Chocolate In The Workplace: Working In Candy Land

Filed under: Features,Opinions/Blogs,Workplaces |

By RICK BELL, Workforce.com— Given the dismal state of today’s daily newspapers, there are still two things you can count on anytime you give one a read.

Whether you are in Bend, Bugtussle or Boston, you’re destined to find a Family Circus comic and at least one advice column offering common-sense solutions to every personal malady known to mankind.

Some years ago singer-songwriter John Prine’s tune Dear Abby captured our constant kvetching in his classic ode to the now-departed advice columnist:

chocolate cherriesSo listen up buster, and listen up good/

Stop wishin’ for bad luck and knockin’ on wood/

Signed, Dear Abby.

While reading the paper before a recent flight, I came across one such workplace dilemma.

Amy Dickinson was asked to solve ‘Candy Bowl Sparks Bitter Office Spat’ in her Ask Amy column. Because I had 15 minutes before my plane boarded but mostly because chocolate and I are lifelong chums, I was curious to read Amy’s remedy for this confectionery controversy.

A husband wrote on behalf of his wife whose co-worker insists on keeping a bowl of chocolates in a common area.

The candy proved to be too great a temptation for the woman, and, according to the writer, “has proven detrimental to her ability to keep away excess pounds.” It was signed “PO’d Husband.” Translation: PO’d Husband’s better half can’t keep her hands off the M&M’s and is getting fat.

Mrs. PO’d Husband initially asked the co-worker to put out healthier snacks to no avail. She then went to management with no better result.

When that failed, she resorted to a comrades-please-join-me-in-this-battle-of-the-bulge plea that led to a big internecine sugar spat but no retreat by the keeper of the candy bowl.

To which Ask Amy told him to tell his wife that life isn’t like a box of chocolates. In essence …

So listen up buster, and listen up good/

Stop wishin’ for bad luck and tell your wife to practice some self-control.

Normally I side with our wizened newspaper advisers, oh, like every time. But in this case, when it comes down to self-discipline vs. a bowl of chocolates in the office … I must ask Amy to reconsider.

Read the rest of Rick Bell’s defense of chocolates in the workplace on Workforce.com:

http://www.workforce.com/article/20130214/NEWS02/130219987/working-in-candy-land#

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