In our quest to understand the intricacies of productivity at work, we’ve looked at note-taking techniques, team-bonding activities, productivity solutions, and even office plants. Today, we’ll explore the humble office snack: a surprising candidate for workplace productivity.
DO OFFICE SNACKS PROMOTE PRODUCTIVITY?
If you have potato chips, donuts and cupcakes in mind — the answer is no. On the other hand, healthy snacks like nuts, dried fruit, and granola bars can revolutionize team efficiency at work.
#1 DIRECT IMPACT ON PRODUCTIVITY
Biologically-speaking, snacks provide our bodies with supplemental nutrition which — according to the World Health Organization — improves productivity by 20%. Practically-speaking, offering snacks at work directly improves productivity by reducing time wastage. Instead of visiting the nearest coffee shop or snack bar, employees can pop in and out of the pantry. Consequently, this increases the amount of time they spend at their desks and by extension, their time spent doing work.
#2 IMPROVING MORALE AND MOTIVATION
We tend to experience a dip in blood glucose levels in the late afternoon, thus feeling sluggish and unmotivated. However, healthy office snacks can supply the nutrients required to counter this lethargy. Snacks inject energy and keep employees happy since they have something to look forward to. In turn, happier employees are productivity boosters as they’re more cooperative, creative and quick-thinking.
#3 ATTRACTING FUTURE TALENT
An office that offers snacks is attractive to prospective talent, simply because it speaks volumes about a company’s work culture. Millennials are particularly attracted to jobs with in-office snacks, and employees of all ages have a higher rate of retention at offices with a healthy snack culture.
THE BEST SNACKS FOR YOUR OFFICE
The perfect office snack is accessible, convenient to eat, healthy and unobtrusive. What do we mean by unobtrusive? Clean, quiet and odorless (unless it smells good). Here are some great examples!
1: DRIED FRUIT
Dried fruit makes a great snack because it improves brain performance! Fruits induce elevated dopamine levels and introduce antioxidants into your body, leaving you feeling refreshed, alert and ready to get work done.
2: DARK CHOCOLATE
Dark chocolate is a more luxurious snack that you can use to boost team morale (everyone loves chocolate!) Just make sure to keep these treats refrigerated and avoid dark chocolates with artificial sugars.
3: A CUP OF GREEK YOGURT
Unsweetened Greek yogurt is full of protein, probiotics and vitamin B12. These keep you energized, boost your immunity and enhance brain function. Greek yogurt also contains tyrosine, a natural compound that boosts mood and behavior. This is perfect for improving your team performance and cohesiveness!
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!
Snacks are an underrated way to boost team productivity, improve employee morale and create an inclusive office culture. Besides, who doesn’t love a good snack?
