Employee well-being and comfort are focal points for many employers. We looked further into what makes employees happy and keeps them motivated with a short survey sent to our clients and their staff. After all, creating an enjoyable work environment and understanding what employees value as work perks is important for attracting and retaining top talent! Keep reading to learn more about what our respondents value when it comes to working in an office. Hint: food perks is an important one.
What people value about going into the office
The COVID- 19 pandemic and the changes we had to adapt to during lockdown not only had an impact on our daily lives but also on our working habits. Some of the changes continue to remain permanent, such as working from home. We wanted to learn more about what would make employees want to go back to the office and how to encourage them to do so.
We asked what people value the most about going into the office and a staggering 80% of our respondents said they value the enhanced collaboration between teams that occurs in person. 78% of respondents value face-to-face meetings as well as 78% value meeting new employees in person. Last but certainly not least, 69% of employees value having some type of office perk available to them at the office.
Work perks
Having extra perks available to employees when they come into the office can significantly increase their motivation to come in. We asked users in our survey specifically about food perks at the office and 83% of our respondents agreed that having a subsidised lunch was definitely an incentive for them.
In the current cost of living crisis, having a meal at work can make a huge difference in employees’ finances and how they manage their spending. 74% agreed that a subsidised lunch helps them manage their living costs. Many also pointed out that they value saving on home energy bills when coming to the office. Additionally, as much as 88% agreed that it’s important to have easy access to healthy meals at work, and 64% agreed that having employers provide food at work is the new norm.
Another component that is important for our users is supporting independent businesses. 67% agreed that it’s important that their employer prioritises supporting local businesses.
If you’re an employer looking to incentivize your employees to return to the office at least one day a week, one of the best ways to get started is to offer subsidised lunches through our Cloud Canteen service. Our Cloud Canteen offers sustainable office catering with plenty of healthy meal choices. This will give your employees one less thing to worry about and will help them get through the afternoon slump we all struggle with.
