My two co-workers go out to lunch together pretty much every day. Sometimes they go shopping. I go with them every now and again. But I look at ordering lunch out as a sort-of treat and I don’t like to do it every day. Plus it’s unhealthy. Also, sometimes I just want to turn my desk phone off and eat at my desk while reading, whatever. In other words, sometimes I like to spend my lunches quietly and alone. They don’t care. But we have two doors. A front and a back door. Both of which customers utilize. Obviously if we all go out, and there is no one here, we lock both of them.
But if I choose to stay back I am expected to keep the back door unlocked. Which the back door gets used more than the front with the way our building is designed. Here’s the thing, I am a woman, in an office, alone. With no way of protecting myself, no one here to know if something happens. Also, how can I have an actual break if people come in and I have to help them? If they face locked doors and a “be back at 1pm” sign when we’re all gone, why can’t it be the same if I am here alone. Just because I don’t go with them doesn’t mean I don’t want a proper break too. And, again, it’s not exactly a great idea to be alone and have unlocked doors.
Also, we are supposed to only have 1 hour breaks, tops. A lot of the time when they leave me here they are gone 1.5 hours, 2 hours, even have gone past 2 hours before. At some point I have to turn the phone back on and get back to work. So, while they are still out shopping, eating, whatever…I am back to work.
And sometimes the two of them will leave early. Be it appointments whatever. And I am in the office alone for the remainder of the day. Of course I am also expected to keep the door unlocked.
I don’t want to have to go with them and spend money just to have a real break. I am rather tired of it. I have mentioned to them I don’t want to leave any of the doors unlocked while I am here alone. And my concerns get shrugged off.