Don’t Make Lunch Appointments Unless You Plan on Giving Lunch.
Few things annoy office workers more than making an appointment over lunch. Sure, this may be the only time most people’s calendars are open, but it’s probably because everyone is trying to get out of the office and eat. The solution is simple: don’t schedule lunch appointments if you don’t buy lunch.
In my old job, I had to arrange more meetings than I prefer to remember, but one thing was for sure: if you booked an appointment in this time block from 11:00 to 13:00, you should have expected someone to come in and teases you with the words: when is lunch here? “
Obviously, if it’s important and everyone agrees that this is the best and only time to meet, then this should happen, but given that lunch is the only time most people working in offices can actually get up, take a walk, leave. in the office or being alone for a bit, it is best to avoid this if at all possible – and if you really need to invade during this time, the least you can do if you are the meeting organizer is to provide or arrange for the delivery of lunch, even if you ask everyone to chip in.
That said, for the rest of us, if you have that particular manager or team member who just can’t get away from booking people at lunch, can we suggest the old technique of “ block time for everything on your calendar ” so they don’t have you booked? Your calendar will look busy (especially if you make a private appointment) and they will have to find another time when you are available.