Focus: Food for thought

Fooditude recently canvassed its Irish customers on their priorities when dining at work...

Workplace wellness, it's so much more than a buzzword. Going into the office is here to stay, notwithstanding the rise of hybrid work. From working in catering to cyber-security, every employee needs a clear head to tackle their daily challenges effectively.

It's not up to businesses to dictate how employees should support their personal health. But, on the flip side, neither should companies force their teams to work in environments that will chip away at their wellbeing. 

However, how well we eat impacts our lives. For example, years of lunching on grab-and-go meal deals from the high street will eventually take its toll on a worker's health. Therefore, it's up to workplace caterers to rise to the challenge to do better to sustain employees with varied on-site menus that are both exciting and healthy. 

But what does the data say? Fooditude recently asked workplace professionals in Dublin about their experiences with on-site foodservice. What the caterer discovered is that lunchtimes are sacred to workplaces offering free food perks. 

Taking time out to rest clearly matters, as 66.7% of respondents said they would spend between 30 minutes to an hour on their lunch breaks. And while 33.3% claimed they would spend between 15 and 30 minutes, not a single respondent reported taking less than quarter of an hour for their lunch break. 

This feedback is essential because it suggests that with free food perks, employees put more value on taking proper breaks. By investing in fully subsidised catering, businesses put their money where their mouth is when they say ‘take your lunch break’. The fact is that, far too often, toxic work habits develop within teams when it becomes a race to the shortest lunchtime. 

For the sake of productivity, workplaces need to shatter the outdated looking-busy-equals-company-loyalty insecurity that is hiding in the dark corners of Ireland's workforce. Wellness initiatives, such as free-service lunches, encourage the country's workforce to take a breather once in a while and pursue genuine productivity. 

So, what does a lunch break mean to you? This is the question Fooditude posed to its survey group, with 100% of respondents answering that lunch is a time to be shared with colleagues – above all else. 

Sharing a meal brings together communities, families and friends. So, why are so many workplaces not using the social power of mealtimes for their workforce? 

Many of Fooditude’s clients tailor their office space for collaboration and creativity. Break-out spaces are more akin to trendy hotel lobbies than traditional spaces. But these destination offices are only worth their salt if employees create those moments of engagement.

Teresa Patton, Fooditude’s country manager in Dublin, says: “Foodservice can play a vital role in making a destination office come to life. These spaces ignite activity between colleagues by providing a more informal and communal experience. With an established ritual of shared lunchtimes, teams feel more comfortable interacting with fancy break-out spaces, rooftop meeting rooms and table tennis tables.”

The modern, state-of-the-art destination workplace is about creating an environment where employees can be proud of their company culture and collaborate to bring about innovation. Fuel a workforce with lacklustre lasagnes and soggy salads and it's likely to take the shine off their 'in office' experience. 

Fooditude concluded that on-site foodservice works much better when it's free at the point of service. When an office charges for food, teams tend to disperse to visit their go-to high street eatery, supermarket or leftovers from last night's dinners. 

Dean Kennett, Fooditude’s managing director, concludes: “From our experience, teams will sit to eat together when every colleague has access to the same varied and exciting complimentary buffet. The destination office dream is alive when we visit our clients' dining areas during lunch service.

“Large groups sit, chat, laugh and enjoy food together. And to us, this is what a winning company culture looks like.”

You may also be interested in…