Could you imagine working at a place that doesn’t allow coffee breaks? The employees must be downright miserable! Which may be the case for three hospitals in England; they are banning coffee and tea breaks because it makes the employees look unproductive.
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Coffee and productivity seem to go hand and hand, but for three hospitals in Leicester, England this is proving to be the opposite! Employees who work in the outpatient clinic reception areas were notified of the ban via e-mail. In the e-mail, staff was informed that they are no longer allowed to drink coffee or tea in public areas. Due to numerous complaints by patients and employees that all said having a hot drink in front of you makes it look like you’re slacking off, the hospitals decided to take action.
According to one hospital employee, “Members of the public are frustrated by long waiting times during clinics and for appointments and are inflamed by seeing members of staff enjoying hot and cold drinks at the reception desks.” Coffee and tea may be banned, but water is not.
A hospital spokesperson has said, “It’s important they [staff] are kept hydrated. Having a cup of tea is more relaxing, shall we say, whereas a bottle of water is purely for rehydration. It’s just that feeling.” Many employees are outraged, with some going as far to call the ban “Draconian.” As one employee says, “What will it be next, that we won’t be able to go to the toilet?”
It’ll be interesting to see if the productivity at these hospitals improves due to the ban, or decreases because of it.