Paul Chambiras – Freelance Writer
Paul Chambiras – Freelance Writer
Introduction
Most companies these days will have a small kitchen or pantry conveniently located within each working floor of their office premises – its presence, and availability, are advantageous from several viewpoints:
Would you believe that the employee productivity in the workplace can be improved as much as 46%, by merely drinking the occasional cup of coffee or tea? This article will explain why having coffee & tea in the office kitchen improves productivity among employees – please read on!
The chances are that if the workplace does not provide any hot refreshments, or worse, what they do offer you would not give to your neighbours barking dog, then your workers will have to venture outside to the nearest and dearest coffee shop. That involves gathering the coffee/ tea drinking herd, walking over to the coffee shop proprietor, queuing and waiting in line to be served, sitting inside and drinking your bevvies – and then returning to the office. On average, this could take up to twenty five minutes, and if four of you perform this routine and twice a day as well? Ordering your caffeine fix from an online tea and coffee shop can save you time, however the lost working time, and loss in productivity, start to add up. Having instant or ground coffee, and tea bags, in the workplace kitchen provides accessibility; and this enables an employee to return to their workstations sooner rather than later after a coffee break.
Drinking the occasional mid-morning or afternoon coffee or tea with a valued workmate is excellent for work stress relief, and the perfect opportunity to have a quick laugh. This in turn creates a relaxed work atmosphere, and the mood of the work environment is positive and inducive to collaboration and efficiency.
Regardless of whether it is sharing the latest office gossip or interpreting the latest trends on the FTSE 350 index, the camaraderie spent on those ten to fifteen minutes together has been formally proven to increase not only work productivity, but employee growth potential, resulting in overall higher operating profits for the company.
Scientific proof shows that coffee & tea contain antioxidants and nutrients that boost your health and welfare. And I am sure we all know by now the health benefits of drinking green loose leaf tea. Coffee has also been proven to reduce the risk of certain diseases such as heart disease (especially with women) and Type 2 diabetes. Caffeine increases your metabolism, and it can improve your mood, helping your brain function more effectively and efficiently. Also, the physical motion of making and drinking a hot beverage can provide us with a much-needed workplace pause – especially when facing those fast approaching tight project deadlines.
The National Institute of Occupational Health in the U.S. conducted a study and found that drinking coffee shortly before working on a computer-based office assignment could provide a powerful pain-relieving effect. They also found that drinking approximately two cups of coffee per day can reduce muscle pain by just under 50%.
Therefore:
Ah, that dreaded afternoon slump… Anyone who has worked in the office environment knows that this phenomenon typically appears between two or three in the afternoon. Your eyelids start to feel heavy, you are finding it difficult to concentrate on that sudden email your manager just sent you, and you realise that you have been staring at your computer terminal for the last five minutes or so doing absolutely nothing. Your motivation is waning, and the countdown to knock-off time has commenced.
I am confident that this is the reason why the afternoon cup of tea was created! This is the best way to beat the afternoon slump and get that caffeine hit in (assuming you can tolerate drinking coffee or tea in the mid-afternoon). Both your morale and mood will improve, and the burst of motivational energy will prepare you for that late afternoon meeting with clients or senior management.
Offering positive work benefits can be beneficial with retaining loyal and high-performing staff, as well as attracting new talent to the workplace. Having coffee & tea available is one of those positive work perks that can improve the happiness levels of your staff, enabling them to maintain or increase their work output. By creating comfortable and encouraging work environments, managers are contributing positively to their employee well-being and satisfaction. A happy and satisfied worker will deliver productive work, and they will be less likely to leave – a low turnover rate means less hiring time and effort which in turn means reduced costs.
Wrapping it all up
A constructive work environment will naturally thrive over time. Positive emotions and well-being improve interpersonal relationships and contribute to increased collaboration and creativity. And the overall outcome will be increased productivity. The availability and accessibility of coffee and tea, by itself, will not increase the P&L margin on your financial reports – what it can provide, and what it can do, is be a stimulus to buffer against lethargy, bolster employee health, and enable them to bring out their best strengths. When an organisation can develop a prosperous work culture that achieves higher levels of organisational effectiveness, they, in turn, improve their customer’s satisfaction, financial performance and employee engagement.