Can Food Solve All Problems In The Workplace?

Maintaining employee morale can be a difficult task, especially with all the challenges facing small businesses. While there are many different ways that employees can be motivated and morale can be improved, one of the simplest is to offer food as a gift or thank you. This may represent an extra expense, but the benefits can be numerous.

Food is a basic need. Having someone provide it for us registers as a caring gesture, even at a subconscious level. The treat is not just about food; it is also a reward for finishing a key project or for a job well done and can provide employees from different areas of the business the opportunity to come together, socialize and celebrate.

Some Suggested Menu Choices

Consider scheduling a regular free food day.

Many companies have “Pizza Fridays” or specific days of the week where free food is provided for employees. It is always nice to schedule this at the end of a pay period when employees might be low on funds. And consider soliciting employee suggestions for the kind of meal they prefer. While it’s easy to call up and order a few pizzas, your employees may prefer something else. If it’s not a surprise, ask them to vote for the kind of menu offerings they would like. Having the ability to make their own selection and get excited about the choice may help boost their morale as well.

Food can be an effective alternative reward.

If a project is looming, employees can get a boost of motivation if they know they are going to receive something special for finishing on time and it does not always have to be money. Keep in mind that the size of the reward should match the size of the effort employees will be undertaking. If the project is large and you have the funds, a steak dinner would be appropriate. Smaller companies can use pizza or a free lunch.

Offer restaurant gift certificates to reward outstanding performance.

Employees who go above and beyond or have perfect attendance records can be rewarded with a gift certificate to a local restaurant. This is a tangible reward that most employees will appreciate, especially as they can share it with friends and family.

Surprise employees

Surprising employees with a free meal or treats when it is not expected is also a great way to boost morale in the workplace. If they are not expecting the gesture, it makes it all the more special to receive it.

Offer to foot the bill

If employees want to whip up a new recipe to share with their colleagues, have a pot luck or even a contest.

A Live Example

One of our clients used food to build camaraderie among departments. The company set and funded a budget and each department took turns bringing in or cooking breakfast every Friday. It became a friendly competition to see which department could stretch the dollars more or was the better cook. This activity increased communication and collaboration among the departments and improved overall company morale.

Well Fed Staff = Happy Employees = Engaged Employees

As we have mentioned, given the rapid pace of business and many demands on staff, maintaining employee morale can be a difficult task. The offer of a basic need, food, is a simple way to recognize good work, improve camaraderie and engagement and increase the sense of community in your organization. The best way to a happy employee may be through their stomach!

We Can Help

Insource’s HR consultants are professionals with industry-specific knowledge and experience who can help structure incentive and benefit programs and address HR matters such as employee engagement and morale. We offer general HR management services and these services are billed hourly so you can work with us as much or as little as you need. We talk with you about your business needs and challenges and can work with you to evaluate personnel policies and practices that may create risk for your company.

For more information, please contact Saleha Walsh, Director of the Human Resource Consulting Practice at 781-374-5103 or Sharon Stone, Director of Business Development, at 781-374-5109.