Coffee is often the lifeblood of the workplace, and for good reason. Employees are working harder than ever to meet the demands of their businesses. One of the highlights of many people’s day can be their coffee, as it presents a chance to step away from their desk for a few minutes to decompress while they brew a fresh cup. It can be a time to catch up with coworkers, or to just take a couple of deep breathes to help get through the rest of the day – we’ve all been there!
One problem that coffee can sometimes present is the desire to head off-site to get it. While everyone deserves a break, a coffee run can turn into a longer excursion than expected, and cause issues for the business like missed deadlines or meetings. Here are a few ways you can keep your employees in the office for their coffee, instead of wanting to head to that local barista bar.
While it seems like the first thing to do, having great coffee in the office is often overlooked in favor of the budget-barrel of pre-ground beans. Simple switches like offering a variety of different coffee types and flavors can make a big impact on employee satisfaction. If you have a regular drip machine, there’s plenty of options in terms of freshly ground, vacuum-packed coffee.
You don’t have to go crazy, but offering more than a non-dairy creamer to employees can really help keep them happy. If you have a refrigerator in the break room, it’s easy to keep a container of half and half, and another of skim milk, or even non-dairy milk like almond milk. Having these on hand should cover most bases, and you can encourage folks to bring in their own specialty flavored creamers if they like. Employee satisfaction is all about communication, so ask what they want.
The fact is, not everyone actually drinks coffee on their coffee break. Some people opt for something fruity and fizzy when they head to the coffee shop. With many different sparkling water machine options, you can give those employees what they love, too. While something like the Bevi machine can be a big investment, it can be a huge perk for the people in your office. It provides a great alternative to soda that everyone can enjoy.
Like we said earlier, everyone deserves a break; however the business also deserves the time they are paying the employee for. Coffee runs lead to extended absences during the day, which leads to a lack of productivity. It can also cause intra-personnel issues, as those that don’t leave for coffee may feel like they aren’t getting the same number of breaks. Worse yet, they can follow suit, and you could end up with an empty office at 2 pm as everyone heads out for their cup of Joe!
All kidding aside, employee satisfaction is highly important, and having a great coffee and beverage offering can go a long way to keeping them happy, and on the premises!