Food plays a significant role in influencing Employee Engagement and Retention in today's workplaces!
Nicolas BEHBAHANI
Global People Analytics & HR Data Leader - People & Culture | Strategical People Analytics Design
🍗 Attraction new talent and retaining best ones : Food can be the answer!
💡 Not to mention, one in four business leaders plan to increase in-office days for employees in 2025 so It's not surprising that food drives business results !
📈 88% of business leaders say providing food encourages employees to work on-site.
🚀 Food powers higher-quality work, enhances employee engagement, and serves as an attractive recruitment and retention tool.
⏰ Free food at work saves employees considerable time and money, making them feel more positive about their company.
🎯 More corporate orderers are including food on job listings and career pages, according to a new interesting research published by ezCater using data from surveys of more than 2,800 employees (four key groups) in 600 workplace during first half of 2024.
✅Food continues to be a potent tool for encouraging on-site participation.
📣 Researchers have observed that a significant 88% of business leaders believe that offering food motivates employees to work on-site, a sentiment echoed by hybrid employees.
Indeed, 67% of hybrid workers affirm that the availability of free food is an incentive for them to work in person.
Employer-provided food drives more value at a lesser cost compared to other workplace perks like education and wellness benefits.
✅Food spend is up, but the future of cafeterias is uncertain
Researchers observed that with an increase in employees working onsite, there is a corresponding rise in corporate spending on workplace food, with 53% of corporate orderers reporting higher expenditures.
Furthermore, 26% of those in charge of cafeteria services anticipate the phasing out of cafeterias, while 62% are of the opinion that flexible food options for employees should take their place.
✅Food is still the most appreciated work perk
Researchers discovered that while free food certainly encourages on-site attendance, it can also be a huge influence on employee satisfaction. Nearly 90% of employees said that free food makes them feel more positively about their company.
Employer-provided food drives more value at a lesser cost compared to other workplace perks like education and wellness benefits.
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✅Offering food perks can be an attractive benefit for new employees.
Researchers have observed that food is becoming increasingly significant in employee retention. According to reports, the importance of food in maintaining a stable workforce is on the rise.
✅Providing food continues to yield a significant Return On Investment for employers.
This research found that food is not merely influential; it serves as a potent and economical method to incentivize employees.
📈 Among employers who provide food to promote on-site collaboration, 88% report that attendance surges by at least 50% when food is offered, thereby advancing business objectives.
➡️ Researchers have determined that food is the corporate perk employees can't seem to get enough of, and for businesses, it offers some of the best value for the investment.
☝️ 𝙈𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬:
This interesting research underscores an increasingly popular retention and attraction strategy for employers amid the return to office mandates and the hybrid work environment. It's noteworthy that providing food perks can be a compelling benefit for new employees, with office attendance surging by at least 50% when food is offered, thus advancing business objectives.
As voluntary turnover remains a challenge for businesses, those offering complimentary food are gaining a competitive advantage.
Have you ever thought of Food as a powerful retention and attraction tool?
🙏 ezCater researchers team for these insightful findings:
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Industry Veteran | Exploring Future of Work | Great Manager’s Coach & Mentor
3mo🙏 Nicolas BEHBAHANI for sharing. 🧞♀️Today, collaboration is crucial, & food can be a fantastic catalyst. Shared meals create opportunities for informal interactions, breaking down silos & encouraging cross-departmental teamwork (as seen in the Hawthorne experiments). 🍅 Most important- satwik food, can strengthen gut-health & so productivity. 🎯Free food saves employees’ time & money, acting as a motivator, though it’s considered a basic factor according to Herzberg’s theory. ❓FOOD - F - Foster social interactions, need variety for all generations. O - Optimize gut-health with satwik food O - Offer time & cost savings D - Drive motivation & productivity. PS: In olden times, food was part of the work.
Human Resource Professional | MBA | Coporate Recruiting Professional- ASA | Ex-Wirtgen Group,A John Deere Company
3moVery intriguing research! In today’s competitive landscape, where companies vie for top talent and navigate hybrid work models, using food as a strategic tool offers a unique approach to enhancing organizational culture and employee satisfaction. It’s a fantastic perk that can help bring employees back to the office, even for just three days a week. To maximize this investment, companies should weave food perks into a broader employee experience strategy. Imagine turning lunch hours into “collaboration hours,” where employees from different departments connect and share ideas over a meal, fostering cross-functional innovation. Food can do more than satisfy hunger—it can break down silos, build connections, and ignite creativity, playing a pivotal role in redefining workplace culture in the hybrid era. Organizations that view food not just as a perk but as a platform for engagement will set the standard for cultivating a connected and motivated workforce. Thank you for sharing this valuable insight!
Product Development 🔱 | Project Management📋| Operations Management ⚓| Continuous Improvement📊 | Truck radial tire🛞
4moYour breakdown of the ezCater research offers a compelling case for the power of food in the modern workplace. What particularly stood out to me was the striking statistic that 88% of business leaders believe providing food encourages on-site work, with 67% of hybrid workers confirming this sentiment. This alignment between leadership perception and employee reality is noteworthy. I appreciate how you've highlighted the multifaceted benefits of providing food at work - from driving higher-quality work and enhancing engagement to serving as a recruitment and retention tool. The fact that free food makes 90% of employees feel more positive about their company is a powerful testament to its impact on workplace culture. A point for further discussion could be the potential drawbacks or challenges of relying heavily on food as a workplace perk. For instance, how can companies ensure they're meeting diverse dietary needs and preferences? Your personal view on this being a retention and attraction strategy amid return-to-office mandates is particularly insightful. Thank you for sharing this valuable research, Nicolas BEHBAHANI!
Facilities Administrator -Aramex
4moInteresting 🆙 Am one of those who love to eat and sharing my food with people around even if the company doesn’t offer it, specially those who are working together, it creates a warm environment and vibes, so i believe it would be a plus perk to everyone to enjoy these kind of gatherings! My sister is working in such a place who offered breakfast & lunch and always she is having fun with her coworkers and that increased her ability to love food more than before ✌️😅
Lead consultant in HR Strategy & Value Management. Enhancing Value through Human Performance. Delivery of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Training. Lecturer and International Speaker on HRM and Value Management.
4moLike Dave Ulrich - I see this as just another perk (one of many). Given that one of the main perks of not going into the office would seem to be the need not to have to travel to and from work (saving time), together with the cost of commuting, I am surprised that the research shows that this one perk has had such a big influence on retention, recruitment and engagement. An interesting piece of research Nicolas - but I am a little sceptical in regard to the findings. However, what has come out of this, for me, is the need to research whether employers intend to increase the days in office next year.