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Survey Says: What's the Secret to Office Productivity? Free Food
More than half of employees say a well-stocked kitchen would make them more productive at work, according to a new survey. Employers, take notice.
Posted 4/ 25 11 at 4:00 PM | Business Trends, Money, Management, Leadership
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It's all about the workers this week. If you still can't afford to give your employees raises, try feeding the beast. Apparently free food is a great staff motivator. And U.S. workers seem willing to move -- just about anywhere -- to get a job. (That's good news if your business is in the boonies.) Here's a closer look at some of the latest small-business surveys.You Gonna Eat That?
Looking for a way to make your employees more productive? Try feeding them. According to a new survey from Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, time spent leaving the office to get food and beverages eats into productive work hours. More than 85 million people regularly leave the office for coffee, and each trip takes 20 to 40 minutes. (Really? Are they driving across town?) Staples estimates this leads to 2 billion minutes a day, or 10.6 billion hours a year of lost productivity.
Ironically, 80 percent of employees say taking short breaks is important to them and makes them more productive, but when they head to the office kitchen, it's often bare. Most (73 percent) say a well-stocked kitchen would make them happier at work, and 57 percent claim it could lead to increased productivity.
One thing I know for sure: A poorly stocked kitchen can lead to an employee uprising -- and trust me, you don't want to go there.
Hiring Is in the Air
Small businesses are becoming more comfortable living in the cloud, according to a new survey from online employment platform Elance. Most businesses (57 percent) say online hiring is the most important cloud-based tool/service for their companies. These businesses say hiring virtually is cost-effective (78 percent), flexible (74 percent) and a better way to get information about job candidates (63 percent).
Hiring virtual workers is also a good way for small businesses to access the employees they need. Who's in high demand? The survey says the most needed but hardest talents to find -- and afford -- are Web programmers (42 percent), marketing strategy experts (28 percent), graphic designers (28 percent), online marketers (24 percent) and writers (24 percent).
Have Job Opening, Will Travel
Two-thirds of Americans in a recent survey by workforce solutions provider Kelly Services say they're willing to move for the right job -- and many are even ready to relocate abroad.
Of those ready to pack up, 25 percent are only willing to move to another city or town, 22 percent say they would relocate to another state, and 12 percent would actually move to another country or continent. (Two percent are even willing to move to the volatile Middle East.) Perhaps not surprisingly, Gen Y is most willing to move (19 percent), followed by Gen X (13 percent) and baby boomers (9 percent).
One reason for the flexibility could be that more than 25 percent of survey respondents:
- Have more than one job
- Put in long or unusual hours
- Have jobs that take them away from home or involve excessive travel
With job creation still lagging, it seems U.S. workers are willing to take anything they can get.
Rieva Lesonsky is CEO of GrowBiz Media, a content and consulting company that helps entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Follow Rieva at Twitter.com/Rieva and visit SmallBizDaily.com to sign up for her free TrendCast reports.
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Comments (Page 1 of 1)
I have taken my lunch for fourty years....never thought some one else should provide it
What I've found to be the case, way to many people don't care what their imployer does for them becuase no matter what, it's NEVER enough, not right or even feel they are being overlooked in some way! Take this "free food" an imployer might provide. Many wouldn't like the fact of not having exactly what they want or like. Many might actually feel there is some kind of "strings" attached becuase after all, NO boss would just give their workers something for nothing. Fact is, no matter what a boss may do for their imployees there are way to many people who really believe they aren't getting what they should be or even DESERVE! The way I see this whole thing, and no I'm not "the" boss at my work either, just another worker, the best thing a boss can do is just be honest and as fair as possible with their people. In some places I have no doubt things like "free food" or many other perks for the employees will and does work great. That just boils down the the type of people a boss has working for him. There will always and forever be a few who will never be happy only it seems to me over the past 10-20 years those certain "types" who always want something for nothing even though they in no way deserve it but really believe they do are gettng more and more. At times I really do feel sorry for my bosses (the good ones which is most of them) becuase they really do try to please the help. Only those "types" ALWAYS find a way to bring things down and soon others are looking at the bosses with suspicion of some sort, it's sad. So many people today have such a huge sense of entitlement for "something" it's truly unbelievable. If these type of perks are being done and working at your work then that's really a good thing and good for you! While there are plenty of bosses who have no business being any kind of boss, for many many reasons, I truly beleive a good work invorment has mainly to do with the employee. In most cases a boss isn't over your shoulder 8-10 hours a day so other than the little time he/she is around you the rest of that time all depends on what or how we deal with it. Once we as employess finally understand we are there to work, not eat, talk on your cell or a billion other things but WORK, things actually do work out in a good way or everyone. Honesty and fairness from the boss and being on time and working hard for that time we are there makes for a very good work environment for everyone.
