topic Re: What Would You Think... in Community Spirit

What Would You Think...

icyfroth — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:26:28 GMT

...if you walked into the reception of a business and there were three young women sitting there in a casual attitude, chatting amongst themselves, eating lunch out of takeaway containers?

Re: What Would You Think...

rabbitearbandicoot — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:27:42 GMT

it's lunch time

Re: What Would You Think...

icyfroth — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:31:23 GMT

would you think it appropriate?

Re: What Would You Think...

crystal**flake — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:33:13 GMT

I would.

Re: What Would You Think...

rabbitearbandicoot — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:33:19 GMT

the girls on reception at our doctor's office eat their morning tea / lunch at the front desk sometimes - I guess they have no choice?

Re: What Would You Think...

crystal**flake — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:34:07 GMT

I mean, I would find it inappropriate.

Re: What Would You Think...

izabsmiling — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:36:12 GMT

I'd wonder if they weren't able to take a break away from the reception area .

I'd think I'd rather that than finding no one in the reception area .

Re: What Would You Think...

izabsmiling — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:37:16 GMT

How casual were they Icy ? Feet on desks or anything like that ?

Re: What Would You Think...

cherry*135 — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:40:34 GMT

Are these staff alloted a proper lunch/break time? Do they have a staff room to sit in to when they have a break?

Why are all 3 having a break at the same time? Shouldn't they take different break times so one is in reception at all times?

Re: What Would You Think...

**meep** — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:41:27 GMT

would you think it appropriate?

No. I've been in a position where I had to relieve the receptionist so she could take her break and it would have been totally inappropriate or even not allowed to have food on the "front desk"

My own desk, entirely different story :^O

Re: What Would You Think...

izabsmiling — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:43:28 GMT

Why are all 3 having a break at the same time? Shouldn't they take different break times so one is in reception at all times?

only one of them may work there ? the others could be friends ?

Re: What Would You Think...

cherry*135 — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:53:49 GMT

I have been into plenty of small businesses where the person at the front counter/reception is trying to eat their lunch while they continue working.. there is no one else to replace them. They are too busy to take a break (wrong but it happens).

Re: What Would You Think...

**meep** — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:57:46 GMT

How can they answer the phone while eating?

Re: What Would You Think...

green.fields — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:02:57 GMT

Not a good look for the business. Surely there would be a staff room/kitchen area where they could eat or at the other desks away from reception.

One person at a reception desk if there is no one to replace them would be ok.

Re: What Would You Think...

cherry*135 — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:06:46 GMT

How can they answer the phone while eating?

Chew fast before you pick up the phone.

Re: What Would You Think...

icyfroth — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:15:19 GMT

No. I've been in a position where I had to relieve the receptionist so she could take her break and it would have been totally inappropriate or even not allowed to have food on the "front desk"

My own desk, entirely different story :^O

Thank you meep, I think the same.

All three girls have an allotted 1 hour for their lunch break. Only one of them is my relief receptionist. They used their lunch break to go drive to their favourite take-away for their Frango's portugese chicken. Then to sit in reception, while I'm on my break, as if it were a ladies circle. One of them sitting on the bench banging her heels against the cupboard door.

I have a discreet morning or afternoon tea while at reception, but I would never ever eat a full hot lunch in or have my friends in to keep me company while at the front desk.

I'm actually quite cross about it and will certainly have to speak to her about it.

I can only hope none of our clients or associates came in while they were here.

Such a bad look.

Re: What Would You Think...

**meep** — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:19:40 GMT

Agree. Totally unprofessional.

Re: What Would You Think...

cherry*135 — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:24:13 GMT

If they were eating their lunch in reception, when they had already used up all or most of their lunch break time to go buy the hot food, then that is not on.

Hot food smells emanating from a reception area (one that has several staff, set lunch break times and a staff room) isn't good either.

The girl relieving you was not even on a break and shouldn't have been eating lunch in that time period anyway?

Re: What Would You Think...

**meep** — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:42:08 GMT

regardless of that, the clients probably would have not realised the girls were not supposed to be having lunch, they may have assumed it was the business' normal practice.

Re: What Would You Think...

icyfroth — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 06:35:43 GMT

If they were eating their lunch in reception, when they had already used up all or most of their lunch break time to go buy the hot food, then that is not on.

Hot food smells emanating from a reception area (one that has several staff, set lunch break times and a staff room) isn't good either.

The girl relieving you was not even on a break and shouldn't have been eating lunch in that time period anyway?

That brings me to another one of my gripes. The smell of people reheating their last nights dinner for lunch can be powerful sometimes when it's very garlicky or spicy. It lingers in reception for hours and I have to light a scented candle to mask the smell.

I get very embarrassed when I have clients or business people in reception.

Our management is great! We have 2 microwaves, a sandwich maker, a toaster, a pie warmer, a bean coffee machine and a Jarrah coffee machine, as well as 2 fridges in our staff room. And a dishwasher.