Management Perspectives

Like many things in a work environment, why should employers worry about feeding their employees? Can they not do that themselves with the money they are paid? In a nutshell (pun intended), you do not have to worry about this, but if you choose to consider the topic, the return on productivity, employee satisfaction, and wellness can be significant.

When it comes to employee happiness, 67 per cent of full-time employees with access to free food at work are ‘extremely’ or ‘ very’ happy at their current job, according to SnackNation, a snack delivery service for offices or homes, so it should not come as a surprise that free food is one of the top perks that employees desire. It is one of the major reasons why companies like Google and Facebook use it as a way to attract and keep top talent. Furthermore, that same study found that 48 % of jobseekers weigh company perks, including the availability of snacks, in their decision to work for a company.

A survey of more than 1,000 full-time workers conducted by Peapod, an online grocer, found that more than half of people (56 per cent) are ‘extremely’ or ‘very happy’ at their current jobs. However, that number jumps to 67 per cent for employees who have free food at work.

Shareable meals are a source of workplace camaraderie, especially since the majority of workers spend nearly half their day using technology to communicate. Creating an environment where employees can interact while eating has a positive impact on company culture: 35 per cent of companies provide office meals to encourage team building, a survey from ZeroCater found.

This is why so many firms have taken to provide free food throughout the workday, for example, in San Francisco alone:

• Twitch, a gaming company, offers free food all day long. Two popular food-related events are Donut Days and Beignet Cook-Off competitions. Tickets are sold and proceeds go to local charities
• StumbleUpon, a discovery and advertisement engine company, gives ‘Stumblers’ (employees) five days of breakfast and lunch and provides a kitchen stocked with organic fruit, snacks, and beverages.
• Zynga, a game developer, offers free meals and snacks—including daily lunch and dinner.

There are even health benefits to be had that translates into lower healthcare costs by employers.

According to the CDC, loss of productivity due to chronic diseases cost businesses $260 billion annually. Rival Health reports that 69 per cent of employees are interested in nutrition programs, but only 43 per cent of employers offer them. And the Health Affairs Journal reports the average RoI of a comprehensive corporate wellness program is $3.30 for every dollar spent.

Following are examples of what many companies today are doing to use food to make their work environment more fun and fulfilling for its employees.

• Norcross, Georgia-based Canon Solutions America, sends snack carts with sodas and water around to all of its workstations. When workers dance the hula, they give them snacks and small gifts.
• Trial Runners, a Dickinson, North Dakota ophthalmology clinical research organization, gives its workers warm cookies on rainy days and boasts decadent company potlucks.
• When the CEO at Twice, the online secondhand clothes company based in San Francisco, California says, “Surprise! The truck’s here. Have some ice cream on us,” employees are in for more than the expected ice-cream truck fare. They get ice cream tacos and handcrafted organic soft serve. Food trucks are also a shared love at LA-based EdgeCast, a content delivery network. Different food providers swing by monthly and offer delicious catered lunches, from tacos to In-N-Out burgers to grilled cheese sandwiches.

If you add a personal touch, providing food to employees can become an even bigger win. For example, Paul Conningham, from SBC Global, brings crock pots full of meatballs to work to make sandwiches for everyone. “It’s better than buying lunch because anyone can buy pizza but a manager who cares enough to take the time to MAKE lunch or just bring in a pile of fresh baked cookies will be much more appreciated,” says Conningham. “Plus it gives some valuable one-on-one, no-pressure interaction with folks while enjoying a meatball sub or a few cookies,” he adds. Other examples:

• Executives at Brantford, Ontario-based Williamson Group, a financial services company, host weekly Fibre Fridays. Employees are treated to huge trays of fruits and vegetables.
• Every Friday, employees of Benefits Solutions, the information systems consulting company headquartered in Mukilteo, Washington, are treated to breakfast made and served by coworkers. “The company gives us so much and this is just extra,” says employee Yelena Semenuk. “It’s really sweet.”
• Kickstarter, a public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, offers catered family meals and happy hours. Once a month the company randomly invites groups of four to six employees and treats them to a long, restful lunch where they can further develop relationships with each other.

It doesn’t even have to break your budget to provide free food at work. Consider doing it once a week—for example, “bagel and coffee Fridays.” With only one-third of offices giving employees free snacks and drinks, even a simple offering like that can help you stand out from your competition. Sabrina, from employee engagement software firm TINYpulse, says, “One thing that we do on our marketing team is Monday morning coffee.” Her team walks to various coffee shops around their Seattle, Washington neighborhood. “We just relax for about half an hour. Sometimes we talk about work, sometimes we talk about our weekends—our goal is to start off the week on a positive note so we can feel productive for the rest of the day and week,” she adds. Similarly at Square, the San Francisco, California-based financial service company, executive team members have casual one-on-ones with new employees at local coffee shops.