No talking to colleagues and toilet time limits: The 10 strangest rules Londoners have been made to follow at work

Bizarre rules may discourage workers from continuing in their employment with firms who enforce them

New survey from job board CV-Library has revealed the most ridiculous rules at work that 1,200 London professionals have encountered.

The 10 most popular examples of bizarre rules Londoners have found at work

1.       No food or drink at your desk – 38 per cent

2.       Getting a doctor’s note for any kind of illness – 28.3 per cent

3.       Pay docked for being a few minutes late – 23.9 per cent

4.       No pictures, plants or anything personal on your desk – 17.4 per cent

5.       Time limits when using the bathroom – 15.2 per cent

6.       No talking to colleagues unless in the break room – 15.2 per cent

7.       Not allowed to have a beard – 12 per cent

8.       Leaving all personal belongings at the door – 10.9 per cent

9.       No wearing perfume to work – 9.8 per cent

10.   Standings when the boss enters the room – 8.7 per cent

The most frequently cited rule was no food or drink at workers’ desks, with a number of employers perhaps deciding enough was enough when it came to crumb-encrusted keyboards in the office.

The strictest rules included time limits when using the toilet, standing when the boss enters the room and being docked pay for being a few minutes late.

Other rules included bans on beards and not being able to wear perfume to work.

Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, said:

Every employer knows that the workplace needs some rules and regulations. That said, you don’t want to make employees feel uncomfortable or untrusted by enforcing outrageous and unnecessary rules upon them.

This could result in them leaving to find a more welcoming work culture elsewhere. So it’s important that you get the balance right.

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