Looking at the habits of Canadian workers during their lunch breaks, a new survey found nearly half (49 per cent) surf the web or browse social media, while 45 per cent socialize with their co-workers.
The OfficeTeam survey, which polled more than 500 office workers, also found 38 per cent of respondents use their lunch break to catch up on personal emails and calls, while 32 per cent do work, 31 per cent exercise or take a walk, 27 per cent run errands and 25 per cent read a book.
Read: Why you need to take a lunch break
“Even on the busiest days, it’s important for professionals to maximize the time they’re given for lunch and try to step away from their desks to refresh and refocus for the afternoon,” said Koula Vasilopoulos, a district president for OfficeTeam, in a press release. “Rather than defaulting to cell phones or other screen time for company, using a midday break to connect with colleagues can help cultivate a greater feeling of camaraderie and overall happiness at work.”
The survey also looked at how much time employees take for a lunch break. The top answer, cited by 39 per cent of respondents, was 21 to 30 minutes, followed by 51 minutes to an hour, cited by 30 per cent. Seven per cent said they don’t take a lunch break, while eight per cent said they take less than 20 minutes.
Read: What can employers do to create psychologically healthy workplaces?