How to improve company culture, one meal at a time

Foodservice brand Sodexo is posing the intriguing question – “How can food help to improve company culture?

“Most employees would agree,” it says “that working from home was not always the perfect scenario. Research indicates key drawbacks, including difficulties around collaboration, problem resolution, lack of meaningful connection and increased loneliness. However, almost half of employees feel either indifferent or negative about returning to work.

“By learning from the issues of working from home, employers can entice their team back to the office, rather than making the next hybrid stage of work filled with apprehension. Workplace experience is key to a successful return.

“At the heart of culture is food – both at home and at work – and it’s a powerful tool in connecting people. Over lockdown, employees felt that one of the key benefits of working from home was the ability to eat more healthily. Repositioning food as the centrepiece to create shared moments of bonding will boost both morale and productivity in your workplace as employees will be taking active steps to help reset their minds and energy.

“How do companies learn from this?”

“Improve morale and employee satisfaction”

“A warm and welcoming office canteen becomes the hub of impromptu meetings and precipitates moments of employee connection. Assessing whether your canteen enables this is an essential part of optimising your employee food experience. Different seating types with large communal tables for teams through to small pods for more confidential catch-ups will ensure your canteen is appealing to all and used throughout the day, becoming a positive workplace feature.

“Make food a focal point of the office experience”

“While many of us turned a new leaf to ‘eat healthy’ during lockdown, others have indicated that their diets became repetitive, whilst primary carers also noted fatigue with the demands of feeding a household many more meals than usual. As we look at how to excite teams on their return to the office, Sodexo is committed to providing a varied, exciting food selection throughout the day. Leading corporations have already taken on board these changes with new programmes to offer takeaway meals that can be heated when arriving back home from the office.

“Feed your team well”

“Emphasis on health has significantly increased over the last year, and ensuring employees can make healthy choices for main meals and snacks is imperative. This does not only apply to office workers but also within the manufacturing environment where physical stamina is essential.

“Employee retention”

“A well-fed workforce is less likely to start looking elsewhere. Particularly among recent generations, health and nutrition is a growing priority. Offering fresh, quality food in the workplace will attract prospective employees, retain talent, reduce turnover rates and inspire other health-oriented activities such as regular exercise.

“Offer flexibility”

Rigid traditions don’t fit within the modern workplace culture – flexibility is king. While communal meals will always have a place, food services must cater to the ever-changing needs of an agile workforce without compromising on quality, by making meals and snacks available throughout the day.

“Inclusive workplace”

“Company food should reflect the diversity of your team and should be influenced and guided by them. Whether you are in Laragh or London, a company should not presume peoples’ preferences. The importance of religious requirements and nutritional needs like dairy, wheat-free, veganism or vegetarianism remain key to unlocking the inclusive power of food.

“Why is food so important right now in shaping company culture?”

“The changes we are transitioning through have altered the trajectories of millions of corporations as well as the lives of individuals. With many employees working remotely and a vastly increased amount of time spent at home, we can contextualise workplace changes in terms of a more significant human value shift, especially regarding food culture.

“Here is a snapshot of current employee priorities at work:”

“Sustainability – 94% of consumers feel it’s important for industries and retailers to reduce their plastic packaging.

“Speed and convenience – 61% are interested in purchasing products that save time and effort.

“Health & Wellbeing – consumers are increasingly making choices that align with their identity and morals.

“Employees are more in tune than ever with how they want to work and what’s important to them in their working environment. There is also an increased expectation around what workplaces can offer. Companies who understand this are using best-in-class technology to make food faster and more personalised and are enabling flexible options that keep employees safe and well fuelled.”