Lunch breaks, salon life

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A.K

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2016
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Location
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There are 3 therapists working in the salon including me, if two are in treatment and I am on my lunch break in the kitchen, do I have to answer the phone if it rings? Do I keep the door locked with a door sign that therapists with clients or leave it unlocked and attend to any walk ins?
Advice on where we stand as therapists during our break?
 
Technically, you don't have to do anything on your lunch break, if you left the building for lunch, they'd have to cope without you. What do the other therapists do when on lunch?
 
Technically, you don't have to do anything on your lunch break, if you left the building for lunch, they'd have to cope without you. What do the other therapists do when on lunch?
We all stay in the premises for lunch and get the phone when it rings even if it means quickly chewing what’s in our mouths. Surely we shouldn’t be that way?
 
Are you employed, self employed? Is there a manager?
 
What happens if all 3 of you are with clients at the same time?

An answerphone would very easily solve the phone call issues.

Couldn't you stagger your lunch breaks?
 
What happens if all 3 of you are with clients at the same time?

An answerphone would very easily solve the phone call issues.

Couldn't you stagger your lunch breaks?
We usually stagger breaks, even when there is 2 of us should we be answering the phones? The voicemail is on but not all clients leave a message. Should the door be locked aswell?
 
Perhaps leave for your lunch break to avoid being disturbed or coming across arrogant. Your actually not doing anything wrong as you legally have to have this break but if your there it can be seen as being unhelpful. Take a stroll stretch ya legs make some calls come back in half hour otherwise it will be expected of you xx
 
You are entitled to a minimum of 20 mins unpaid if you work more than 6 hours. You do not have to do anything during this time, otherwise you are working.

If your employer wants you to stay on the premises and cover the phones then you should be paid.

However, there should be a bit of give and take - are you fully booked the whole of your paid hours, or is there some down time for treatment clear up etc when you can use the loo and have a drink, even whilst you are being paid? If the answer is yes, then it doesn't seem too much to ask that you occasionally deal with an enquiry during your unpaid lunch break.

Think carefully before you raise this with your Boss. Think about what you actually want. Do you want to be able to go off site? Or do you want to be paid to stay in and answer the phone etc.
 
There have been some days where the diary has been booked back to back, with just myself who dies treatments and my boss. My first two Clients were late which meant I had to work through my lunch break. No time to even pee! but I definitely logged it that I didn’t take a break.
I think from now on I will take my break without feeling guilty about the phone ringing or someone trying to come in while the door is locked.
 
As an employer I find ‘give & take’ seems to be an out-dated ‘arrangement’.
Very sad, but true
 
As an employer I find ‘give & take’ seems to be an out-dated ‘arrangement’.
Very sad, but true
That's how I was always taught, give and take, but you're right, it does seem to be a diminishing attitude. It's a shame because I always found it works really well. I worked somewhere once that when it was your break you just walked away no matter how busy it was, it really didn't sit right with me, but everyone did it. I was forced to go on a break a few times but we were busy and to me you stay until it's quieter.
 
We used to call it ‘team work’
I really miss those days....
 
I am all for team work how ever I feel so,e employers work to the point it’s back breaking and just greed give and take defo but to expect it cos the staff are sat down isn’t something I favour. Great work ethic is hard to find as people abuse it
 
The trouble is that it's people of my generation going home and saying "gosh I've worked flat out all day" and our millenial kids feeling sorry for us and deciding firmly that they are not going to sign up for a similar deal!

Going home shattered at the end of the day isn't really something to feel proud about. It's not a goal to aspire to. We should go home having enjoyed our day and feeling good about working hard to support colleagues and our clients and doing good work. It feels good to take care of each other at work and it's very rewarding.

I'm on a course at the moment and I'm astonished at the number of people that will part fill the kettle for enough for just one drink, rather than fill it full so that everyone can have one. And no-one ever refills the kettle. I had kettle etiquette drummed into me very young. The trouble is that these absolute basics are not being taught to the next generation.
 

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