“I need to touch myself. Will be back in a few.”
Can you even imagine saying that at work?
Well, one boss is allowing her employees 30 minutes during the workday to take care of business on location if need be.
No joke, but there is a caveat to this situation.
The employer is erotic filmmaker Erika Lust, so, obviously, it isn’t the typical workplace office environment. However, some think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to pursue such a policy in mainstream workplace settings. Of course, it would likely be called something other than a “masturbation break.”
How about “relief time?” Or better yet, poaching the egg, double-clicking, or polishing the banister.
“With the pandemic and the huge shift in how we live our lives, I began to notice that my employees had become somewhat agitated and were performing with less energy than before,” Lust told Dazed.
“So, knowing that there’s only one thing that will make everyone feel good, I’ve set up a private masturbation station for them to enjoy. I value my employees and I know that when they feel good, we do good work.”
Will masturbation breaks improve productivity and workplace satisfaction? Or will it be a deterrent to staying focused and getting things done?
… And will some staffers get sleepy and want to take naps after their little arousal session?
Some argue the former, insisting that mid-day masturbation would better help employees cope with the anxiety, mood shifts, and work-related stresses they face in traditional office settings.
Sex therapist Ian Kerner told InsideHook last year, “Masturbation is healthy. Masturbation is typical and normal, and people masturbate for very different reasons: sometimes to relax, sometimes to experience pleasure, sometimes to enjoy fantasy, and sometimes to relieve anxiety or self-medicate against some kind of difficult mood or emotion.”
Would such a workplace policy be a win in the traditional office setting?
I doubt it; but it would be interesting to see the results of several studies exploring its effectiveness. And even if it could be proven there are some mental and physical benefits to a 30-minute masturbation break at work, there are probably more far-reaching cons.
“Personally, I’m not sure I would feel comfortable excusing myself from my desk and making my way to the office “masturbation station” to take my 30-minute masturbation break while all my coworkers know where I’m going and why…, wrote InsideHook’s Kayla Kibbe in her article This Company Is Giving Employees 30-Minute Workplace Masturbation Breaks.
To not be misleading, she added, “… But maybe that’s exactly why we need this campaign. Perhaps someday, in a sex-positive future free of shame and stigma, taking a masturbation break during work will be as commonplace as stepping out to grab lunch.”
Who knows what the future holds for this policy but I’d strongly suggest employees keep their minds on work while at work.
Don’t try this in the office.
