Ten years ago, the lunch hour in offices around the world looked very different. Nearly every employee was either heading out to nearby restaurants or bringing their own lunch from home. However, the recent trend of companies providing free lunches is increasingly becoming the norm.
Free lunch is no longer just a “perk,” and the boosts for culture, morale, and productivity are elevating it to a benefit like health care.
Think about it – benefits and perks are provided by leadership and HR not because they want to be ‘nice’. Take medical care for example: “going in” as a company means HR can negotiate better rates with insurance providers and simplify choices, instead of letting each employee fend for themselves and spend hours reading through complex plans. This means many hours saved collectively and employees can focus on their jobs and helping their teams.
Similarly, not only does free lunch increase employee productivity (no more fighting lunch-rush crowds!) it also helps team building, culture, and recruiting efforts. It creates a competitive advantage for recruiting by building a culture that outsiders want to be a part of. Google is famous for standardizing free lunch in Silicon Valley, and for one specific theory: keeping employees on-campus during lunch meant people from different teams were more likely to have “spontaneous encounters,” which would bore better, creative ideas that benefit the business.
What your HR Team can do
If you aren’t yet providing lunch, you should consider it! It can start as little as one day a week at a reasonable cost: your employees aren’t expecting luxurious feasts. If budget is tight, start with pizza or sandwiches until you can get momentum built up for the CFO’s buy-in. For some companies, breakfast or early dinner may work as well, and some companies even provide simple snacks during “afternoon tea.”
And if your company already provides lunch, make sure you’re getting maximum ROI by being thoughtful about the intent and crafting the experience for your employees.
Establish some basic rules and expectations (e.g. not starting until 12)
Announce what you’re doing and explain the benefits. Emphasize that it is entirely optional but everyone is welcome, and ask to avoid scheduling meetings during lunch hour.
Tap your leaders and managers to take part – target a few key influencers to join – and the rest of the team will follow their lead
Consider introducing icebreaker – a little bit of structure can help people a lot
Experiment! Choose a goal and try out different things until you find the thing that works. Is the vibe lacking in liveliness? Try playing some light background music. Are people sitting with the same friends every day? Experiment with some randomizers, like splitting tables by birthday month or hobbies.
Final thoughts
So, don’t discount free lunches as just another perk – the real meat of the benefit comes in the form of competitive advantages in recruiting, as well as the space for creativity, collaboration, and authenticity. Just don’t forget to offer some vegetarian options, too!
Enjoy the experience!
Yours Truly,
The BizandLove Lady!