A break may appear in the schedule while the person eats with a phone in hand and work carries on. Calls, deadlines and the lack of replacements turn a break into another obligation that they perform at the same time as the others. Everything is arranged on paper. There is no real break during the working day.
The responsibility of the organization is seen in who takes over the urgent task and what is expected of the employee while they are away. If temporary unavailability causes objections, a formal agreement means little. People quickly learn which rules they may actually use.
A meal and a break are not a reward for a job well done. They are part of the conditions in which we perform our work. The manager who supports them arranges the work so that the employee does not have to justify a basic need every time.
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