How were Samir, Michael, and Peter able to take a coffee break?

But yet, they found it restrictive because their boss would tell them to come in on Saturdays? To pay that price, taking breaks whenever you wanted, does not seem like a bad compromise.

THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR. COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS HERE!!!

"Only"?

How do you know? Have you been to every single workplace in the world to say that? Think about what you're saying.

There are plenty of workplaces that have more 'flexible' hours, and a boss won't, and can't track every single employee every single second. Bosses and managers have better things to do, like planning their golf weekends and such.

Remember, people are generally selfish and self-centered, even managers and bosses. They don't even see the work you do, they just see how many hours you spend at workplace (if that), and how you look.

As in one Scott Adams book, the story goes that someone was working their buttocks off to meet a deadline, and it was some demanding work, like programming. They painstakingly did it, putting extra hours, etc., but of course the main programmer had to loosen a tie, take shoes off, and generally looked a bit sweaty and unkempt by the end of the effort, and got reprimanded for how he looked instead of being rewarded for his hard work.

So it wouldn't surprise me if bosses like Lumbergh would be clueless if employees take some breaks, as he mostly sees them when they come to work, before they leave work, etc.

To add to this, surely Lumbergh takes some breaks himself, so he might not always be around. Also, employees ARE allowed breaks - people that smoke, are often allowed multiple smoking breaks, and there are the coffee breaks so people can work harder under the influence of a stimulant, and the lunch break, that probably isn't hardwired into the contract, so as long as it's under an hour or 30 minutes or whatnot, no one cares.

Also, we're talking about a _MOVIE_ here. People can accept time travel and other dimensions and planets and elves and metallic cyborgs, but someone taking off time for a slightly longer coffee break than usual, THAT IS TOO MUCH!