By: Natasha Archary
Apart from the stipulated 1-hour lunch break which employees in South Africa are mandated by law to take, there are other breaks that people would like at work.
Breaks and perks that would make being office bound more bearable, especially after almost 2-years of remote working.
The remote working policy brought on by the pandemic is why there’s a general reluctance to being back to normal working routines.
Working from home brought a work-life balance to many, especially those of working parents.
Offering the flexibility to juggle time with the kids, home routines and work, being away from the office has helped improve mental health.
This could be why some corporates in South Africa still have a hybrid working schedule, were employees can rotate between office and home.
That said, one company continues to outshine others when it comes to employee wellness with innumerable perks and breaks.
Google was named the best company to work at for a 4th year.
Offering its employees many comforts that most companies will undoubtedly find enviable.
Google prides rest breaks and has designated nap pods at its offices which employees can make use whenever they need.
David Radcliffe, Vice President of Google’s Real Estate and Workplace Services said, “When innovation gets too much, there’s a solution for that, a nap pod. We find that a 5-minute to 15-minute power nap works. Whether it’s after a long period at the office or over weekends, naps at work are allowed.”
This sparked the discussion on Feel Good with Andy Maqondwana about the breaks people would like at work.
Here are a few of them:
- A break so I can quickly go run errands
- Nap breaks
- Breaks to go fetch the kids from school and drop them off at home
- Crying breaks
- Menstrual leave or time off
- Music breaks
- Prayer breaks
- Alone time
- Walk or exercise break
Our of all the breaks, the office nap time seems to be a big one, as many employees feel burned out and don’t get enough sleep.
Early mornings and late nights often mean workers feel fatigued, so nap breaks would be beneficial.
The approach is not only advocated by Google, as the Japanese swear by the practice of allowing employees to have a snooze whilst on the clock.
Gone are the days when “first one in the office and last to leave” shows that an employee is hardworking.
Inemuri is the Japanese practice of sleeping at work. Some might view sleeping at work as laziness or poor work ethic, but that is far from the truth.
The Japanese believe being present whilst sleeping can make workers more diligent and efficient. They believe lack of sleep will have far worse effects on company productivity than some shut-eye at the office.
Also read: Thomas and Skhumba: Things you hid from your company whilst working remotely
