Sandwich platters are just one of the many casualties of the changing of the guard as Gen Z and millennials increasingly dominate the modern workforce.
These platters, once an office staple, are now being replaced with alternatives, such as boxed lunch catering.
It’s not just because traditional sandwich platters can be bland and unexciting. There are many practical reasons to leave them in the past when considering the future of today’s workplace.
In the modern office, personal hygiene and office cleanliness are non-negotiables for employees, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic where many offices were considered high-risk environments.
Around 90% of workers believe workplace cleaning protocols are important in today’s post-COVID climate.
While an open buffet or shareable food platters may have been the norm in yesterday’s office, employers are now turning to alternate options, like boxed lunches and local food ordering programs, to maintain a cleaner workplace.
A Harvard Business Study found that employees who feel their opinions are valued within an organization are less likely to quit.
While traditional platter catering for the office can accommodate large groups in a one-size-fits-all format, this method has drawbacks. This form of catering limits food choices to those available within the platter, restricting team members with religious or dietary restrictions or personal food preferences.
When halal, kosher, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and other needs aren’t accommodated, employees can feel excluded. It sends the message that the company doesn’t respect their needs.
A unique aspect of boxed lunch catering is its ability to account for individualized food choices, empowering employees to choose for themselves while still eating as a group.
In an increasingly environmentally conscious workforce, reducing food waste and climate change are becoming crucial parts of employee values.
A 2020 report found that 9 out of 10 employees experience negative emotions over food wasted in their workplaces on a daily basis.
While sandwich platters come with the ability to accommodate large groups, they also run the risk of leaving behind a lot of food waste—especially when you consider the dietary restrictions mentioned above.
Food waste can cost your company both financially and through employee morale when sustainability is an increasingly real concern for many people both in and out of work.
Boxed lunches offer an efficient solution to the problem of wasted food, as orders are chosen individually, allowing employees to order exactly the amount of food they need. This alternate form of catering can keep your catering costs low as well.
According to this 2021 survey by EY Canada, 54% of employees are willing to quit if they aren’t offered the flexibility they want.
Traditional buffet-style lunch platters often dictate when and where employees can eat their meals and what they consist of. This can leave employees feeling left out of the decision-making process, as it doesn’t consider individual dietary needs or personal preferences.
In contrast, modern food apps allow employees to order the food they prefer and eat it at their own pace. This flexibility empowers employees throughout the decision-making process, reaffirming that they’re valued members of the team.
More than ever, ensuring your employees feel valued is vital in attracting and retaining quality talent.
With employees expecting to return to a different kind of office than the one they experienced before and during the COIVD-19 pandemic, traditional office platter catering has lost its place as an office staple.
This has opened the door for alternative catering options, such as personalized boxed lunches, to accommodate your employees’ food needs while reaffirming their status as equal members of the team.
Ritual for Companies is an elegant solution to the problems posed by traditional food platters, making it easy to set up a food program that offers employees a convenient way to order boxed lunch meals—individually for pickup or as a group delivered to your meetings. Employees can choose from local restaurants with company-provided credits they can claim when and where they want.
