LADIES WHO LUNCH (AND WHINE)

A friend told me about a survey her firm conducted in which the results revealed that the majority of people thought the lunch room at their work was simply a place for people to gripe about their jobs. 

It went on to say that a large number of people had started to eat elsewhere because they didn't like the "negative energy" of the lunch room.

Another friend and I chatted about this over lunch (outside the office), the other day and he said that he thought the purpose of the lunch room was to have a place to commiserate and "vent" with your colleagues.

I do notice that at my firm, most of the people in the lunch room are staff.  There is one obvious reason for that - staff people (i.e. secretaries and support staff) don't have offices.  Paralegals usually do - but they sort of fall in the "gap" somewhere between secretaries and attorneys. 

Anyway, it made me think .  Should the lunch room be a place where you have an hour to "let loose," or should we have to be on our "best behavior" and mindful of what we say regardless of where we are on company property?

I, for one, have noticed that office lunch rooms often take on the feel of the "middle school cafeteria," with different groups of people sitting together and lending itself to "cliquish" behavior.

For me, when the weather is nice, I like to get outside and at least take a short walk to clear my head.  If I have a particularly busy day I do tend to eat at my desk, although I think most office managers frown upon it, as they want to ensure that you take all necessary breaks as mandated by law.

I'd love to hear from you.  Should the lunch room be a place simply to eat lunch or an unofficial therapy lounge, so to speak.