http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/466523/Office-workers-no-longer-have-time-to-make-tea-for-colleagues
QuoteOffice workers say they have no time to put on the kettle for colleagues.
Although they down five cups of tea or coffee a day, they tend to go solo, leaving others to fend for themselves.
Office managers are the worst offenders, with nearly half of staff saying their boss never makes them a cuppa.
But a third of office workers are just as bad, preferring to make tea for just themselves rather than do a full round.
Many even resort to sneaky tactics to get out of making a round, such was waiting till colleagues leave their desk or already have a cuppa on the go.
Some even deliberately make bad tea or coffee – so that they are never asked again.
But the Royal Voluntary Service says they are missing out by turning their back on the social rituals of the traditional tea round. Not only does it make for a more harmonious office, but workers also value short breaks for boosting concentration and giving them the chance to bond with colleagues.
The charity polled 2,000 adults ahead of its annual Great Brew Break, which aims to get people making tea for others, from April 28 to May 4.
Actress Felicity Kendal, who is an ambassador for the Royal Voluntary Service, said: "Time out for a cup of tea and quick chat is hugely important, especially in today's head-down, fast-paced culture."
Comedian Stephen Fry added: "A cup of tea is so collectively comforting to people in Britain, that its power can never be underestimated."
Royal Voluntary Service chief executive David McCullough said: "We know first-hand how important a cup of tea and a little bit of shared time can be to a person's life, whether that's a happy workplace or cheering up on older person who might not have seen anyone else all week.
"Taking that small amount of time to talk and share a cup of tea is beneficial to everyone's day."
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We have mass individual tea-making in our office. At peak hours (e.g. 9.15am) the kitchen can be crowded with a dozen people all waiting for one of our bank of three kettles to boil.
This came up when I was trying to look up what time difference will look like next week, as I believe UK finally turns clock back on Monday. Not sure how much search terms led to that.
Quote from: garbon on March 27, 2014, 11:35:54 AM
This came up when I was trying to look up what time difference will look like next week, as I believe UK finally turns clock back on Monday. Not sure how much search terms led to that.
I think the clocks go forward on Sunday
Just in case you are catching a plane or something
Quote from: Gups on March 27, 2014, 11:39:19 AM
I think the clocks go forward on Sunday
This. "Spring forward; fall back". "Spring forward; autumn back" doesn't work so well.
Quote from: Brazen on March 27, 2014, 11:43:17 AM
Quote from: Gups on March 27, 2014, 11:39:19 AM
I think the clocks go forward on Sunday
This. "Spring forward; fall back". "Spring forward; autumn back" doesn't work so well.
Primavera avanti; autunno indietro?
Opposites attract.
My work place has this fancy machine.
It requires 6 button push to get the plainiest coffee ever.
Steve Jobs looks down upon it from Zen Heaven.
Quote from: Gups on March 27, 2014, 11:39:19 AM
Quote from: garbon on March 27, 2014, 11:35:54 AM
This came up when I was trying to look up what time difference will look like next week, as I believe UK finally turns clock back on Monday. Not sure how much search terms led to that.
I think the clocks go forward on Sunday
Just in case you are catching a plane or something
Ah yes that's it. This brief period where New York is only 4 hours from London confuses me. I knew in my head that difference is moving back to the 5 hours which logically means UK is going forwards not backwards as then difference would only be 3 hours. :D :blush:
For hot water for tea I use the hot water spigot on the office kitchen coffee maker. Water is steaming hot, enough for tea, and it's fast, no waiting for a kettle to boil. But maybe that's not cool for Brits as they may need actual boiling water. I think such automation could revolutionize British work place breaks! But I'm sure that half the fun of waiting for water to boil is talking with fellow workers who are also waiting. :)
I think British-style black tea is supposed to be made with truly boiling water.
Quote from: Grey Fox on March 27, 2014, 12:01:32 PM
My work place has this fancy machine.
It requires 6 button push to get the plainiest coffee ever.
Steve Jobs looks down upon it from Zen Heaven.
6 buttons to make coffee doesn't sound like something Steve Jobs would approve of. He was more of a "one button only, and you'll darn well like the kind of coffee we make" kind of guy...
Quote from: Brazen on March 27, 2014, 11:20:38 AM
We have mass individual tea-making in our office. At peak hours (e.g. 9.15am) the kitchen can be crowded with a dozen people all waiting for one of our bank of three kettles to boil.
Why don't you just get tea in a bottle, like this:
http://www.nestea-usa.com/
That way you don't have to wait for a kettle.
Quote from: alfred russel on March 27, 2014, 12:45:35 PM
Quote from: Brazen on March 27, 2014, 11:20:38 AM
We have mass individual tea-making in our office. At peak hours (e.g. 9.15am) the kitchen can be crowded with a dozen people all waiting for one of our bank of three kettles to boil.
Why don't you just get tea in a bottle, like this:
http://www.nestea-usa.com/
That way you don't have to wait for a kettle.
You're missing the point: the wait is part of the whole thing. It's equivalent to the smoke break in terms of creating break point in the day.
Quote from: Jacob on March 27, 2014, 12:48:47 PM
You're missing the point: the wait is part of the whole thing. It's equivalent to the smoke break in terms of creating break point in the day.
The era when Britons smoked and took tea must have basically involved only short spurts of work.
"Good day, nigel."
"Good day, william. Fancy a tea?"
"Why certainly, I thought you would never ask."
*tea break*
*20 minutes later because the whole office is waiting on the kettle*
"Nigel, top marks on the tea."
"Thank you William, you are too kind. Have you seen the report from headquarters?"
"Why yes Nigel, I have. But enough of the grindstone, lets have a fag."
"Splendid idea William!"
It is no wonder their empire collapsed. It was a very different Briton that built that empire. Back then the place of tea and cigarettes in the workday was taken by racism and genocide.
Quote from: KRonn on March 27, 2014, 12:29:09 PM
For hot water for tea I use the hot water spigot on the office kitchen coffee maker. Water is steaming hot, enough for tea, and it's fast, no waiting for a kettle to boil. But maybe that's not cool for Brits as they may need actual boiling water. I think such automation could revolutionize British work place breaks! But I'm sure that half the fun of waiting for water to boil is talking with fellow workers who are also waiting. :)
We have that, too, but our British people use the kettle instead.
Quote from: Brazen on March 27, 2014, 11:20:38 AM
We have mass individual tea-making in our office. At peak hours (e.g. 9.15am) the kitchen can be crowded with a dozen people all waiting for one of our bank of three kettles to boil.
The Catholic Church is weird in Britain.
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on March 27, 2014, 12:32:24 PM
I think British-style black tea is supposed to be made with truly boiling water.
Correct.
KRonn has clearly not encountered the intense fury generated when somebody uses merely hot water for making tea.
Quote from: Brazen on March 27, 2014, 11:20:38 AM
We have mass individual tea-making in our office. At peak hours (e.g. 9.15am) the kitchen can be crowded with a dozen people all waiting for one of our bank of three kettles to boil.
My work was very much desk-group/department based tea and coffee making.
QuoteThe era when Britons smoked and took tea must have basically involved only short spurts of work.
We do have one of the consistently lowest levels of productivity per hour in the developed world :lol:
QuoteKRonn has clearly not encountered the intense fury generated when somebody uses merely hot water for making tea.
Or if they tried to take away the 'stand around the kettle and have a chat' time from workers <_<