The workplace canteen is a place of general chat, collaboration, relaxation, and of course, dining. This is a space where employees can go for a time out, whilst socialising with colleagues and enjoying the hour all to themselves.
If you want to keep your workplace morale high (always a good idea), and you’re keen to focus on employee health and wellness (again, another genius plan), then you should put a lot of thought into how you design your workplace canteen. It isn’t just about what you serve, sticking with healthy options and trying to be on the down low when it comes to fast food choices, but also the amount of light heading into the space, the type of cafe seating you opt for, how you lay everything out, the decorative elements you go for (plants, artwork, etc), and the comfort level of it all. This needs to be a space of relaxation, a sanctuary of sorts.
….and you thought the hard work ended with designing your office space!
The Importance of the Workplace Canteen
The canteen can be somewhere staff purchase food already made, somewhere they can go away from their regular office and eat the meal they’ve pre-made at home, or somewhere they can use kitchen facilities, to warm up food, e.g. soup, toast, etc. It’s a good idea to give your staff a few options; let’s face it, not everyone can afford to purchase a lunch time meal every single day and many people prefer to bring their own packed lunch, to save time and money. You should also ensure that this is a place with good coffee!
You need to give your staff a comfortable space, so that means looking into commercial office furniture, which would suit a canteen setting. This is easy to clean, designed to be durable and long lasting, and you can choose between the various set-ups you want. Check out this infographic for a little information on canteen seating options.
As you can see, there are several choices, and it’s really about looking into comfort and what suits your office space best.
So, why is the canteen so important? Think about it this way - your staff are taking a break from their office desk and heading somewhere relaxing to have their lunch. It’s not a good idea to encourage staff to eat at their desks, so providing them with a space where they can relax, de-stress for an hour, and have a social chat with colleagues is ideal. This helps your employees to recharge their batteries ahead of the afternoon’s work, and it also helps to boost morale, which is vital for workplace productivity.
By giving your employees a comfortable ‘get away from it all’ space, you’re placing importance on their wellbeing, so it’s advisable to look into office furniture UK choices to find the most comfortable and relaxing office furniture to add into your new canteen space. Once your staff have finished their lunch, they will be recharged, focused, de-stressed, and positive about the work they are going to do that afternoon.
It’s win, win all around.
It’s not all, about how you design the space however, as there needs to be an unwritten series of etiquette guidelines about how the canteen is used. Let’s check out a little more about general canteen etiquette.
Workplace Canteen Etiquette Guidelines
• Keep Your Canteen Clean and Tidy - Remember, staff are eating their lunch in this area, so it needs to be cleaned daily. This means wiping down canteen tables and ensuring that the floor is swept and mopped. Any equipment used for heating up food should also cleaned regularly and properly, to avoid the spread of bacteria. Having the majority of your workforce away from work with some kind of food poisoning is not a way to look after their health and wellbeing, or be productive!
• Empty Rubbish Bins Regularly - Rubbish bins should be emptied at least twice a day. These are not regular waste paper bins, these bins contain food remnants which can spread illness if left to fester, and can smell rather unpleasant. This isn’t going to make your canteen a pleasant place to be
• Keep The Fridge Organised - Encourage your staff to label any food in the fridge, which is theirs, with their name, and to keep everything as organised as possible. A messy fridge is going to lead to disputes over who ate who’s sandwich, and it is also much less likely to be clean and hygienic overall
• Staff Should Only Eat What is Theirs! - This goes without saying, but remind staff that they should only eat their own food, and not ‘accidentally' someone else’s. This is a fast track towards conflict!
• Have Regular Fridge and Cupboard Clear Outs - If your canteen is mainly a space for staff to store their own food and ingredients, have a regular clear out of any food that has been left there. Make sure staff know that anything left in the fridge at the end of the week will be thrown out, for hygiene reasons
• Serve Healthy Food and Snacks - If your canteen serves food for staff to purchase, opt for a healthy menu as far as possible. Make sure your choices have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetable ingredients, and try and avoid frying. This will go a long way to help with the general health and wellbeing of your staff
• Don’t Overcharge - If you are selling meals, keep your prices low
• Make Sure Everything is Well Stocked - Make sure there is enough cutlery at all times, the napkin dispensers are always full, etc. This makes the space look professional and also makes it easier for your staff to enjoy their lunch break
• Steer Clear of Food With Strong Smells - If you’re supplying your staff with meals, try and steer clear of any food choices, which have very strong smells, e.g. fish. In addition, encourage your staff to avoid doing this with items they store in the communal fridge - Jane from across the office doesn’t really want her salad tasting of Jeremy’s left over curry. You’ll only end up with disgruntled employees and possible rifts - not great for morale!
• Be on The Lookout For Spillages - Any spillages need to be mopped up immediately, including those on tables and on the floor. If a member of staff slips and falls, injuring themselves in your canteen area, you could be staring at a possible claim, and your staff member is going to be off sick. Again, none of this is great for productivity
• Rules Are Fine - It’s fine to have some canteen rules, provided you don’t dictate to your staff what they can and can’t do to the finest detail. Remember that your staff are adults, so they know how to eat and they know about basic manners. What you should press home is the idea of cleaning up after themselves as far as possible, avoiding over-running the fridge with their own things, and basic hygiene issues.
As you can see, workplace canteen etiquette is really all about manners and respect for other people. Your staff are probably already very rehearsed in both of those areas, so you shouldn’t have any major issues. What you do need to ensure however is the smooth running of the canteen itself. Your employees are going to this space, no matter how big or small, for a relaxing lunch break or a coffee break, and they don’t want to end up facing stress in the face on their break times! Make the area as chilled out and calm as possible, with comfortable canteen chairs and plenty of open space.
There is so much focus on the reception area and the office space itself, that sometimes the canteen itself can be overlooked. This is a mistake - break areas are just as important as working areas, as they give your employees the space in which to relax and refocus. If they don’t have a calm and comfortable canteen or space to retire to, you’re going to notice unfocused, stressed out employees coming your way. None of this is great for morale, health and wellness, or productivity overall.
Check out canteen furniture choices and incorporate modern designs as far as possible. Decorate your canteen with plenty of light, artwork, plants, and a generally calm feel, to help your staff regroup and refocus before the afternoon begins.
What do you think about general canteen etiquette, can you think of any other items to add to the list? Check out our Facebook page and share your ideas. We need to spread the word about the canteen area being just as important as the office space. In an age when we’re all told about health and wellbeing, having a calm and chilled out place to enjoy breaks is a vital part of ensuring that employees are well rested and focused ahead of their working morning or afternoon.