For companies always on the move, office lunch is usually the last thing on your mind. Trying to keep up a high pace for the sake of productivity is common these days, especially in companies experiencing rapid growth. Skipping meals can have detrimental effects on said productivity, however.
Food is fuel for the mind. Missing lunch can contribute to concentration problems, anxiety and depression symptoms, and it puts you in a bad mood. While you might not have initially thought of implementing catering into your company’s routine, the effects are likely much more powerful than you’d expect. We’ll go over more in-depth why starting an office lunch program can greatly improve your busy team’s work and give you some examples of quick lunch ideas for your staff.
How Catered Office Lunches Benefit Your Busy Company
Aside from how skipping meals can affect your mood as we mentioned before, there’s plenty to gain from having a well-fed staff. In a recent study, 97% of employees said their day was improved by taking a lunch break. So how does that really translate into the workplace?
Bonding and Relationship Building
Lunch is often a communal activity, especially when you create an environment where it can be. A study was done recently that stated firefighters who ate lunch together reported that it was a “central component of keeping their teams operating effectively.” The same can be said about many jobs, especially ones that require working together. For busy companies, giving your staff the opportunity to carve out time for eating lunch can give them a chance to facilitate important work relationships they may not have otherwise.
Taking a Much-Needed Break
Working for a busy company has its rewards, but as many of us know, burnout is a real danger in this type of work environment. According to a recent survey conducted by the APA, 3 in 5 workers reported experiencing negative mental and physical impacts due to work-related stress. Even when things are chaotic, taking the time to sit down and decompress for a portion of the day can help a lot with the pressure. When you provide easy, viable lunch options for your staff, it gives them an opportunity to try and relax so they can jump back into things refreshed.
Reduce Turnover and Increase Your Hiring Pool
Over 9 in 10 employees were more likely to stay at a job if their managers encouraged people to take breaks, according to this study. When you urge your staff to take breaks, especially in a stressful environment, it shows you acknowledge the difficulties your employees experience. This creates a positive image for your business and a stronger company culture. It can be difficult to keep staff in high-stress and fast-paced jobs, so having a reputation for prioritizing breaks through office catering can help keep and even attract staff.
Easier on the Wallet (And Mind!)
You can take some of the financial stress of buying meals off of your staff by providing it for them. It might seem like a small gesture, but for busy staff, not having to worry about packing a lunch can be a powerful way to help them. Decision fatigue is a big issue in high-stress positions as well, so having food ready and available reduces the additional choices one might have to make while deciding what to eat for lunch.
Productivity Maximized
Happy employees will always work more efficiently than unhappy employees. While creating a company culture of taking breaks is great, reinforcing that with office catering is even better. The combination of pride in the place they work and having free food helps immensely with productivity levels.
No matter how you slice it, office lunches are an easy and effective way to help keep your staff moving like a well-oiled machine. For companies always moving, it’s essential to have your employees in peak form as often as possible.
Speed Up the Lunch Process For Employees On the Move
Company catering has evolved a lot in the past decade, giving you a lot of customized options for your catering. Zerocater, for example, is a catering service that allows you to cater company lunches and events with an easy-to-use app. Our Cloud Cafe option gives your staff the opportunity to choose what foods they like and don’t like and creates a daily menu of boxed lunches they can order from. You can even offer this to your busy hybrid employees to encourage them to come into the office.
The grab-and-go style makes things a lot faster and easier instead of having to mull over the choices as soon as your employees see them. It prevents cutting into that golden rest time. Zerocater works with a variety of budget options and company sizes too, so even if you’re a small startup experiencing a lot of rapid growth, we can work with you.
Make Your Catering Process Quick and Easy
Ready to start your office lunch program and maximize your staff performance? Just head over to our “Get Pricing” button and tell us more about your business, dietary needs, budget, and anything else you think we should know. Even if your employees have dietary restrictions, you can easily check those off in our app. We’d love to help improve your staff productivity through delicious food.
