Take five: Don’t miss the benefits of routine breaks

I stretched and leaned back from my desk around 5 a.m. after catching up on emails recently when Russ T. Blade poked his head out from behind my screen. “Rusty,” as regular readers are aware, is the miniature, imaginary produce manager who appears on occasion to talk shop.

Rusty: A little early to be taking a break, isn’t it?

Me: Huh? You think? I couldn’t sleep and got up early. That’s a fresh produce norm, you know. I’ve only been working for, oh, the past few hours.

Rusty: I suppose that’s acceptable. If you were on my crew, you’d be in trouble.

Me: What? A guy can’t take a coffee break?

Rusty: No, what I mean is you are overdue for a break. The rule in our company is, for every four-hour stretch, you must take a 15-minute break at the halfway point. For any eight-hour shift, you must take two 15-minute breaks and a half-hour lunch as well. These aren’t suggestions, but rather the law.

Me: Seems I skipped a lot of those breaks through the years. Like many, some days I worked straight through and for much longer shifts than the tidy eight-hour day that everyone seems to hold as a standard.

Rusty: Same here, but it’s a human resources rule, too. Structure is a good thing. I schedule my crew accordingly, and it’s why I wear a wristwatch. It’s easier to keep an eye on my people, and I am always careful to remind them, “Hey, if I ever miss telling you to take a break or lunch, please remind me!” Most of the time the internal clock in my head keeps me on track, so I rarely miss giving this direction.

Me: That’s how it was when I ran my produce stand, too. It conveys to the crew that you care about their welfare.

Rusty: Sure, they appreciate that a manager is aware of their well-being, however, there are good reasons for taking breaks. Working produce is a heavy job — constant lifting, twisting, handling knives, operating heavy equipment around the store (sometimes amid slippery floors) and more. These factors present an ongoing environment where people can get hurt, especially when they work overtime.

Me: I remember all too clearly. Taking regular breaks helps keep people rested and, by extension, helps the work safer.

Rusty: It helps people to push away from all the tasks in a mental sense as well. There’s nothing like taking a break from hours of concentrating on taking inventory, writing an order or whatever; getting outside for some air or relaxing in the lounge and getting away for a few minutes helps refresh a body and keep a mind sharp. Even the younger, strong clerks benefit when they take a break.

Me: I like the social aspect of finding a stopping point. In many stores we took our breaks in small groups on the back dock, sitting on milk wires after a long merchandising project, setting up the morning rack or putting away a trailer of produce. It was nice to gather over coffee and shoot the breeze, as we called it. It wasn’t unusual for the store manager to join us on occasion, sometimes buying a box of doughnuts for the team.

Rusty: That’s one reason why produce crews tend to bond so well. Produce departments typically have fewer on-the-job injuries and fewer cases of sick-call issues. In general, they enjoy a strong camaraderie. Those unofficial back-dock break locations help everyone get to know one another, which builds productivity and teamwork.

Me: I still recall too many days of no breaks and no lunches, but I think that was more pushing myself than anything else. The trick is to always make sure your crew comes first so their breaks are covered.

Rusty: I’ve learned the hard way that produce managers must take their own advice and force themselves to take breaks, too. We benefit the same as our crew members; rest is a universal benefit. We managers must work hard and set the pace, but we should also set the example in this aspect and learn to push away from the work.

Me: At regular intervals. I tried to follow the same break regiment in subsequent years, as an inspector, buyer, etc.

Rusty: And on a consistent basis. All right, sorry I gave you a hard time. Enjoy that coffee and rest up, old man.

Armand Lobato works for the Idaho Potato Commission. His 40 years of experience in the produce business span a range of foodservice and retail positions.