plan and I agree to a degree but it is daft if you include those who sit staring at screens (VDU) all day, though that is covered by spending working time doing something away from a screen etc.

In my opinion a couple of decent breaks (and Lunch) in a day make workers more productive in the long run. Although there will always be the lazy buggers around who will take the mick whatever the case.

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

The bosses were some off the biggest p1ss takers going at my old workplace when it came to smoking breaks. They also threatened to sack anyone who went over the road for a quiet pint on a Friday lunch break. Yet they were often over there having 3 or 4 pints and a couple of whisky chasers

urban

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, but bosses can do what they like OK

Steve vRS

When I used to smoke, 10 years go, I had a toot every hour!

Steve

ScoobyWon't

But how often did you smoke a cigarette?

fitzscoob

My staff get a break at 10am for 10 minutes and a 30 minute lunch break during the day. If they want to smoke they go outside during their break times. If anyone downs tools during the work day they would be disciplined.

Funnily enough I get complaints from staff about wages yet they still spend £40 a week on ****...

stedee

iTrader: (4)

god there are some right misery`s on here. 3 breaks in the morning is taking the **** i have to admit. i think it depends on how good a worker he/she is, how hard do they work etc. the laziiest ppl i have worked with are non -smokers , take their time doing anything, 1/2 hour bog breaks reading the paper etc etc.

Turbohot

Yes, Andy. Non-smokers should also be forced to take two 5 minutes breaks on top of their usual coffee and lunch break. If smokers are allowed to manage their stress/ anxiety/depression by smoking/polluting air for 2X 5 minutes breaks, a non-smoker should also be allowed to get out into the other direction for extra 2X 5 minutes breaks; to get some fresh air.

Exactly.

A 21 yr. old, very decent and a non-smoker boy has recently started at my workplace as an admin support. He has a degree in film design, but for now, he is chilled in his first ever proper job as an admin. Anyhow, since day one, he had been stuck to the PC every day; designing this and typing that on everyone's command. He did some brilliant work for me the other day. He also has been witnessing the smokers getting in and out for *** breaks when they fancied. I felt sorry for the lad, and I suggested him to have a break and a Kitkat sometimes FGS! I said the him that he doesn't need to munch his lunch like a slave with his PC on, and he is entitled to get out for fresh air for 5 minutes or so; here and there. Otherwise, the poor sod will just ruin his eyes, neck, back and his tummy with his all day long sitting in front of the PC; while the smokers will at least enjoy themselves while slowly killing themselves by caning it. The non-smoker should have a healthy break here and there; like smokers do- even if that means taking a 5 minute break from his PC, and making a nice cuppa tea for me.

mickywrx

iTrader: (29)

I see you've got you priorities right, Swati.

Turbohot

Oh aye, Micky.

A lot of young people of today are lazy etc., but some are very heartwaming. This young man always asks if anyone wants a cuppa. He did a top work for me again on some literature today. His 'outside the box' views also helped, as he humbly offered his angle upon reading it. Some non-p!sstaking, bright and sincere kids from the new generation are out there. We should be proud of them