We’ve observed an increased focus on the 'employee experience' with many businesses we work with - wanting to ensure that coming into the office is providing as much value as possible for each employee, whether that’s facilitating more collaboration and creativity or encouraging team building. As a result, they recognise that food can be a simple yet effective facilitator of this experience.
Team socials are definitely returning in full-swing - instead of simply providing kitchen refreshments or office snacks, we’ve seen a huge increase in team meals that get people away from their desks, especially street food pop-ups, which have increased over 200% since 2021.
The rise in hybrid working has also meant that employers are being more mindful of providing a great employee experience to all their staff, whether they’re in the office or at home. For those who may need to or prefer to join an event remotely, huge focus is now placed on providing parity to all participants - that can be in the form of livestreaming in-person keynotes and providing food vouchers or gift cards so that employees don’t feel like they’re missing out on great food perks when they can’t join in-person.
Flexibility and adaptability is crucial for business leaders when it comes to making sure you’re providing the best-possible working experience for all employees.