Posted by
Sara on
Friday, December 13th, 2013 with
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Especially during the holidays, many companies throw lavish parties to celebrate, build social bonds, and show appreciation for their hard-working employees. The wine flows freely, the frocks are festive, and fun ensues. Of course, there’s always the added stress of keeping any inebriated employees away from the copy machine and crossing your fingers that no one gets the inspired idea of roasting the boss!
However, not every business can afford extravagant menus, open bars, or even the time it takes to plan and execute a soiree… but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate with your team! Show your appreciation for your staff’s hard work with a festive — but feasible — office breakfast. Make it an occasion to remember with our five tips for hosting a successful office breakfast:
Provide a time & place for your staff to celebrate together. Image source: flickr user Pioneer Library System
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Posted by
Sara on
Thursday, December 12th, 2013 with
3 Comments
When confronted with a lengthy to-do list and packed calendar at work, people often make a potentially disastrous choice: they’ll just work through lunch. Grabbing a quick “meal” from a vending machine or the closest fast-food chain and absent-mindedly shoveling it down while you work may seem like a time-saver, but most industrial-organizational psychologists (that is, psychologists specializing in the workplace) maintain that lunch breaks actually boost productivity.
Eating lunch at your desk can increase stress and decrease productivity. Image source: flickr user slworking2
The experts may agree, but Americans aren’t listening. According to some estimates, only one-third of American workers take a real lunch break most days of the week. The other two-thirds either eat at their desk, or even skip lunch altogether. But why is the typical working lunch bad for us? And how can we change the unhealthy habit without adding hours to the workday?
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Sara on
Wednesday, December 11th, 2013 with
4 Comments
This is definitely a Pinterest-worthy break room. Image source: flickr user kristiewells
“Break rooms are a place where employees can step out of the work zone without stepping out of the office.”
– Neil Jenson
The office break room has the potential to be either the most popular place or the saddest space in the workplace. We all know the telltale signs of depressing break rooms: sticky, poorly-stocked kitchenettes, glaring overhead lights, uncomfortable folding chairs, and tattered, months-old copies of trade publications that pass for reading material. Are you ready to head straight back to your desk in defeat?
It doesn’t have to be this way, nor should it. Break rooms are intended to be welcoming and relaxing spaces where employees feel comfortable, can strengthen social bonds, and relieve stress during the workday. It’s becoming increasingly important for employees to find respite within their work space. As workers continue to spend more and more hours at their jobs, having that space to take a brief break is becoming even more valuable to their overall performance.
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Posted by
Sara on
Tuesday, December 10th, 2013 with
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Green tea is a better choice for a caffeine fix. Image source: flickr user vordichtung
We’ve all seen it. It’s mid-day at the office, and everyone’s energy is dropping. Employees are reaching for their third or fourth coffee and a sugary muffin to get through the rest of the day. Unfortunately, this boost will only lead to another crash later in the afternoon.
Does this sound familiar? If you’re looking to improve efficiency and energy levels at the office, don’t send out a memo or buy a bigger coffee pot. Healthier snacks can help employees get through the day with energy to spare. We’ve collected seven of the best brain foods that are easy to incorporate into the company breakroom. These natural brain-function boosters may improve memory, focus, concentration — and employee morale.
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Posted by
Sara on
Monday, December 9th, 2013 with
2 Comments
A time-honored tradition: the holiday office party. Image courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives, flickr user iCrossing.
Each December, businesses small and large face the challenge of an ubiquitous tradition: the office holiday party. Although intended to boost morale and celebrate success, the lucky employees who plan these annual soirees know that combining work and play can be tricky. Especially during the busy Christmas season, many employees’ calendars are already overbooked, and expectations will run especially high to make the party a success.
Nowhere are the stakes higher than the holiday party menu. A steady supply of food and drink is crucial, and our holiday party menu tips will help you craft an exciting spread while pleasing all kinds of palates.
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Posted by
Sara on
Friday, December 6th, 2013 with
4 Comments
Workplace dining may not get any better — or buzzier — than the cuisine served up daily at the Google campus in Mountain View, California. Its collection of approximately 20 on-site employee cafes are legendary, with their five-star chefs and health-conscious ethos extolled by media outlets from CNN and The New York Times to Gourmet magazine. By now, we’ve all heard that Google offers its employees a nearly endless and incredibly diverse menu of primarily locally-sourced, organic meals — for free. But why does Google make such a fuss about food?
Google’s cafeteria does more than simply keep its employees fed. Image courtesy of Flickr’s Creative Commons, User Brett L.
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Posted by
Sara on
Thursday, December 5th, 2013 with
4 Comments
I recently attended a technology conference in Orlando, Florida. I met amazing people and learned extraordinary things. My lasting impression of the conference is that it was worth every penny and more. On our way to the airport to return home, my colleague stated, “That was wonderful. They didn’t cut any corners. Everything was top notch…even the food.” At that moment it occurred to me that we were both impressed with the food provided at the conference primarily because so many of the conferences we had attended before fell short when it came to catering meals and refreshments.
Buffet lines are common. Why not be different?
Photo courtesy Grant Wickes
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Posted by
Sara on
Wednesday, December 4th, 2013 with
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“You Are What You Eat!” Painting by Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
It’s not a crime to fall prey to turpitudinous delights like cheesecake or a triple fudge brownie once in a while, but they do more than just affect your waistline. However, as a legal professional, your brilliant mind is your tool and while you may be crazy for chocolate, eating too much junk food dulls your razor sharp thinking.
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Posted by
Sara on
Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013 with
Comments Off on How Catered Finger Food and Pastries Create Good Will in Stakeholder Relationships Comments
Macarons can be just the thing to brighten the day at your office.
Photo by Takeshi Kuboki
I used to use food as an incentive when I worked as a private investigator. If I was going to someone’s house to interview them and they were a reluctant witness, I would always show up with a selection of finger food or pastries, depending on the time of day. It was a great ice breaker. Often, by the end of the visit, they had spilled their guts and they had reciprocated by filling mine with some wonderful homemade treats. Maybe it was my lovely personality working its magic, but sharing food sure didn’t hurt.
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Posted by
Sara on
Monday, December 2nd, 2013 with
Comments Off on Someone Stole My Lunch! Creating Harmony in the Lunch Room Comments
Stop the lunchroom theft madness!
Photo courtesy of Karen Hansen
The above note might be unique, but if the plethora of websites featuring notes stuck on office refrigerators is any indication, discontent in the lunch room is a common problem. As prevalent as it is, there are some other signs that your employees may not be happy at lunch time. Does your staff gobble down a sandwich at their desk, dropping crumbs in between the letters on the keyboard? Do your employees take 25 cars to 25 different noodle joints, with no one hanging out?
This kind of lunch-time unhappiness is a big problem that spills into the rest of the day, hurting morale and productivity. At one office I worked at, discussions on what to do for lunch often started at 10AM, distracting the people involved and irritating those who weren’t. However, discontent dissolves when you order in free meals on a regular basis. You can solve your mid-day problems with the click of a mouse. It doesn’t have to be a gourmet meal and it doesn’t have to be another headache, but it will definitely build morale.
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