Office politics sweetens up

Tempting treats on the breakroom table at work used to be a gesture of goodwill, perhaps on a Friday or during a holiday. But now it’s akin to “secondhand smoke,” according to a story in Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal.

Chronicling the woes of the health-conscious workers and their crumbling willpower in the face of desktop candy bowls and doughnuts for everyone, supervisors in some offices are starting to ban sweets in the office — at least in plain sight.

Offices that don’t ban the sweets have seen the silent battlefield, and even refusing a birthday cupcake will spawn reactions that “give you a look like you are being dramatic,” one woman told a reporter.

On the other side are the people who delight in some midafternoon chocolate — and their own challenges.

“Oh, my God, I can’t get rid of these people!” said one worker who left a company when a boss tried to ban sugar in the office, according to the article.