Survey Finds Providing Food in the Workplace Positively Impacts Sales and Productivity

Office workers recognize food’s influence on closing deals, attracting talent, and boosting productivity, according to ezCater research

BOSTON – December 15, 2016 – Food can have a positive impact on many aspects of business, according to a recent survey of 1,025 office workers in the United States conducted by ezCater. Detailed findings of the survey were published today in a report titled, “Food in the Workplace: Surveying the Impact of Food on Sales, Productivity, and Culture.”

According to the research, a majority of workers agree that food makes it easier to close deals, keep customers and prospects happy, improve meeting attendance, save time, and attract talent. Additionally, nearly one-third of all office workers reported that their employer orders food for employees at least monthly, but nearly half said that vendors or partners never bring food to their office.

Key findings uncovered in the research include:

• Workers overwhelmingly recognize that food contributes to positive experiences with customers and prospects.
  • 90% agree that food keeps customers and prospects happy; 80% agree that food makes it easier to secure a meeting; and nearly two-thirds (61%) agree that bringing food to a meeting makes it easier to close a deal.

• Workers see a clear impact that food has on office productivity.
  • 76% of office workers said meetings are better attended when food is provided, and 66% said it saves time in their workday.

• Food can be a deciding factor in attracting talent.
  • 67% of workers said they would choose a job at a company that provides free meals for employees over a job at a similar company that does not.

Nanigans, a Boston-based company that provides software for the digital advertising industry, has experienced the benefits of providing food in the workplace first-hand.

“Providing lunch really helps our employees come together to build more collaborative and social working relationships with each other,” said Alysa Shea, human resources coordinator at Nanigans. “As a high-growth company in a fast-paced industry, things move quickly, and providing food for employees has helped ensure that everyone can stay focused on their work. I don’t think our staff could imagine our workplace without it.”

In fact, workers at companies that provide food to their employees more often see the benefits of food in the workplace more clearly. For example, when asked to identify the benefits of employer-provided food, 66 percent of all those surveyed said it saves them time, but that belief grew to 79 percent among those who are provided food at least once per week. Likewise, workers who said it keeps their energy up grew from 38 percent of all respondents to 42 percent for those who receive food at least once per week, and from 25 percent to 33 percent for those who said food helps diffuse stress.

Despite the positive impact that workers say food has on sales, productivity, and culture, nearly half (42%) of office workers said that other companies – such as vendors or partners – never bring food to their office. In addition, a quarter (25%) said their employer never orders food, or only does so once per year.

To download a copy of the full report, “Food in the Workplace: Surveying the Impact of Food on Sales, Productivity, and Culture,” please visit https://www.ezcater.com/company/news/food-workplace-survey/.

About ezCater

ezCater is the only nationwide marketplace for business catering. ezCater’s online ordering, on-time ratings and reviews, and award-winning, 5-star customer service connect businesspeople to reliable catering for any meeting, anywhere in the United States. For more information or to place an order, visit www.ezcater.com.