Flexible Workspace Must: Gourmet Coffee (and lots of it!)

Published on September 22, 2016 - By Cecilia Amador de San José

“Offices are increasingly willing to spend more for better coffee.” -Bob Friedman, President Coffee Distributing to the WSJ

A great cup of joe can make any Monday morning more bearable, it can take us out of a mid-afternoon slump, and well to be honest, it simply makes the day a lot better. This isn’t the Guatemalan coffee fanatic in me talking. In a survey last year, Keurig Green Mountain found that “89% of the 843 surveyed workers said that a good cup of coffee can make their entire workday better.”

Clearly the other 11% don’t know what they’re talking about.

All jokes aside, coffee consumption is on the rise. This year’s NCDT report showed that “daily consumption of espresso-based beverages has nearly tripled since 2008.” Not only has consumption increased, but also the way we consume coffee has changed. The report also found that “consumption of gourmet coffee beverages soared from 13% to 36% among 18-24 year olds, and from 19% to 41% for those aged 25-39.”

This increase in gourmet coffee purchases means that people are willing to spend more for better quality; in other words offering workers crappy coffee won’t cut it anymore. Which is why flexible workspace managers should invest in premium coffee for their members.

It’s not just a matter of drinking a good cup of joe, it’s the experience that goes behind that cup of coffee. Coffee drinkers today have a more personal relationship with coffee, and they use this ‘coffee time’ to build relationships with others around them. By offering gourmet coffee options in their centers, flexible workspace managers are adding value to their workplace culture and environment.

Coffee culture in the workplace then has the potential to actively enhance the overall workplace and work experience. Like a JLL employee told Forbes, conversations that take place in ‘coffee areas’ happen naturally; which makes bonding over coffee more organic, meaning that relationships built this way are likely to be more authentic and lasting.

Now if this isn’t enough to convince you to offer amazing coffee, maybe the following will.

According to a recent survey commissioned by South African furniture consultancy company Inspiration Office, “95% of working South Africans said that access to good tea and coffee was the most important thing for them in the workplace.”

High-quality coffee topped the list of must-haves, ahead of security and a healthy environment. It’s the small things that can make a difference, and in this case a good cup of coffee can make all the difference between having a really good and productive day, or a really bad  slow-going one.

While you don’t have to go all out from the get-go and include an onsite coffee shop, having a designated place with top-notch coffee machines and deliciously smelling ground coffee can set you on the right path towards building a strong workplace community and keeping your members happy and productive.

Go ahead, invest in premium quality coffee. Your members will thank you and you can thank us later.