McVitie’s has launched a national campaign to reinstate the office tea and biscuit break amid research revealing that overworked employees are so busy they don’t even know the names of their colleagues.
They polled 4,000 working Brits as part of their research and found that 70% of the nation’s workforce take under 15 minutes of breaks (outside their lunch break) a day.
Meanwhile, 40% take under 10 minutes a day due to being so overloaded.
Additionally, 93% of British workers believe a tea break is an important part of the working day, with over three-quarters (76%) feeling their performance at work is impaired if they don’t take enough breaks.
However, 40% of workers believe that their employers do not do enough to encourage them to take breaks, despite the benefits of doing so.
The research also highlights that hybrid working along with back-to-back video calls and meetings has taken its toll on work culture. Astoundingly, one-third of workers say they don’t even know all the names of colleagues in their immediate office – which is highest amongst 18 – 24 yr olds (39%).
What is the McVitie's campaign all about?
McVitie's is rallying to reinstate workplace tea breaks with their 'Bring Back The Biscuit Break' campaign.
They've teamed up with Love Actually and Eastenders star Martine McCutcheon to get behind the scheme to add a moment of levity to a hard-working day.
In a statement, McVitie's said: "With two-thirds (66%) of the British workforce regularly enjoying a biscuit with their tea break, McVitie’s has today unveiled a souped-up prototype of the classic tea trolley which could go into mass production.
"The jolly trolley comes with a PA system and a countdown clock to ensure breaks never get missed again, as well as being stocked with a selection of Chocolate Digestives, Jaffa Cakes, HobNobs and more to ensure everyone’s dunking preferences are met."
The trolley will embark on a tour of the UK, with workers able to win a visit to their office next month accompanied by Martine McCutcheon herself.
For more information on the campaign and how to apply to have the trolley come to your workplace visit the McVitie's website here.
What did McVitie's say about the campaign?
Aslı Özen Turhan, Chief Marketing Officer at McVitie’s UK & Ireland said: “It is so important we find the time to take breaks during the working day. Just a short 15-minute break can improve wellbeing and connections with colleagues, which we witnessed among the McVitie’s workers who recently took part in trialling a daily tea and biscuit break.
"With modern life now being more demanding than ever, and placing our breaks under threat, who better than the original biscuit makers that have been the perfect partner to our tea breaks for over 180 years to come to their rescue, rally the whole nation and remind us all it’s time for a biscuit break, Britain!”
Martine McCutcheon added: “As someone who loves her tea and biscuit breaks, I’m so excited to help McVitie’s with their mission of reinstating this treasured tradition for the hard-working people of Britain.
"I’ve had my fair share of long workdays throughout my career and know how important it is to make sure you take the time for a break. Whether you fancy a cuppa and a biccy for some time to yourself or a quick catch up with colleagues - these moments can turn around a stressful day. So, let’s bring back the biscuit break!”
McVitie’s is also a partner of mental health charity Mind and supports its work in improving the nation’s mental wellbeing and connecting with others when they need it most.
Charlotte Porter, Head of Corporate Partnerships at the mental health charity Mind, said: “We’ve been proud to work with McVitie’s since 2019 to help people better understand the importance of looking after their mental wellbeing, and the benefits of talking to others when they need it most.
"We know it’s important to take short breaks throughout the day when we’re working but we also know that in reality, it can sometimes be hard to make space for this in our busy lives.
"Even taking just a few minutes away from our working space can help our mental health. That’s why McVitie’s campaign to reinstate a daily 15-minute biscuit break is a great initiative.
"It could help encourage us to take more time to reset and recharge, or provide an opportunity to talk to and connect with other people, including our colleagues.”
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