GUY SICK OF COLLEAGUES TALKING ABOUT WORK AT LUNCH, "I THOUGHT LUNCH IS TIME TO RELAX" (2025)

Is it common for colleagues to always just be talking about work during lunch?

So I have a group of colleagues I always go to lunch with but most of the time their topics of convo always revolve around their work.

Now this wouldnt be as bad a problem, except they are all in the same department while I’m in a different department. (My department only consists of me and my supervisor whom I dont lunch with for obvious reasons)

And yes I do try to be curious and engage in their convo sometimes but it gets tiring when I always end up being left out. Also is it even normal for colleagues to be talking about work in lunch? I thought lunch should be a time to relax and chit chat about non-work related stuff.

Netizens’ comments

1. Yesterday I went geylang to piak some chicken, I don’t think I can talk about it with my colleagues over lunch leh
2. you put yourself in their shoes — they have work things to talk about, and they think it is a good idea to speak about it over lunch, but they shouldn’t do it because you are there?
   and yes, people do talk about non-work stuff over lunch. but sometimes we want to bounce ideas/solve problems too.
3. Think it’s either don’t talk about work at all (want to really rest), or talk about work only (don’t want to share too much about personal life). Both are valid. If you don’t enjoy their topics, either change topic, or if it doesn’t work, find other ppl to go lunch with.
   I don’t have a lunch group anymore, just find individual ppl to go for lunch with catch up 1:1. Can be ppl from office or other friends. See if you wanna make use of lunch for networking or to chill with friend. Sometimes I just eat alone esp when it’s a rushed day or I feel tapped out.
4. idk if my colleagues can engage in a conversation about my belly dance lesson yesterday.
5. I think quite common but personally I dislike it. I prefer my lunch to be a real break with no talks about work. Hence I tend to lunch alone most of the time.
6. You go start something interesting lor. Sometimes good to learn what other departments facing so you can do your own jod better also

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