As a manager or business owner, you’re constantly looking for new ways to boost morale and increase productivity. Now and then, you notice a slight decrease in your employees’ performances, and you may not know what to do to help them get past the lull. Disciplinary actions are never a great option. It only hurts your relationship with your employees in the end.
Luckily, many nondisciplinary alternatives are more positive and effective, offering solutions that mutually benefit you and your employees. One of the easiest ways to boost your employees’ morale is to provide coffee at work.
By offering your employees a coffee station that allows them to make a drink coffee on the clock, you’ll notice a much-appreciated boost in morale and productivity. While this addition may seem like a small change, you’ll see the benefits of drinking coffee while working almost immediately.
The Coffee Craze in the Office
Without a doubt, people love their coffee. They love drinking it in the morning to help get them going through the day, and they love drinking it during the day. For many, nothing compares to the bittersweet taste of a hot cup of coffee.
People may drink coffee for different reasons. Some drink it to wake themselves up and give them the energy to go about their day. Some drink as a means for relaxation and calmness. Others use coffee as an excuse to interact with others.
This last reason is probably the most impactful with the recent rise of coffee. People use coffee as a means to be social. Cafes and coffee shops provide great alternatives to restaurants and other crowded locations. Coffee shops are more open and offer a relaxed aesthetic. Because of the low price, coffee is more accessible than ever. Everyone can participate in coffee trends at their leisure.
Socializing isn’t the only reason people enjoy coffee so much. Besides the caffeine rush you experience, coffee is a versatile beverage. You can enjoy it hot, cold, mixed with milk or blended with ice. The possibilities are endless. For people who don’t enjoy the taste of coffee but enjoy the aesthetic or energizing boost of coffee, you can easily mute the bitter taste and serve it however you want.
In a workplace environment, coffee stations give the same relaxing and social atmosphere that makes cafes and coffee shops so popular. Your employees can have a safe space to communicate with one another about life and work. Coffee gives them a much-needed mental break.
Mornings can be hectic and having to drink your coffee quickly before work takes away from its many pleasures. When employees bring coffee to work, they can continue to enjoy their coffee at their own pace and take the time to fully wake up and finish their work tasks to the best of their abilities.
Should I Provide Coffee for My Employees?
Without a doubt, coffee can easily be one of the most important additions you include in your workplace. Allowing your employees to have a stable and constant supply of coffee when they need it will go a long way in ensuring better work performance.
If you need more convincing, let’s take a look at eight different ways drinking coffee at work can benefit you and your employees.
1. Increased Productivity
One of the biggest reasons to implement coffee and coffee breaks for your employees is to improve productivity in your workplace. This causation may seem counterintuitive. How does taking time away from work to drink coffee increase productivity?
While it is true that your employees may begin to take more breaks than before, the coffee can increase their performance as they work. Reports have shown that drinking coffee leads to improved mental performance, meaning your employees can work longer without tiring. Your employees will get more work done due to their enhanced awareness because of the coffee. They’ll complete tasks more efficiently, improving your company’s productivity.
Sometimes, your employees may find themselves stuck in a mental block. They may not know how to continue with their work or don’t know how to solve a particular challenge. An occasional coffee break gives your employees time to reflect on their work without the pressure of it staring at them. They may even come up with some creative solutions.
2. Reduced Wasted Time
I know what you’re thinking. You’d think that allowing coffee breaks would increase the time wasted. Instead, the opposite is true. By offering a coffee area, your employees can make themselves a cup or a carafe of coffee without the need to travel elsewhere for it. They can just walk to the break room and pour themselves the required cup.
Furthermore, coffee boosts awareness and productivity, so your employee will waste less time at their station since they will feel more awake and motivated to complete the tasks at hand. They’ll be ready to tackle the rest of the day and finish their assignments faster.
3. Raised Morale
The simple act of supplying coffee for your employees shows you care about them and their well-being. Coffee breaks away from screens and emails offer a simple and effective way to boost morale in your office. Your employees get the break they need in a positive environment. They’ll feel refreshed and better about themselves and what the day has in store.
Even the act of socializing with other coworkers can raise your employees’ spirits as they get to know one another better. They may casually brainstorm about work assignments and assist each other when needed.
4. Improved Meetings
Since caffeine increases work productivity and helps to stimulate morale, you’ll notice more engagement and better outcomes from work meetings. Your employees will be better able to respond and engage with one another over the topics they are discussing.
Drinking coffee at work promotes social interactions. Having coffee present during your meetings can help focus discussions and strengthen relationships between coworkers. Coffee can also lead to more involvement from everyone. Your employees will leave the session feeling confident in their participation and that of others.
5. Enhanced Socialization for Coworkers
Remember how people enjoy the aesthetic and simplicity of coffee shops and cafes and how people use these areas to catch up with friends and relax as needed?
Workplace coffee breaks have the same effect. Your employees will be more willing to communicate with one another about daily life or even help one another with workplace tasks. Something about holding a cup of coffee in your hand with someone else makes people want to talk.
