It’s a no brainer that being a part of a rapidly growing and constantly changing industry such as IT requires a different approach in most areas, including the productivity and happiness of your employees. At Cloudinfrastack we believe that our business is not only collective success, but we also firmly believe that our office is more than just a place where work takes place, it’s also an environment that needs to be adjusted accordingly to the needs of the employees as they are the ones who most often occupy the office space.
Part of this philosophy is creating a positive environment where your workers feel happy and also motivated to work on the next challenging task. Those from the industry can sympathise with us on this one, there is sometimes nothing better than a coffee break or a lunch break. Of course, nobody likes mundane repetitiveness as it can also lead to a decline in creativity and innovation, which is crucial in terms of the overall performance and output of the company.
Reasons to Have Food and Drinks in the Office
We have developed our own approach to food and drinks at the workplace and we can say for sure that we have seen a noticeable improvement in terms of the overall happiness of our employees. And part of the positivity is of course reflected in their work.
We acknowledge that breaks are a key aspect of a working day, especially when it comes to performing challenging tasks that require a lot of focus. A break can also become more enjoyable when it is accompanied by snacks or drinks, especially since there are long periods of focus involved prior to it.
What Types of Food and Drink Should You Provide?
With respect to your workforce, it is also a good idea to vary the types of products, as for such, it isn’t a good idea to constantly stock your fridge with the most sugary and synthetic drinks and snacks, as this can have negative health impacts on your employees in the future. Although it is their choice, it’s best to encourage a healthy and balanced diet, even from your position as the employer.
Types of drinks which we have found to be ideal in our office are carbonated drinks which contain yerba mate or matcha as well as different types of fruit juices. With regards to snacks, we have also found bread, ham, cheese, and yogurt to be essential. It is also important to mention the presence of mineral water, since water is probably the healthiest option when considering drinks and being well hydrated is the key to good concentration as well as an important element with regards to effective work.
What Are the Costs of Food and Drinks in the Office?
Currently, we have multiple fridges which contain a mix of drinks and snacks. When starting off with our refreshments, we created a shopping list for each week which any of our employees can edit and suggest any grocery or beverage which they would like and we then order those on a weekly basis. This particularly engages our employees and secures that they receive only what they want, also on the financial side this approach can be quite effective, as often only what will be consumed is ordered.
What Benefits Does Providing Food and Drinks Bring to You as the Employer in the Long Run?
As with most things, providing food and drinks at work is an investment from the side of the employer. However, we can say for sure when carried out correctly it has many good aspects associated with it, this is most notably reflected in the happiness of your employees when spending time in the office, their motivation to carry out tasks as well as their will to spend time at the office, which is particularly important. Overall, we can say that refreshments provide a boost in working morale and also in the overall productivity at work. This is all part of creating a positive working environment where your employees feel happy both mentally and socially.
The original autor: Jonáš, Junior Linux Admin, cloudinfrastack
