A survey of 2,000 across the country, including in Liverpool, showed people now take an average of just 36 minutes for their lunch break and some not taking one at all. Tony McDonough reports

Our lunch breaks offer an invaluable chance to eat and de-stress after the pressures of the morning – but UK workers are taking less and less break time with some skipping lunch altogether.

A survey of 2,000 across the country, including in Liverpool, showed people now take an average of just 36 minutes for their lunch break.

More worryingly, 52% of workers regularly miss their lunch break altogether, according to flexible office and workspace provider Workthere.

It also showed that office employees eat lunch at their desk on average four days a week and even when they do take a lunch break, they often don’t step out of the office.

Almost a third of those polled say they rarely leave the office at lunch time. Additionally, 5% agreed they felt pressure to work through their lunch hour. Other findings were:

• 34% of workers surveyed take a lunch break of 21 to 30 minutes, while 13% take 20 minutes or less.
• Those working in HR are most likely to skip their lunch break (70%), followed by finance (68%) and those within the arts and culture sector (62%).
• Workers in professions with set hours or shifts were most likely to regularly take their lunch breaks.
• 58% of workers in the manufacturing and utilities sector and 56% of workers in the education sector do not skip their lunch break.

Cal Lee, founder and head of Workthere, said: “We have seen wellness establish itself firmly on the workplace agenda with employers in Liverpool increasingly recognising the benefits of ensuring staff are content, happy and most importantly, in good health. 

“Part of this is creating a productive office environment where employees feel comfortable taking a longer lunch break and engaging with colleagues.”