A recent survey highlights the most troubling fridge practices in UK offices, revealing significant annoyance among employees.
- Mouldy food ranks as the top offending fridge habit, leading to workplace tension.
- Exposure to meat juice on shelves causes discomfort among half the respondents.
- Neglecting to cling-film open containers is a major workplace grievance.
- The survey underscores how poor fridge habits can strain professional relationships.
A new survey has brought to light the most bothersome fridge practices occurring in office kitchens around the United Kingdom. Conducted by AO.com, the study underscores how poor fridge upkeep affects workplace harmony, with a staggering one in two respondents indicating they are ‘put off’ by a colleague’s subpar fridge habits.
Topping the list of fridge faux pas is the issue of mouldy food, which many find intolerable. This is closely followed by the problem of meat juice contaminating shelves, a situation that half of the surveyed population finds deeply unsettling. The lack of cling-filmed containers for items such as meats and cheeses also emerged as a focal point of irritation, particularly among healthcare professionals who prioritise hygiene.
Fridge etiquette, it seems, is a contentious issue across various sectors. Within the transport industry, storing pet food alongside human food is viewed as a severe breach of office etiquette. Meanwhile, leaving the fridge door open during a heatwave features prominently on the list of unacceptable practices among finance professionals, who are likely motivated by cost concerns.
Sarah Heaps, a food storage expert at AO.com, elaborates on the findings by noting the impact of cleanliness and organisation in communal spaces. She suggests that simple practices like cling-filming containers and regularly disposing of mouldy food can significantly enhance office relations.
These revelations have prompted AO.com to introduce a new refrigeration hub, which offers guidance on proper food storage techniques both at home and in the workplace.
Continued neglect of shared fridge etiquette could lead to lasting workplace discord.
