Funny enough, employers keep on treating their employees to dinner and after-work drinks when they really should be focusing more on lunch. Of course, this does not mean that those late-night drinks don’t benefit the office. But lunch is more strategic and more of a pick-me-uppers than dinner and cocktails. Not all businesses can afford to do this, though there are plenty of ways you can reward your employees with free food. Even granola bars and yogurt in the fridge would boost their morale.
Although lunch catering in the office is going to make your employees happier, this isn’t always possible because of time and limited resources. If you’re in the middle of trying to meet a deadline, your employees won’t enjoy a full-on catered lunch. You’re only going to distract them from their work and waste food that they can’t thoroughly enjoy at the same time. At times like these, a sandwich and a cup of tea or coffee will go a long way toward showing your appreciation of their hard work.
But what is it about lunch that amps up the morale in an office? Why are they far different from going for drinks after work? What should you offer and how will your offers affect their productivity?
Healthy Food
Are you worried that some of your employees have been slacking off at work? Are they falling sick? Do you feel that they are emotionally unwell? Has it been stressful in the office lately? The fold you eat affects your mood. No matter how much you stuff yourself with your “comfort food” of mac and cheese, pizza, and a tub of ice cream, these will all make you feel lethargic and unproductive. Carb- and fat-loaded food tends to dampen one’s spirits after a while.
Brain-booster food such as nuts, yogurt, leafy greens, fruits, and bagels contribute to your employees feeling healthier and more satisfied. Since you’re leading the organization, you should lead them to a healthy eating habit, too. Taking charge of your lunch will not only boost your employees’ morale, but it will also make them value a balanced diet.
Creativity
A simple lunch with workmates can spark creativity in anyone. Do you know what the simple act of sharing a meal can do to one’s deflated spirits? The constricted environment in an office often leads to uninspired ideas. It’s stiffening to think of ideas when one is boxed inside a cubicle eight hours a day for five days a week. There’s something liberating about spending time with your workmates outside of the confines of the office. It inspires you to think outside the box. It allows you to step outside your comfort zone.
Team Rapport
Workmates develop friendships over time, but spending time outside the office is what deepens that rapport. This translates to better productivity and efficiency in their tasks. Lunch and friendly conversations break down barriers. Those genuine conversations outside the office build teamwork.
But why not dinner? Dinner tends to be rowdy. People get drunk too much that no ideas are discussed. If you want to build rapport among your workers, lunch is the way to do it. Dinner is for informal gatherings, for celebrations of birthdays and company milestones. If you intend to boost their productivity, you’re better off treating them to lunch than dinner.
