Over a third of all HR staff eat lunch at their desk, finds new survey

10 October 2008: Another lonely lunch at your desk? Fed up with the same overpriced sandwiches from the local supermarket? Tempted by a lunch of leftovers? Youíre not alone, according to a new survey from international development charity ActionAid.



The survey, commissioned ahead of ActionAidís ëChild Poverty Dayí on Friday 17 October, found that almost four in ten of those working in HR eat lunch at their desk and donít take a break.



Ironically, those most responsible for staff welfare are the most likely to eat at their desk out of all the industries surveyed. Most sectors followed the national trend of one in five, while in some industries including engineering and finance, only one in six claimed to eat whilst chained to the desk.



With the credit crunch in full swing, the survey also shows that workers all over Britain are already tightening their belts as they start to spend less on buying lunches, in favour of making their own. Eighty five per cent of HR staff spent less than 3 on lunch and nearly half chose to bring their own food to work.



On Child Poverty Day, ActionAid is asking everyone to get together with workmates and friends for a fun lunch in return for a donation to the charityís vital work fighting child poverty in the developing world.



Antony Worrall Thompson, one of the famous chefs who have donated exclusive lunch recipes for the campaign, said: Making your own packed lunch is a great way to have a tastier, healthier and cheaper midday meal. On Friday 17 October, bring a homemade lunch to work and donate the money you've saved to ActionAidís Child Poverty Day.



ìIn a world where every 5 seconds a child dies of hunger, your lunch money will help to ensure that children in poor countries get the food they need every day.



For more information, plus an exclusive lunch recipe from Antony Worrall Thompson, log onto www.childpovertyday.org