Highlight the importance of a lunch break with the Micro Market.
It seems as though the lunch break could be key to employee wellbeing and productivity in the workplace. That’s according to Compass Group, the world’s leading food services company, and global market intelligence agency Mintel.
With UK employees believed to take just 33 minutes per day on average for their main lunch break, let’s explore how the Express Refreshments Micro Market could bring focus back to what is an important part of the working day.
How our lunch break compares around the world
Firstly, it’s important to see how our lunch break compares to other nations around the world.
Compass Group’s Global Eating at Work Survey, conducted only last summer in 2023, found that the average time for a proper lunch break varied from 54 minutes in China, to just 20 minutes in Poland.
As previously mentioned, the UK sits somewhere in between, at 33 minutes.
Just like the coffee break, the lunch break provides a great opportunity for staff to rest, recharge and even collaborate. And just like the coffee break, business leaders must recognise these advantages and change their perception of staff taking time out for lunch.
Instead, in its current state, it is thought that 48% of UK employees working five days a week won’t always take a lunch break.
The Micro Market, with 24/7 access, encourages staff to take a lunch break whenever is most convenient to them.
Better facilities lead to a better lunch break
Obviously, if business leaders aren’t providing sufficient facilities on-site, then employees won’t feel inclined nor encouraged to take a lunch break.
On the other hand, employers who invest in quality breakout areas and food and drink offerings can positively influence the productivity and wellbeing of their workforce.
This is demonstrated by employees, themselves.
- 70% of UK workers believe it’s important that their company provides adequate facilities that encourage rest and recharge.
- 73% of UK workers said that taking regular, meaningful lunch breaks makes them more productive in their role.
- 82% said that regular break times throughout the day was key to enhanced creativity.
The survey also found that younger generations, that is Gen Z and Millennials, appear to be much more inclined to want facilities for a lunch break at work.
In fact, it was found that these generations cite the mental health benefits above all else, with opportunities for socialising with colleagues deemed important to them.
What remains parallel across all age groups, however, is that eating and drinking remains the top priority when it comes to a lunch break.
With fresh food, healthy snacks, tasty treats and more available from the Micro Market, food and drink options are far more plentiful than alternative refreshment solutions.
Tapping into the social aspect of the lunch break
Research shows that employees are significantly more likely to socialise and network with colleagues during breaks if they are provided with food and drink facilities at work.
The more advanced the food offer provided, the stronger this trend becomes.
For example, in workplaces with an advanced food offering, 70% of workers chose to eat lunch with colleagues.
In contrast, when no food and drink facilities are provided, just 38% interact with colleagues during break time and nearly 50% choose to eat alone.
When you look at the Micro Market, a personalised “refreshment hub” for the workplace that can be intertwined with a grand breakout area, it is the perfect set up to interact and collaborate with colleagues.
Some of our most recent installations, particularly since Covid-19 when business leaders have recognised how the Micro Market can boost company culture, are central to fabulous breakout areas that really represent what the modern workplace can be.
The current state of refreshment facilities in the workplace
Despite the obvious benefits to a break time at work, not all business leaders understand the value.
Indeed, only 24% of UK employers currently provide a staff restaurant on-site, while more than a third (37%) of UK workers say their workplace doesn’t have a suitable breakout area for them to relax and recharge.
If business leaders still want to try and attract more people back to the office during a time when employees have settled into a home and hybrid work model, investing in the workplace will remain a good opportunity.
The Micro Market symbolises the latest trends in workplace design, in line with what employees expect from the premises.
Access to a range of quality refreshments, automatically topped up as part of a reliable service, is enhanced further with breakout areas that significantly enhance company culture.
Think flat screen TV’s, comfy booth seating, recycling facilities, individual work pods, and so much more.
Experience a better lunch break with the Micro Market
The Micro Market continues to grow in popularity, presenting a refreshing approach to taking break times and lunch breaks on the premises.
Staff can grab-and-go with what they need without being required to leave site, or they can relax and unwind with colleagues in their own breakout area.
Self-service functionality makes browsing and checkout a breeze, and the personalised facility built from the ground up is a great way to improve company culture.
If you’re looking to improve employee wellbeing through the simple reintroduction or refinement of the age-old lunch break at work, talk to our team about how the Micro Market can work for your business.
- 01922 640777
- general@expressrefreshments.co.uk
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!