What free food says about company culture

Free food gets everyone excited about going to work. It's a perk companies can consider adding to their compensation package. Learn why it's an excellent productivity motivator and its multiple upsides for employees and companies. 

Free Food Increases Employee Engagement

It's an affordable benefit with an excellent return through a positive workplace experience. If you want to maximize your employees' economic contribution, here are three reasons to offer it.

Increases Productivity

Based on a review, workplace nutrition and health interventions can increase employees' efficiency, lower absenteeism and decrease health care costs. Productivity declines when staff gets sick. The impact is even more considerable in small or startup businesses where one person handles several roles. Convenient on-site meals are a viable alternative to influencing employees' health and sustaining their work efficiency. 

Improves Health

Workplace meal programs can help upend this negative trend. By offering free plant-based and functional foods at your cafeteria, employees will have no choice but to change how they eat. Otherwise, they’ll have to spend out-of-pocket for their lunch. Consuming well-balanced meals helps keep their weight at a normal level and reduces their risk of obesity.

Boosts Morale

A survey revealed 65% of employees would adjust their work attendance based on company lunches. Moreover, 20% considered free food more important than other job perks.

Companies can leverage this perk to motivate employees to do their best in their tasks. Investing in quality meals conveys you care for their well-being. When they feel valued and supported, employees maintain a higher morale, perform well and find their jobs satisfying.

Free Food Fosters Social Connections

Food is a hook for increasing employee engagement through stronger social interactions. Here are some common reasons to incorporate it into your company culture.

Creates a Less Intimidating Atmosphere

The workplace can feel daunting, especially for those who are socially withdrawn. Sometimes, it can also further underscore the hierarchy between job titles —  for instance, a manager and a sales associate. This difference can lead to strict boundaries and feelings of inequality between leadership and subordinate roles.

A space where everyone feels equal tones down this disparity, creating a less hostile environment for social interactions. A shared space like an on-site cafeteria offering delicious meals sets the right tone for conversations between employees, irrespective of their job titles.

Encourages Collaboration

A communal area where everyone is welcome nurtures workplace socialization and boosts teamwork. Employees who gather around the table to share a meal are more connected and have better mental well-being. Innovations can sometimes spring from this perceived social support during shared meals, promoting collaboration and a sense of belonging.

Small talks during a lunch break can also stress-relieving. Conversations over food can strengthen employee bonds, making investing in meal programs worth it.

Stimulates Friendships

A meal program can enrich office togetherness. Having a common place for informal and out-of-work interactions increases knowledge-sharing between various seniorities. As a result, they bond and get to know their colleagues more deeply. It's beneficial for large organizations with thousands of employees who rarely meet. The cafeteria transforms into a social space where meaningful friendships can start and employees become more than just colleagues.

Free Food Promotes Company Values

Nutritional programs are a way to express the tenets your organization highly values. Here are some examples of how it can help achieve your company goals.

Promotes Inclusivity

People need to feel respected regardless of their ethnicity, gender or beliefs. This is an essential feature of a well-functioning workplace. Offering diverse food choices to cater to every employee's dietary needs is one of the best ways to promote inclusivity. Some companies have solid inclusive measures, and meal programs can supplement these policies to create a fair environment for everyone.

Encourages Healthier Food Habits

With consistency, employees can adopt the positive food decisions they make in the workplace into their personal lives. This integration can lead to optimal productivity and other various merits for companies. 

In a survey, 65% of employees who don't have access to free food in the office eat snacks as meals, 48% skip lunch entirely and 18% rely on vending machines or convenience stores. Poor food choices can ultimately result in declining health, affecting work performance. On-site free meals can minimize this concern.

Promotes Sustainability

Nutritional programs can further advance your eco-friendly endeavors by choosing locally-grown ingredients. Fruits and vegetables sold by local farmers are less likely to contain chemicals since they’re grown using organic fertilizers. Plus, they have better quality due to low food emissions and retain higher nutritional value, making them natural medicines. Providing free meals inspires your staff to engage in sustainable practices, which can extend to their personal lives.

Free Food Is Good for the Company and Employees

Besides higher wages, food is another excellent motivator for high-performing employees. With these advantages, you have no reason to exclude meal perks in your contract. Plan how to incorporate it into your benefits package and see how it transforms your company's culture and image.