Providing the best working environment for staff members is an aim of many companies and there are a variety of ways this can be done. One of the simplest ideas is giving them easy access to hot beverages through an on-site machine or kitchen area. This can be seen as a sign by workers that their bosses are looking out for them and there are a variety of befits to having drinks like coffee available.
Productivity
Beverages such as coffee and tea can revive moody spirits and the occasional short break to enjoy a drink can be a boost to productivity. Most studies into workplace drinks have shown that they can be great for reducing stress, recharging batteries, and putting workers in a positive frame of mind to get back to work once their drink is finished. Overall it can help to improve the satisfaction of a company’s staff and make them more alert, motivated, and productive during a day of work.
Reduces Lost Work Time
Having an office coffee/beverage section to ensure coffee is readily available removes the temptation for staff to step out to get a hot drink. Leaving an office, queuing, being served, then returning from a coffee shop can take up to 15 minutes or so and this is time lost to work. A visit to a kitchen in the workplace will get an employee back to work again with less time lost.
Visible Benefit
Offering work benefits is a great way to help retain staff loyalty and providing hot beverages for free is one of the more visible signs of this. Individuals being offered the chance of employment can also see this as they are being shown around and while it is obviously not a major reason for accepting a job, small perks such as coffee can help tip the balance in a company’s favour if they are competing for workers. People will generally have their own ideas of what makes a good company to work for, but most would agree that work benefits such as free coffee show that an employer is concerned about the welfare of their staff and wants to keep the working environment a comfortable place to be.
Common Courtesy
There are many businesses that come face to face with customers on a daily basis or that will have people waiting as work is done. This includes car dealerships, garages, and sales showrooms to name a few. In this instance having coffee available is also a benefit to customers and most will see it as an act of courtesy to be offered a beverage as they wait. This can help show a company in a good light and may even make it more likely that a customer will deal with them again.
Companies from small to large will benefit by offering their employees access to hot beverages. For a small cost they can show that they value those working for them and reap the advantages of this.
