Why Company Lunch Is Essential To Building Stronger Teams

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Happy and productive employees are the pillars of every successful company. Therefore, if you want your business to strive, you must invest in its people. By investing we don’t mean unlimited days off work or expensive spa treatments (although they sound nice). There are little things that you can do to show that you care and appreciate your team. Company lunch is one of them. It's a perfect opportunity to bond with your employees. It will create a friendly atmosphere that will in return motive people to work better as a team and be more productive. Happy employees are putting more effort into their work and not just that. They'll become passionate about coming to work. Following reasons will help you understand why organising company lunch is important. You'll also find a few tips on how to incorporate this simple yet amazing strategy into your daily office routine.

1. It boosts your employee satisfaction.

There’s something about the food and the way it makes us feel. Recent surveys have shown that employees who have access to free food at work are generally happier with their job than those who don’t. If you run a successful company or striving to get there, this is something to think about. Satisfied employees are more productive and eager to collaborate. There are many ways to achieve this, but providing a free lunch for your hard-working team may be the best solution. Truth be told, it's a spread, but investing in the core of your business is everything but a waste of money. Some things can't be bought, but delicious lunch with your fellow co-workers can and it is probably one of the best investments you can make as an employer.

2. It encourages healthy food choices.

Introducing healthy food choices at work will lead to a better mood and productivity of your employees. Although it's never a good idea to impose this at any cost, it's good to have it as an option. Healthy home-cooked meals are a much better solution than a food truck catering or a box of donuts. This is why more and more company owners have these delicious meals delivered to their office. Introducing your employees with healthy meal plans will have numerous benefits on your team. Whether some of them are on a weight-loss programme, or just want to incorporate new healthy habits into their lifestyle, replacing fast food with home-cooked meals is a great way to go. Foods with high nutritive values will boost the energy levels, concentration, and overall mood of your employees. Eventually, you’ll have a happy, healthy, and strong team.

3. It promotes team bonding.

Sharing meals have been considered to be one of the best bonding activities out there. Whether you’re lunching with business partners, friends, or your colleagues, you’ll be exchanging ideas and getting to know the people sitting across the table. Eating together at work boosts friendships. Stepping away from the computer even for a short period of time can improve productivity. It also encourages cooperation and teamwork. When you surround yourself with people who can sit down, have lunch, and discuss everything from current projects to personal issues, you’ll end up with a strong team with high moral values and appreciation of one another. Not only that, they’ll become more passionate about the work they do, and that is something every entrepreneur strives to.

4. It improves creativity and collaboration.

Organising company lunch will give your employees an opportunity to talk to new people. If your company has many different departments, chances are some of your workers have never met their colleagues from other departments. Gathering everyone around the table for a lovely meal will encourage some new collaborations. Aside from sharing a meal, people will be sharing new inspiring ideas, too. Getting a new perspective can spark creativity and shed new light on a current task. Creativity is connected to productivity. Employees who have more freedom to express themselves instead of strictly sticking to guidelines show better results. They are happier, too. By giving creative freedom to your employees, you're showing them that you value their opinion and that you trust them. That is one of the essential tips when it comes to building a strong team.

5. It reduces stress.

We live in a time of hectic schedules where multitasking has become a must if you want to get through the day. Commuting, traffic jams, deadlines, meetings, and demanding clients are just some of the things working people have to deal with on a daily basis. You’ll admit that all those situations can leave you quite stressed out. That’s why it’s important to find time for your hard-working team to have a break. Company lunch is a perfect opportunity to unwind. Shifting focus from issues to a fun chit-chat with your colleagues can do wonders to your mood. You'll energy levels will rise, fatigue will go away, and you'll be ready to tackle the next after-lunch task with bells on.

6. It validates employees.

Rewarding your employees for outstanding results is something you should definitely do if your goal is building a strong team. Company lunch is a fantastic opportunity for this. If you want, you can make it special by changing or expanding the usual lunch menu and throwing in a bottle of champagne. By giving the awards to employees, they'll get the recognition they deserve. That will be the biggest motivation you can provide them with. If you had a great period in a previous couple of months, celebrate it. Acknowledge the effort of all the people involved. It will build a team where people realise they matter and that will make wonders for productivity in the office.

Whether you run a successful business, or you’re aspiring to get there, you will want a strong team of people to work with. The first and maybe the most important thing is to understand that you need to take care of your employees if you want them to give you great results in return. Organising company lunch is probably the easiest and most effective way to build a healthy and productive community in your office. With a little effort and time, you’ll gain something money just can’t buy – happy, efficient, and trustworthy employees.