Today more businesses are looking for ways to recruit workers, and then build up company culture to retain top talent and keep them producing at a high level. For this reason, many are offering employee meal programs.
Studies have shown that employee meal programs result in better performance, more team unit and company culture and better results for the company overall.
So this begs the question, why are corporate meal plans and employee lunch programs so successful?
Harvard Business Review noted that support opportunities for workers to eat together can be extraordinarily meaningful. This is because of the deep connection that can be built simply by sharing a meal.
Whether by bringing in food together or enjoying a catered lunch, workers agree that communal eating delivers great results.
Since time immemorial we have been using mealtimes to get together, celebrate, and get to know each other better. They also allow workers who would never otherwise interact to become acquainted.
There is a reason why families gather around meals and dates often involve dinner. There is something about enjoying a basic experience together that allows people to open up and connect more deeply.
Taking time out to eat a boxed lunch, especially if it is in good company, can reduce stress and promote employee wellbeing, satisfaction and loyalty.
By supporting workplace wellbeing it is a clear demonstration that management cares about the staff and are willing to take meaningful actions to prove it.
Long-term stress can lead to burnout which can cause workers to start checking out and even looking for work elsewhere.
Taking time out of the week to meal prep or get lunches ready every day is a drain on personal time. When workers know their meals will be provided for they don’t have to take time out to think about what to have for lunch whether at work or during their personal time.
Moreover, they encourage teams to spend more of their lunch break relaxing so they can go back to work refreshed and invigorated.
A study out of Cornell found that employees who eat meals together are more productive.
The study focuses on fire departments as a classic example of teams that eat meals together and are under high pressure to perform in life or death situations. The results were conclusive: out of 50 firehouses, the teams that ate more often together scored higher points for productivity.
One reason for this is the team cohesion that is built. Another reason is because employees who feel valued will go the extra mile for their company. And then of course, productivity is contingent upon being well fed and well rested to be able to rise to the everyday challenges and demands of the job.
Some workplaces don’t budget for employee meal programs, and the result is that workers tend to eat at their desks, or go out to the same locations either alone or with the same colleague instead of branching out. This can lead to entrenched silos in the workplace which can make team building even more of a challenge.
Easily set up an employee meal program that fits your team’s unique needs with Ritual for Companies, and bring everyone together to enjoy a delicious meal.
