Employee happiness is a critical component of business success. The most obvious benefit is the increase in productivity, as proven by research. Better productivity is directly linked to greater profits.
But, that’s not the only benefit of employee happiness. Happy employees are less likely to leave for other jobs. That saves on time and funds recruiting and training new workers. It also boosts loyalty and morale, improving productivity even further.
Why Free Snacks & Drinks
You may think that providing plenty of vacation time or a great retirement scheme would be better. However, while these are nice benefits and generally appreciated by staff. They are only appreciated periodically.
When you offer free snacks and drinks in the workplace your staff see them every day. There are few better ways of reminding your staff how great it is to work for you.
Of course, you may be concerned about the cost of supplying free snacks. The good news is that it’s the availability that counts. Staff will eat them but in the majority of cases staff still consume food in moderation. It really is the fact that free snacks are available that makes the difference.
Research suggests that, when staff have access to snacks, 67% of employees are extremely happy at work. In contrast, when staff don’t have access the rate of extremely happy staff drops to 56%.
The simple fact is that many Millennials expect snacks to be available at work for free. You’re simply catering to that expectation and potentially attracting employees in the process. As a business, you’re showing your commitment to your employees, which encourages them to commit right back.
The Right Snacks
You should offer an array of snacks but it’s a good idea to offer more healthy snacks than anything else. It’s also a good idea to change the snacks regularly, it helps employees to be excited about coming to work. Free snacks and the chance to try different things are surprisingly attractive options.
Don’t forget that drinks are as important as snacks. Traditionally many businesses have supplied tea and coffee but you need to go a step further. An array of soft drink options, including fresh juice, sodas, and even filtered water should be considered essential.
Top Tip: If you’re opting for filtered water the sensible approach is to use a water filter fitted to your water supply. This will give your employees the best quality water at very little cost to you. You’ll be surprised at how little this costs. Take a look at Clean and Clearwater for the best psi water filters online.
If you’re in any doubt then try it for a week. Free snacks encourage employees to stay in the office and talk to each other. That improves morale and creates a better working environment where ideas can be truly shared.
You can even take this a step further by offering a full-stocked bar for one hour at the end of the working week. You’ll be surprised at how much gets done during that hour!
