Not eating lunch with your team every day? You're missing out.

I enjoy eating alone - because I can listen to podcasts, catch up on life TODOs, or squeeze in some exercise.<p>I also don't like to be subjected to forced meal decisions. Some days I want a light salad type meal. Some winter days I may be a little down and treat myself to a burger and fries.<p>I'm glad I work at a place that doesn't judge me for disappearing at lunch time.

Not vacationing with your team every holiday? You're missing out.<p>Not living with your coworkers? You're missing out.<p>And so on. The atmosphere described in this article seems stifling, almost like a religious service. That doesn't sound like a good way to foster spontaneous interactions. As others have commented, provide an optional lunch that is not mandated, isn't expected, and where people who don't participate are not ostracized. Then get out of the way.<p>The only exception I can see is for smaller teams where, for planning purposes, indicating that you'll participate would help with ordering the right amount/type of food.

I think that making it possible, and encouraging it, is great.<p>Just don't make people feel bad if they decide to spend their lunch time dealing with groceries, paying bills, or going for a walk in the sun.

I go home for lunch every day. I like having an hour to do whatever or take care of errands in the middle of the day, and I like breaking up the work day into chunks.

The thing you have to be careful about is <i>artificially</i> creating this kind of bonding. If a company gives you opportunity to bond with your colleagues, that's a great thing. However, some people feel as though a team just isn't a team unless they're eating lunch every day together and everybody <i>loves</i> everyone's company enough to do so.

Lunch is my quiet time, I don't want to talk work all day long. I may still think about it, or even be working while I eat but I don't need a forced one hour meeting every day to be good at my job.

At my current company we all eat lunch together (some bring their lunch, others eat out). It's not really a policy per-se but everyone seems to do it.<p>The only policy we have is of no eating lunch at desks so this gets us all in the same room.<p>We also have a "Results Only Work Environment" (<a href="http://www.gorowe.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.gorowe.com</a>) so you're free to do whatever you want, whenever you want, so if you want to get dry cleaning, walk the dog, catch a movie, etc. - you needn't do it over lunch. You can do it whenever.<p>With folks often out various parts of the day due to ROWE group lunch is sort of an encouragement for everyone to come together and socialize at least once a day.

One of the impromptu perks here is lunch: a most eclectic group of programmers, chemists, physicists, managers, support, etc. congregate around one large table and enjoy a discussion thread that flows thru technology, philosophy, brewing, literature, linguistics, astronomy, cooking, etc. - often all in one sitting. Indeed, if I'm not there I feel I'm missing out. No pressure to join in, but indeed a great perk if you do.

I'm an IT consultant making Swedish style consultant money and I eat out of a plastic box at the office alone while most of my co-workers are usually eating out.<p>I just think it's a waste of money to be honest. Maybe I'm being too pragmatic because this is far from the first time I hear that it strengthens morale and team spirit to eat together but I'm not paying 90SEK for a buffet when I get full from drinking a glass of yoghurt. It's just such a waste.

One thing to remember - it is a 1 hour break, not a 25-30 min lunch break. Just eating is not sufficient for the brain. You also need to take a walk, breath a fresh air, etc... You should just forget the office for a 1 hour.

Great, as long as it's a paid lunch and counts towards the 8 hours per day limit prior to accruing overtime.

A lot of the comments are based on the expectation that nothing personally worthwhile could happen during lunch with co-workers. I'm sure that's an accurate description of some workplaces. I read the interesting submitted article as suggesting that for a small start-up, focused on successful teamwork to launch new products, making part of the team interaction happen over a tasty, unhurried meal is a change of context that makes the teamwork more effective and enjoyable. I'm sure that's an accurate description of some workplaces too.<p>What each of us has to find out, wherever we work, is what works for us (you and me individually) and what works for the team. If the company makes more money for all employees (reflected in higher pay and better benefits that you desire) and reduces the number of tedious meetings that are not over lunch, it could be a win-win to have lunch together with everyone else on staff. Last summer I had a contract to do a remote job where everyone ate together, and I liked that very well, as some of my colleagues there were people I've known online for years but rarely see in person. I'm already looking forward to a longer contract stint with more program responsibilities at the same place this summer. Conversations over meals will be on the plus side of the ledger for me as I evaluate whether or not I go back in future years.

Its not that I don't want to hang out with my colleagues during my lunch hours, I just have too much other stuff to do like running errands, paying bills, etc. However, I made an effort to have a coffee break or such with my colleagues when they have them. I think that is a good compromise for me.<p>Furthermore, I rather spend the time I have at home with my family rather than doing the mundane stuff that I can during my lunch break.

I get inundated with conversations, discussions and emails so much during work-time that lunch time is often a good time of solitude for me to organize my plan of action for the rest of the day. I usually take a short walk around London's alley ways while eating my sandwich - nice experience, to be honest.

I would never work for a company which required me to spend my lunch or break time talking about work.

Our team does this once a month, and nobody is obligated. I personally can't stand it even once a month as I am the only vegetarian on the team, so when they are choosing a place to eat, I always feel like I am making them miss out on their favorite Bar-B-Q resturant.

My team cooks our own lunch in our office kitchen almost every day. We take turns in the kitchen duty. Today was my turn, whipped up some salad with halloumi and a little bratwurst in the grill.<p>I very much enjoy our lunch hours, gives a chance to not talk about work with your teammates. Looking forward for tomorrow, there's this season's new potatoes (a local seasonal delicacy!) with some salmon on the menu and I don't have to cook.

I moved away from the city where my company is located, but I still work for them as a telecommuter. I miss having lunch with my coworkers. Even though we rarely talked about work during lunch, it was a great chance to bond and have fun.

Not having a life outside work ? You're missing out.