Do you know an average employee is productive only for 2 hours and 23 minutes in an entire day? Hence, it is evident that employers like yourself are always on a hunt to find new ways to improve your employees’ productivity.
Of course, you may know some basic ways to achieve your goal. For instance, you would know that tools, comfort, motivation, and systems can impact your employees’ productivity. But did you know even the cafeteria has a small part to play?
Yes, you read that right. Whether big or small, your cafeteria can certainly impact productivity. Let me give you a basic example. Suppose a microwave oven in your cafeteria is not working appropriately and your employees have to wait to heat their food. That would steal some precious working hours, right?
What if you were able to hire an appliance repair service provider who repaired the microwave oven quickly and saved just an average of five minutes of a single employee. Depending on the number of employees you have, it would have helped save quite a lot of productive time. That’s just one thing, there are many other ways that your cafeteria can impact employees’ productivity.
How a well-equipped modern-day cafeteria boosts employee productivity
Whether it is waiting for a turn to heat the food, socialize with colleagues, or waiting for food orders to be delivered, the cafeteria can provide a significant sense of satisfaction to employees. Here’s what a cafeteria can do.
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Non-formal socializing space
A lunch break should not only be to have food. They should also provide a break from work and give refreshment to employees. A canteen with ample space can help employees get that small refreshment to help them stay productive for the rest of the day.
The office cafeteria can be the socializing hub where employees can interact with their colleagues. This will help both you and them. They will be able to build some new connections from various departments in your venture. This will increase the transparency across the departments, which will help the best thoughts and work practices flow in your organization.
You can also use the canteen space to conduct activities for employee engagement. Hence, it is essential to focus on having a good canteen space besides just maximizing workspace.
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Saving employees’ time
Providing a variety of food for all-day food options can significantly save your employees’ time. Without a good variety of food options, employees might have to leave the office and go in search of nearby lunch options. If you can offer better dining options than outside, the employees will have their lunch quickly.
If not the shorter break hours, they would at least save some more time for themselves. With this spared time, they can communicate with their colleagues or relax for some time. It will help them stay productive and focused for the rest of the day.
Even technology can play its part to save employees’ time. If you can digitize your cafeteria, that could be a great way of saving time. Imagine your employees all waiting in line and doing nothing during the lunch hours. Digitization can help solve this issue.
If you can allow your employees to order and pay digitally and remotely, they won’t have to wait in line. All that would be left to do then is to go and pick their orders from the counter. Digitization can also benefit the cafeteria staff as they will not have to manage all the physical cash hassle. As soon as they receive the order and payment, all that’s left is to cook and get the employees’ food ready.
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Healthy food
Consuming unhygienic outdoor food can make your employees ill, especially with the ongoing pandemic. There’s no denying that no one can remain productive when they are unhealthy. Providing a variety of healthy and hygienic food right in your cafeteria will ensure that your employees are not consuming outdoor food.
Food and overall health have a direct connection to focus and peace of mind. It also gives your employees the energy boost they require to have a productive day. When your employees are healthy, they will be able to focus on their work, and it is proven that a focused employee can be more productive than the ones who do not concentrate.
While a well-equipped modern-day cafeteria will provide your employees with more convenience and benefits, it will ultimately help your overall business. By offering various food options in-house, you can save your employees some time and help them become more productive throughout the day. Hence, it’s time to start focusing on the cafeteria, too, along with the workspace.