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If you want your employees to be healthier, happier and even more productive, then let them take lunch, say the experts
Local experts are urging workaholic Hong Kong people to take lunch breaks during the work day. They argue that not only would workers benefit from the nutritional value of a meal in the middle of the day, but lunch breaks also boost productivity by relieving stress.
In Hong Kong, employers are not obliged to offer employees a lunch break,  according to the Labour Department's Employment Ordinance.
However, all but the most Scrooge-like do allow staff to take some time off for a midday meal. What people do with that time, be it 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or a leisurely 90 minutes, is as varied as the makeup of the population.
Daphne Wu,  dietitian-in-charge at Matilda International Hospital, said people needed a break away from work at least once a day. And they should definitely eat.
'Many people don't even have breakfast, so they need lunch to raise their blood sugar level. If their blood sugar level is low, they can't think or concentrate. This can make them feel more stressed at work.
'We advocate the '10,000 steps every day' programme at the hospital, so I think it is a good idea to take exercise during lunch,' she said.
'Employers who have a pantry at  work could provide fruit and healthy snacks for their staff, so even if people have to work through lunch, they can still eat something that is beneficial to them.'
Ms Wu  said eating lunch at one's desk lowered the personal hygiene standards in the office as the computer keyboards got dirty.
'I don't think it is healthy to eat at one's desk for many reasons,' she said.
Chris Chan Wai-hong, MBA director at Hong Kong University, said he agreed in part with Ms Wu.
'Sometimes going out to busy areas to eat like in Central can be just as stressful as not taking a break from work, with overcrowded restaurants and long queues. Plus, even when people do get out of the office to have lunch, they are often checking their e-mails on their BlackBerry, so it sort of defeats the purpose anyway,' he said.
He also believed that incorporating exercise into the lunch break was  beneficial to people's health.
'People could even take a break after lunch and take a short walk, just to get out of the office,'  he said. Hong Kong people are  among the most stressed people in the world, so asked whether there was anything that employers could do  differently to help their staff, both Ms Wu and Dr Chan had some advice.
'It's Hong Kong business culture for bosses to often give assignments to staff right before lunch and demand that they be completed in the early afternoon. This means that workers have to work through lunch.
'But if Hong Kong were to establish a flexitime  system for lunch, like they do in the United States, this would help alleviate some of the workers' burdens,' Dr Chan said.
But not everyone feels  they have to work through lunch.
Victoria Sampson, manager of corporate marketing for a recruitment agency, said she enjoyed spending her lunchtime getting takeaway and eating with her colleagues in the work pantry.
'I want a break from my desk, and it's nice to be more sociable during lunchtime. If I go out to eat in a restaurant, I feel pressure to get back within an hour, and I don't need the added stress.'
Elton Yeung Hung-kwong, assistant manager of the audio visual unit of a major airline, said he saw lunchtime as his private time.
'I rarely go out, and I like to eat alone. Then I can take a rest. I think this helps me to concentrate during my working hours.'
For Scott Loghian, head of research at a financial services company, it's the opposite.
'I have lunch at my desk or go to a working lunch two to three times a week. For me, it isn't necessary to take a break during the day.
'I feel if I work through lunch, it allows me to leave work on time, and sometimes even a little early.'
Elsie Chan Chi-pui, assistant manager of in-flight safety and standards for an international airline, noticed something negative happening to her when she worked through lunch.
'I gained weight when I was working through lunch, sitting at my desk and eating.
'So now I take a dance class once a week, and the rest of the week I arrange to have lunch with colleagues out of the office.'
Tips for a healthy lunch
1Get out of the office  for some quick exercise, whether walking or going to the gym
2Remember to eat something healthy such as fruit (just not  at your desk)
3Take a real break and if you go  out to eat, leave your PDA and  BlackBerry in the office



Don't eat at your  desk, take a break