No matter how much you hate your job, one of the few perks is the much-loved toilet break. It's a chance for you to get away from your manager for a few precious moments and enjoy some 'me time'.
However, this could soon be over with the creation of the 'StandardToilet', which may sound harmless but is about to change the way employees poo, forever.
Backed by the British Toilet Association (BTA), it's designed to encourage employees to spend less time in the bogs and has already received a lot of interest from local councils and motorway service stations. Unsurprisingly.
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But how does it work? Well, the seat has been sloped by 13 degrees, which developers say mimics squat thrusts, putting strain on the user's legs, making them want to get up after about five minutes.
Mahabir Gill from StandardToilet said: "It is estimated that in the United Kingdom alone, extended employee breaks costs industry and commerce an £4 billion per annum.
"With the advent of flexible zero hour contracts it is easy to see why our StandardToilet can be an asset to a business."
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But while it may sound like a fairly Orwellian measure, Mr Gill says it brings wider health benefits, such as improved posture.
He went on: "Medical studies have suggested that using the traditional WC can cause swollen haemorrhoids and weakening of pelvic muscles.
"The StandardToilet provides Increased comfort through promoting the engagement of upper and lower leg muscles which helps reduce musculoskeletan disorders."
Mr Gill added: "Thirteen degrees is not too inconvenient, but you'd soon want to get off the seat. Anything higher would cause wider problems."
According to research carried out by Protecting.co.uk - in eight cities across the UK - employees spent up to 28 minutes in the bathroom while at work, which the firm found had a massive knock-on effect on the company's efficiency.
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With the average bathroom break in a London office sitting at 28 minutes and 35 seconds, companies researchers discovered that firms could be losing more than two hours from each employee every week.
Protecting.co.uk worked out that this was costing companies £1533.60 per employee, every year.
However, not everyone agrees with Mr Gill. Speaking to Wired, Charlotte Jones, co-author of the Around the Toilet project, said toilet breaks are extremely important for employees.
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She said: "Viewing time spent in the toilet as a threat is the wrong way of looking at the issue entirely.
"I think the importance of the toilet as a refuge during the workday says more about inadequate workspaces, heavy workloads and unsupportive management, than it does about the workers themselves."
Just let us s*** in peace.
Featured Image Credit: StandardToiletTopics: Science, UK News, Interesting, Health