George Rouse, owner and executive chef at George’s Kitchen, provides the benefits of organising a team breakfast can have for your business, as well as your employees’ wellbeing.
Having been continually told ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’, the phrase may have lost its meaning. However, breakfast should amount to 20 to 35 per cent of your daily nutrition and is therefore vital to kick start your metabolism and energy levels for the day. It has been estimated that a quarter of the population are skipping this important meal and replacing it with a quick coffee. Consequently, productivity levels in the workplace are dropping.
An increasing trend some employers are implementing into their business is team breakfasts, to encourage their employees to start their day in the right way. Here is a list of some of the benefits businesses can experience when organising a team breakfast.
Morale Boost
The main benefit of having a group breakfast is that it encourages your team to bond over delicious food, which will inevitably strengthen relationships in the workplace. Being able to socialise at work will also improve communication throughout the team and potentially the business as a whole. Members of different teams within the business will have the opportunity to speak to others who they may not necessarily get to on a daily basis. Not only will this allow staff to discuss different ideas in a relaxed environment, but it could reduce stress levels, preparing staff for the working day.
Time saving
Although a team breakfast can eat into working hours, it could save your employees time in the long run. Firstly, it will reduce the time workers spend snacking throughout the day, as well as increasing productivity, so that from the moment they sit down to work they are in the right frame of mind to get things started and ensure results for your business. In fact, it has been estimated that skipping breakfast can cost employees 82 minutes out of their working day, due to lack of focus. If breakfast is provided, this time would be used effectively, rather than wasted.
“Breakfast should amount to 20 to 35 per cent of your daily nutrition and is therefore vital to kick start your metabolism and energy levels for the day.”
Another way of saving time is to offer ‘grab and go’ options for breakfast, instead of a compulsory sit-down meal. For example, alternatives for employees with a rather busy schedule could include mixed savoury or sweet muffins and homemade granola pots, which can all be eaten on the go.
Healthy staff – healthy business
Starting the day with a nutritious breakfast can improve the overall health and well-being of your staff. Breakfast can supply nutrients, vitamins and minerals, as well as preventing them from eating snacks, which only further contributes to a healthy lifestyle and diet.
A recent study carried out by the School of Psychology at Cardiff University found that those who skip breakfast have an increased likelihood of being ill. Feeding employees with a breakfast packed with fresh nutrients will help to eliminate the chances of colds and flu, improving their annual attendance.
Mixing things up
For many, breakfast can become repetitive for employees if they eat the same thing every day. Offering them breakfast will give them the opportunity to try dishes they may not usually have the time to make every day.
