“I Work At A Multi-Million Dollar Corporation”: 50 Pathetic Excuses For A ‘Break Room’

Companies might neglect break rooms not just because they lack the funds to design them, but also because they don't believe these spaces will increase earnings.

However, the 2024 Mercer Global Talent Trend Report, which analyzed the habits of more than 12,000 global participants, found that 82% of the workforce is at risk of burnout, citing excessive workload, exhaustion, and financial strain as the main culprits.

And if they do, everyone loses.

However, Jennifer Moss, who is a workplace expert, international public speaker, and author of Unlocking Happiness at Work, agrees that an unhealthy compulsion to be productive at all times, often at the expense of our mental and physical well-being, relationships, and overall quality of life, is a common sentiment in today’s work culture, where never-ending drive is celebrated, if not expected.

"Toxic productivity is multifaceted and stems from a complex mix of psychological and societal factors," Moss writes.

"Productivity norms are deeply embedded in our psyches from growing up in environments that equate arduous work with virtue, and rest with laziness."

"This belief is further reinforced by a culture that encourages perfectionism, where individuals feel that their self-worth is tied to their achievements," she adds.

Social media amplifies the pressure of toxic productivity even further by fostering a constant sense of competition. Research shows that upward social comparisons are linked to low self-esteem and depression, with women affected the most.

"What's more, the rise of ... [AI] is further skewing our ideas about productivity. I ask you this: If gen AI is here to save us time in minutes and hours, then how will we measure productivity?" Moss says. "If someone is done with their work early because of AI, shouldn't that be rewarded? Toxic productivity will never end — and may even get worse — unless we start measuring goals achieved, not hours worked."

According to Expedia's survey of 11,500 employees from all over the world, 62% of global workers don't feel they have enough time off or breaks.

And this belief is often manufactured by our surroundings. The 2024 PTO Report by fintech firm Sorbet discovered there's persistent underutilization of vacation time, with employees taking around 10 days in 2023, and Pew research has shown that 49% of people who don't take their full PTO say they worry about falling behind, 43% say they would feel badly about coworkers taking on extra work, and 19% worry that taking time off might hurt their chances of getting a promotion.

A company's culture is established at the top, and "leaders play a crucial role in either perpetuating or breaking the cycle of toxic productivity," Moss says.

"Unfortunately, many leaders model the very behaviors that contribute to this unhealthy culture — sending emails late at night, forgoing time off, and glorifying overwork."