We can all relate to the feeling of the mid-afternoon slump at work, when you realize that your stomach is rumbling for something to munch on before you finish up the rest of your work for the day.
While bringing snacks from home can be convenient, most of the time these snacks can go untouched — resulting in a messy and pest-ridden workplace. That’s why it’s always a good idea to take proper measures to ensure a clean and neat office pantry.
In this article, we’ll take you through the 5 benefits of keeping an organized and well-stocked pantry.
5 Benefits of a Well-Stocked Office Pantry
1. Positive and healthy workplace culture
Keeping a well-stocked pantry is known to promote a positive and healthy work environment and workplace culture among the employees. The act of keeping up with a well-stocked pantry in the office shows employees that their employers do care about their health and well-being, and want them to be nourished and well fed.
It also shows that the company is willing to go the extra mile of providing this benefit to its employees in order for them to feel like they are genuinely cared about and valued.
2. Common space for every employee in the office
Another benefit to keeping a well-stocked office pantry is that without really even positioning itself as such, it will generally become a common space for employees pretty quickly. Meaning, a stocked office pantry could provide a spot for employees to gather to escape from the monotony of their days and catch up with one another, to discuss different foods they are loving, recipes, or even what they are currently watching on television.
Also, it could be a spot for employees to meet one another from different teams, who otherwise may not have gotten the chance to connect. Food is always a good conversation starter!
3. Better and increased productivity
A third benefit to keeping a clean, well-organized pantry in the office is increased productivity. As we know, when we are hungry, we tend to get cranky and become unable to think of much else, let alone be able to pour all of our energy into producing the best work possible.
With the option of escaping for a few minutes to grab a healthy snack from the pantry, such as a high fiber granola bar or a piece of fruit, this issue could be dealt with pretty quickly. After regaining energy from the snack, employees will be better suitable to continue with their work, and therefore work at a higher level.
4. Increases everyone’s energy spirits in the office
Another reason to have a well-stocked pantry worth mentioning is that it will increase employee spirit and energy in the office. Simply put, people like to feel good about themselves. Stocking the pantry with healthy, satisfying meals for employees to pick from will hopefully over time lead them to actually prefer these options over the less healthy choices, and in turn increase self-esteem.
Also, after snacking on something healthy that is high in protein, we tend to feel alert and energized, as opposed to after eating a bag of chips, we may feel sluggish and lethargic. Something as simple as the food we are ingesting can make all the difference in the world when it comes to overall mood.
5. Promotes good office rapport among employees
The last reason to consider when it comes to keeping a stocked pantry is that it promotes good rapport, both between employees and their superiors. People like to feel appreciated in the workplace, and employers providing a stocked pantry for their employees is a great way for employees to feel cared about.
As previously mentioned, conversations between employees in the pantry can build lasting friendships between coworkers which may not have blossomed otherwise, and lead people to enjoy their overall work situation more.
The Bottomline
Keeping a well-stocked pantry filled with healthy and delicious snacks for employees is beneficial for both the employees and the company itself. By boosting morale, building rapport, and even increasing employee productivity, there are not many reasons why this should not be enacted in every office.
Work days can drag and become socially isolating if we cannot get the chance to chit-chat with others, so the pantry is great for providing a common space to hang out for a few minutes here and there during the day. All of this will ensure that employees feel valued at their place of work, and will stick around for years to come.
