If Your Boss Hasn’t Complained, You’re Probably In The Clear

During my gap years, I work part-time in a food factory. I have just turned nineteen and it’s my first “grown-up” nine-to-five job, and I really want to do well. I am assigned to one station and a team of four people, including me. All my team members are amazing and friendly, patiently teaching me everything. They’re all women above the age of forty-five with decades of experience. As such, I start to see them as my mentors.

One thing to know about factories: every factory has an almost holy breaktime culture that everyone must follow. In this factory, it takes two minutes to walk from the station to the canteen, and then you take your break (fifteen minutes) and spend two minutes walking back. In total, twenty minutes pass from leaving your station to coming back again for a fifteen-minute break.

I’m two and a half weeks into the job. After my last break of the day, I’m alone washing my hands before I restart my shift. [Male Coworker] has seven years of experience working here and works in a different station than mine, and he has only been friendly with me and joked around. He walks up to me.

Male Coworker: “You know, we’ve noticed that you spend quite some time on breaks. You’re gone for five minutes too long each time. You should do better or there will be consequences.”

Only a handful of people take smoke breaks, and that list includes [Male Coworker] and [Boss]. Since he just returned from one, I assume the “we’ve” that he is referring to includes [Boss]. Terrified of people disliking me so early in my career, I apologize and promise to do better.

The following day, I cut five minutes from all my breaks, so I only get to sit in the canteen for ten minutes instead of fifteen. But something isn’t right. Every time I get back to my station, five minutes pass before the rest of my team returns. Every time, they look more confused as to why I’m back so early. After the last break of the day, one mentor jokes:

Mentor: “Well, you’re quite eager! Don’t be, darling; we all earn the same.”

I’m now in a dilemma. I obviously want to do well, but it’s odd that it’s only [Male Coworker] who has corrected me and not my boss nor my mentors. While working side by side on the conveyer belt, I muster the courage to ask one of my mentors.

Me: “Do I take too long on my breaks?”

She freezes for a split second before continuing her work. I know she heard what I said, but I can see that it’s slowly registering in her head.

Mentor: “Can you repeat that?”

Me: “Um… Am I spending too much time on breaks?”

She turns off the conveyor belt and turns to look at me.

Mentor: “Girl, what did you just say?”

Me: “Well, I— I was told I spent too much time on breaks, but neither [Boss] nor you have said anything, and it’s not an issue! It really isn’t. I don’t want silly five minutes to be a pro—”

Mentor: “Who told you that?”

Me: “[Male Coworker] from [other station].”

Mentor: “Well, that’s none of his f****** business!”

She then made a small meeting with the two other mentors. They all reassured me that I could return to my old break times. It’s the only time I ever heard [Mentor] swear. Nothing else came out of the ordeal, but [Male Coworker] suddenly started to avoid me whenever possible. Thank you, team members, for creating an amazing work environment for me and giving me confidence!