Coffee is now the beverage of choice in the British workplace and it has become an integral part of workplace culture. The phrase “let’s have a cup of coffee” has come to mean “let’s have a conversation”.
Many companies are still enduring a period of austerity and applying salary freezes, it is proving hard to motive staff to increase productivity and wellbeing. Coffee breaks offer a moment of ‘downtime’ which helps to bring colleagues together and often provides an outlet for dealing with the stresses of the workplace. A study of public workers in Denmark undergoing a large-scale merger found that the workers stress was relieved by forming “communities of coping” during coffee breaks with co-workers. These communities allowed for social interaction with fellow employees, allowing them to share both professional opinions and personal frustrations with their work.
Having a cup of coffee in the workplace with your colleagues may also create a space where new ideas are born. Conversations are struck up organically at the coffee machine and creativity is encouraged. People tend to exchange opinions by simply chatting over a cup of something hot.
Did you know that 35% of workers find themselves to be more productive with coffee? It is amazing to hear what a cup of coffee can do for your employees, throughout the work day. When working in a team environment, it helps them relax and focus, thereby raising motivation and performance. This means that your employees will want to work harder because coffee helps them do just that. Not only will you be getting a happy worker, but a productive one too.
Science also backs up this theory. Authority Nutrition suggests that coffee increases energy levels, helps people feel less tired and makes them happy. Coffee releases more dopamine and increases blood flow to the brain and can improve the many brain functions while fighting depression. Aside from the benefits to productivity in the workplace, some research suggests that coffee can lower the risk of several health diseases including some cancers, strokes and Parkinson’s.
“Caffeine has been used to improve exercise performance for decades; with plenty of scientific data to show that it reduces fatigue and gives a ‘lift’ during aerobic exercise”
It is now commonplace to have coffee machines in offices across the UK and around the globe. It is one of the most popular beverages. Coffee is in fact the second most valuable traded commodity after oil. Britons are progressively replacing their traditional favourite cup of tea with coffee, there must be a reason, or most likely more than one.
People can no longer live without their mug of coffee, be it americano, espresso, mocha, cappuccino or latte. Therefore, imagining a workplace without coffee is a nightmare for devoted drinkers. Recent studies revealed that employees think that high quality coffee offered by employers is an important workplace perk, proving that the company cares about its workers.
Having a coffee machine in your office is of great importance to staff and company moral. It increases productivity and maintains a healthy work environment. So why not do away with tins of coffee and tea bags and replace with a quick efficient and aromatic bean to cup machine.
So fire up the coffee machine, embrace the morning mocha and watch your productivity and profits soar.
