Culture of not being slacker results in many Aussies ignoring meal breaks

A QUARTER of Aussies work through their lunch break every day, amid concern about a workplace “culture” of not taking a spell.

Feeling “chained to their desks”, the need to “brown nose” and not wanting to “feel guilty” are some of the reasons Australians are slaving through their breaks.

Unions say bosses are effectively forcing employees to work through, while business groups insist it is mostly being driven by “employee choice”.

A new survey, commissioned by software company TSheets, has revealed more than 23 per cent of employees work through their lunch break every day, and only 10 per cent never do.

It found employees having “too much work” was the most common reason, while wanting to finish early and the workplace not having enough staff were also blamed.

Almost a quarter of employees said they were asked by their bosses to work through daily, while another 45 per cent were asked between two, three and four times weekly or several times per month.

TSheets analyst Sandy Vo said the survey showed the privilege of a meal break was “disappearing into more work”.