Workplace Gold, Snacks, and Alcohol For All

Who doesn’t love a surprise cheese platter? What about build your own s’mores? A simple fruit tray? Chances are your employees would love to have some snacking options around the office (even if they are minimal options.) How could some simple snacks up your workday productivity? Great question! Check the words below for details on workplace gold.

 

Benefits of workplace snacks

Bringing the occasional surprise snack, or scheduling a set day for snacks can really boost your workplace morale to another level. Some benefits of workplace snacks include, but are not limited to:

• Camaraderie: people have been bonding over food for centuries
• Increased productivity: snacks+people who are excited for snacks+brownies= grand levels of work productivity.
• Less sick days off due to illness: offering immune system boosting snacks during peak illness seasons can lessen the sick day load.
• Brownies, warm half-baked mostly gooey brownies.

 

Bringing the occasional surprise snack, or scheduling set days can really boost your workplace moral. Click To Tweet

 

What to bring

We have compiled a series of snacks, that are sure to have your employees in the snack eating heightened work productivity mood:

• Veggies: Bring a plate of vegetables in with some healthy dipping options. We’re in Nebraska so….ranch. 
  
• Fruits: Pre-cut fruits or berries (strawberries, apples, pineapple etc…)
• Cheese plate: Assorted cheeses will blow your lactose-friendly employees’ minds (offer an equally exciting snack for those with lactose health related issues.)
• Light popcorn: An easy crowd pleaser that (when not burnt) makes the workplace smell like a movie theatre!
• Trail mix: Set up a make your own trail mix bar, obviously include many M&Ms as those are the only edible part of trail mix.

In a recent study conducted by Staples, results found that employees want healthy snacks, such as nuts and granola bars 57% of the time, compared to chips, cookies or candy 10%.

Supplying vats of coffee and assorted creamers, is another way to keep employees happy and alert. Over 57% of employees say they need at least two cups of coffee to feel productive and alert. Coffee has become a more and more vital part of the employee’s day. You’re probably already offering this but have you added cocoa for the holiday season? Or how about some fancy teas? Supplying unlimited water can really boost the wellbeing of your employees attitudes. Have a quick company “eatin’ meetin’” which is a weekly snack break where employees can talk about their week.

 

“It’s no secret that not drinking enough water can have a negative impact on your health. Even setting aside long term health effects like kidney damage and seizures, dehydration can cause more immediate problems like headaches, fatigue, joint pain, inability to concentrate, nausea, vomiting, and memory loss.” -Yakima Worker Care

 

What not to bring

You’re probably thinking this shouldn’t be a subhead, well you’re wrong, here’s why:

There are many ways you can mess up this snack bringing business:

• Allergies
• Religious restrictions
• Health restrictions/Intolerances
• People may simply not like what you like (Prune juice? How old are you? 7,000?)

Send around a survey, ask your employees to anonymously detail any food allergies, dietary restrictions both religious and health-related. Many people have peanut allergies so keep this in mind when bringing snacks to the workplace.

Once you have completed this survey, start thinking of some ideas! Maybe incorporate a favorite snack/food question on the survey. Cycle through everyone’s favorites. This will not only make your employees feel included, but it will also show them you care about them.

 

Special occasions = Pull out all of the stops (shrimp cocktail)

 

“I could not live without Champagne. In victory, I deserve it. In defeat, I need it.” – Winston Churchill

Hey, if Churchill needs it, so do we, and so do your employees.

Throwing an office party and/or celebration? Do not take the snack considerations lightly. Chances are your employees care less about the decorations, and more about the grub. Consider really treating your employees at the next workplace celebration. We’ve offered some tips listed below but, as always, you should probably ask your employees what they would really want.

 

Consider treating your employees at the next workplace celebration. Read some tips on how to do so! Click To Tweet

 

• Sushi: This one is a more expensive option, and is totally dependent upon whether your staff likes it or not. However, sushi lovers will thank you for this nod to Japanese culture.
• Get everyone’s favorite food truck to make a stop in the company parking lot, gyros for everyone!
• Shrimp cocktails: Make sure you de-turd them. Thanks, Tommy Boy.
• Consider bringing alcohol to workplace celebrations. This can lighten up your staff, allowing them to enjoy a few (seriously, a few) cocktails. If you do decide to incorporate some alcoholic beverages consider this list of best practices before jumping on that boat:
  • Set a drink maximum: Whether it be 2 or 3 let your employees know this isn’t an opportunity to set a world record for “world’s drunkest employee.” Meredith from the hit television series The Office has that record set.
  • Conduct a meeting providing guidelines on workplace appropriateness in the presence of alcohol.

“Whether you drink on a regular basis or just on special occasions, the manner in which you drink takes on an entirely different connotation when you involve colleagues.” – Richie Frieman, Modern Manners Guy, Quick and Dirty Tips

Now that you’ve got a couple of ideas to kick start your workplace snack fest, put together some ideas of your own. Send out some surveys, ask your employees what snacks they would love to see appear every so often. Create a calendar marking when and where snacks will make their grand entrance. Once you have got all of the scheduling done you are ready to pop those snack puppies into the workplace.