Free Food? Count Me In! I'd rather have a Nice Subway Sandwhich with a Coke than get a $500 raise!
Hell, even a $1,000 Raise..! Why? The raise is Taxable and is then only worth about 75% after taxes
And now with Gas costing so much? add another Couple of Bucks even to just drive a few blocks to go eat lunch..We got some of those Austrian Power Bikes.. They use a Little Gas Engine and get 75 mpg..You saw them on The Amazing Race being used..
My Neighbor? Got a Converted Nat. Gas Powered Golf Cart.. It's Street Legal- can't go on the Hwys' above 45 mph, but al the streets he uses never go over 30 mph anyway..
He says it cost him equal to $1 per Gal of gas..
and his Boss pays for 5 different Lunches brought in a week.. Subway and 4 others the other 4 days.. Add a nice LunchRoom and one outside for nice weather.. In lieu of taking a $750 bonus for the yr... Next? Company Cars.. By The Company Leasing them and instead of Getting a $4,000 Bonus? The Emplyee gets it Tax Free! vs just $3k net aft tax on the bonus..
another Company? Clothing.. The co. has an account at a Clothing store for Men and another for women.. They go get the clothes they want and it's billed to the Company as "Uniforms" , thus it's Tax Deductable.. The employee gets 25% more for their $ vs getting paid more $ or a Bonus..
They have the same Deal with a Shoe Store....
I hear their are some accounts like that set up a Grocery stores and COSTCO Nice way to Beat The IRS and beat Paying Payroll taxes...
WOW...cannot believe she is pictured eating at HER DESK!!! GROSS! So many have said for so long that the toilet seat is cleaner than their desktop that I'm seeing more people eat their lunch in the head instead of at their desks! (yeah right, like these germaphobes merit listening to!)
For some; having sex at they're work desk cubical station, would be great!?!? If you want free food at work, it comes out of your next pay raise negotions!? Nothing free in the end! No eating outside of the lunch room! NEVER-EVER!!!
Nothing at all is worng with eting at your desk! If it's YOUR desk then you know very well if it's clean or not. Now, eating at someone elses desk is well, take your won chances I guess. I'd have NO problem eating at my deak at all. Just make the room you'd need, CLEAN the desk (ya know like you would clean your table at home) and chow down! hehe Of course, your boss might not like soemone eating in front of people who are coming into the office for some reason or another. But if it's ok with him/her and one cleans up before they eat, what's so gross????? Maybe your desk at work is nasty? If so, I'm sure I wouldn't want to eat there either.
Me too. leftwing liberal subjects and people good. Conservative people and ideas BAD.
I can already see Huff'post's influence on aol with the selection of news stories. I have been using aol for 15 years and now will have to change.
Comment by S.S. is RACIST! Remove immediately!!!!
Google has everything under the sun for their employees and it doesn't cost the employees a cent. The result? They have grown in leaps and bounds and are wickedly successful. They provide healthy lunches in the form of a cafeteria, day car, hair cuts, etc, discount programs and major retailers, etc.. All there at work. All tax deductible as employee benefits for the company.
Time to rethink corporate America. Other countries have programs like this for their employees. Google didn't just think it up.
Huffin and puffin is at it AGAIN,there is an influence to avoid REAL world problems,all is expected from office people is to WORK,except of course at government office leeches,with 4 inch nails,and gold teeth to go with