Lunch Break in US and France

Having spent 9 years now working in the US after about 10 years spent studying then working in France I want to talk about the striking differences I have seen between these two countries (cultures) when it comes to "Lunch Time".

In France, la "pause dejeuner" (read lunch break) is sacred time in French culture and way of work. As a result, rarely you would see anyone setting up a work meeting between 11:45 AM and 1:15 pm. It is culturally unacceptable to do so and if someone does schedule such a meeting he can be sure that very few people will attend.

The other trait of lunch time in France is that it is a team building activity. Very often, people working in the same team will leave together for lunch and spend a little more than 1 hour chatting as they enjoy their meal. They'll talk about politics, economy, society, sport and work. In an informal and convivial atmosphere they'll debate many issues and share thoughts and lots of laughing. They'll then go and share an Expresso as they end their discussions and head back to work. I do think that such excercise is good for team building as employees get closer and know each other more and more. Also, very often employees will have lunch with colleagues form other teams and departments thus making lunch room (la cantine) a place to exchange important communication messages between teams, such communication is essnetial in keeping
different teams aware of what is going on within the company. These "mini town-hall" meetings occur more frequently and less formally in France and are quite helpful in strengthening the work relationship between individuals in different teams.

In the US, lunch break is less formal, more irregular in time and is definitely shorter. Many employees choose to grab a sandwich and a soda at their desk while finishing some work or browing the internet. Few people take time to have a meal at the company's cafeteria and a smaller number go to lunch together.

Between the two ways, my preference goes for the French approach. Not only it is a healthier and more pleasant from a personal perspective, It is also more beneficial for the company as it strengthens the relationship between teams and facilitates the communication process across the oragization.