The importance of providing on-site amenities and perks, such as free or discounted meals, is greater than ever. Especially as companies look for ways to both encourage employees to come back into the office and boost productivity, collaboration and engagement.
Here are the top four advantages of serving up free or discounted meals for companies.
Get more workers to return to the office
A 2022 survey of 1,000 workers conducted by ezCater found that the majority of respondents — 65% — say they would come to work on-site if free lunch were available, with nearly 1 in 4 reporting that they’d come back to the office full time if free meals were offered.
Boost employee performance and company culture
Offering free or subsidized meals — whether through shared catered meals or through dining vouchers — is one way to encourage colleagues to take a break during the day and share a meal together, both of which have been found to be beneficial for business outcomes.
Researchers at Cornell University discovered that employees dining together can offer several upsides for employers — one being an uplift in worker productivity. Cornell researchers also found that teams who dine together can unlock another benefit: more team bonding time. Covering the cost of meals for employees could lead to untapped organizational benefits.
Enhance employee satisfaction, recruitment and retention
Cultivating top talent is a competitive advantage. That’s why subsidizing or covering the cost of employees’ meals can be a strategic move that can pay off. In fact, not only has offering free food been shown to result in gains in employee satisfaction, employee benefits are a deciding factor when team members explore whether to leave or stay at a job.
A Forbes survey of employed workers and employers found that 40% of employers say their people leave when they’re able to find a role that offers better employee benefits.
Improve worker well-being
The “Power of Lunch” study found that taking lunch breaks helps with employee well-being in a variety of ways — including reducing stress and burnout for about 40% of workers and lifting the mood and mental clarity of almost 50% of workers.
Want to Offer Free or Subsidized Dining for Your Team?
Our on-site dining operators can put together a flexible, customized meal or snack subsidy program tailored to your company’s specific needs to help you:
- Attract and retain top talent
- Engage and reward your on-site employees with a special perk
- Celebrate company and team milestones
- Surprise and delight colleagues during team meetings
Our team can help you with:
- Subsidized dining plans, such as offering 50% off meals, $15 daily meal allowances and more
- Catering services for team meetings for celebrations or everyday breakfasts, lunches and snacks, with everything you need delivered to the right location and customized to your needs
- Pop-up treat services: Get a pop-up snack station offering special beverages or snacks, tailored to your budget and theme, just for your group
Set Up Your Customized Dining Subsidy Program Today
For more information about dining subsidy offerings or to get started creating a program for your company, email us at [email protected] or contact your on-site cafe / restaurant at your Irvine Company Office Property.
