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Your workforce is your company’s engine – you need to keep them fuelled up. Here’s how you can use something as simple as food and drink to spur on your team and get them working harder.
Don’t settle for instant coffee
Coffee is a necessity in any workplace. Whilst it may not be the healthiest beverage, it does give people that caffeine kick to energise them first thing in the morning. Most employers settle for instant coffee, but why not take things the extra mile and buy a full working coffee machine. The likes of Nespresso have office solutions that are affordable for the job. Small perks like this can make the work environment of employees a more positive place.
Stay cool
On a similar note, having a refrigerator to store cold drinks could help to add another touch of luxury – especially on a hot day. Companies like Corr Chilled produce commercial refrigerators for this purpose. Why settle for tap water when you can have an ice cold bottle of water from the fridge.
Consider brain food
Certain foods have been found to be great for concentration. Blueberries, walnuts and dark chocolate are all great for the brain and could help to fuel productivity. Consider supplying these foods as snacks and see what difference it makes.
Use group lunches as team-building activities
Taking everyone out for lunch every so often – providing you haven’t got a huge workforce – could have all kinds of benefits. It will give people a break from the office offering a new environment to inspire ideas, it will save your employees money on lunch (if you’re willing to pay for it) and it could get people socially interacting helping to build a sense of camaraderie. This is worthwhile doing whenever new employees join the team. It could help to encourage communication in the office and result in a stronger team.
Use food and drink as a reward
If employees have been working hard or have overachieved on a project, why not reward them with food and drink. This could be an individual reward or a group reward. Consider a bottle of champagne or even offer to pay for a meal. Studies have found that these physical rewards can sometimes have more impact than monetary rewards. They may even motivate your team to continue working hard in order to achieve similar results.
Treat your visitors
When it comes to non-employees in your workplace, providing food and drink can help to make a good impression. This could be something as simple as offering coffee and a platter of cookies. Such a treat could help to win over potential clients by showing a keen sense of hospitality. It could be a way of making an interview candidate for a new position feel more at ease. It could even be a way of making a handyman feel welcome – just as you’d make a cup of coffee for a plumber or an electrician in your own home. Treating visitors is important as they are the people in charge of your public reputation. Food and drink could be all it takes.