Office jobs, especially ones where your employees work on computers most of the day, often lack the communication needed between employees. Taking intentional breaks to chat with peers and develop stronger company bonds is a healthy way to improve engagement.
6. Boosted Employee Relationships
With the enhanced socialization at the coffee station, you allow your employees to develop lasting relationships. When coworkers socialize, it may not be to the extent of forming bonds and relationships. These interactions can be something as simple as the occasional “Hi. How are you?” While this may not seem significant, these interactions open the door to more meaningful relationships.
Over time, passerby communications and interactions at the workplace coffee station can turn into a bond that continues to grow. With continuous exposure to coffee breaks with their fellow employees, relationships can form.
One of the most challenging aspects of any office job is the disconnect between departments, especially those within the same building. As these relationships grow, so too does the relationship between departments. Your employees will be able to communicate with one another better, which can lead to fewer conflicts. With one simple addition to the workplace, you can help to bridge the gap between departments.
7. Increased Willpower and Longevity
As the day progresses, your employees slowly lose some of their energy and motivation. For some companies, you may notice an increase in work performance during the mornings that slowly drops as the day progresses.
The reasoning for this decline has to do with your employees tiring themselves out with work. Coffee in the morning boosts their motivation and helps them complete the tasks ahead of them, but by the time lunch is around, the caffeine rush has worn away. The work and day have tired them out.
Providing a constant supply of coffee means that your employees can replenish their willpower and motivation. They’ll be able to complete their tasks better without tiring as easily.
8. More Positive Office Culture
Something as simple as offering coffee for your employees can make your office a more welcoming place for employees and guests. Quick coffee breaks can foster increased interaction between employees, improving relationships and cultivating a positive work environment.
The more your employees interact, the likelier they are to develop lasting bonds, improving their work experience and encouraging them to stay with the company longer.
Coffee Drinker Trends
The importance of having coffee available for your employees isn’t a new concept, but it has grown substantially over the last couple of years. The recent 2020 pandemic forced many people to work from home or to become unemployed. During this time, these individuals were able to make their coffee at home when they needed it. They could give themselves the caffeine rush to help get them through their work. Gourmet coffee drinking and going out for coffee were uncommon for the year.
Now that many companies are opening back up and people are returning to work, they long for the same experience that the pandemic deprived them of. They want the gourmet coffee and the social interactions that come with drinking in a cafe.
By offering them coffee in the workplace, you can help satisfy your employees’ desire for coffee and socialization. You can give them a safe space to socialize with one another, building relationships along the way.
While drinking coffee can benefit almost any company, some professions enjoy it more than others. For a quick reference, here is a list of the top 10 occupations that drink the most coffee:
- Journalist and media staff
- Police officers
- Teachers
- Plumbers and trade workers
- Nurses and medical staff
- Company executives
- Telesales
- IT technical support
- Retail staff
- Drivers
If you manage or own a company that corresponds with any of these professions, you should consider providing a permanent coffee station for your employees. The added energy, focus and willpower can benefit them greatly.
Providing Coffee for Employees With American Food & Vending
When it comes to offering coffee for your employees, you can implement the coffee in a couple ways.
Traditional Break Room Coffee Stations
You can designate a section of a break room or other room for coffee. Supply your employees with the necessary coffee grounds and machine and let them do with it as they will. If you do choose this option, consider adding some specialty options, too. While most people enjoy their cup of coffee black with cream and sugar, that’s not always the case.
Some people enjoy more specialized coffee beverages. Offer them similar alternatives in the office to satisfy that. They’ll spend less time before and during work to get their iced caramel macchiato if they can make it themselves at work. But, taking the extra time to make those specialty drinks may not be so beneficial for you.
Third-Party Coffee Stations
The second, and probably the best solution, is to rely on a third-party company to provide you with all the necessary supplies and create the perfect coffee station that will increase worker morale and productivity. Instead of having to take time out of your busy day, let someone else who knows more about workplace coffee environments do the work for you.
Traditional drip coffee can only push work performance so far before it begins to run its course. Even with the extra dose of caffeine in their systems, your employees may grow tired of drinking the same coffee every day. Variety is the key, and using a third-party company to provide the necessary diversity will benefit everyone.
American Food and Vending gives you everything you need to help your employees succeed. We offer a wide variety of traditional and gourmet coffee to give your employees something new each day.
With so many options to choose from, American Food and Vending has the supplies to accommodate any workplace environment. American Food and Vending ensures you and your employees are happy, from coffee machines to single-serve coffee pods.
Contact Us to Learn More Today
Coffee is an important part of everyday life. Most people consume caffeinated beverages multiple times a day to give them the necessary boost they need. Providing coffee for your employees can improve your company’s productivity and encourage socialization.
Trust American Food and Vending to offer your employees diverse specialty coffee options to keep their workflow running smoothly. You can’t go wrong by providing better coffee in the workplace.
For more information and to see how American Food and Vending can help you and your employees increase their work performance, reach out to us online today. Feel free to schedule a complimentary tasting and consultation to experience the American Food and Vending difference for yourself.