Workplace wellbeing is becoming a major component of business models with employee productivity being directly associated to health status with a healthier workforce leading to a more capable, happy and successful workplace (1). We are seeing the emergence of mindfulness programs, health checks, exercise promotions and social programs to promote wellness for staff members but the one we want to focus on is food - the enabling of good food choices and providing hospitality through a well-planned food and beverage strategy that keeps your employees not only nourished but also satisfied and happy.

Melbourne-based caterers, The Catering Company and their healthy salad bar offer for corporate events — *Melbourne-based caterers,* *The Catering Company* *and their healthy salad bar offer for corporate events*

For institutions, it’s about providing a standard of food and beverage offers that don’t stoop below what is required for people to make good food choices. It also means providing a hospitality experience for the workplace in which they can gain social satisfaction from and catch a break from their daily tasks. For corporate caterers providing hospitality in these spaces, it’s about creating a menu that provides a variety of healthy and exciting options for people to choose from.

Here are the three main ways a curated hospitality strategy for your arts, cultural or education institution can promote productivity and keep your employee’s happy.

1. Good Food Means Good Nutrition

This is the fundamental part. Nutrition is a basic need for everyone yet, sometimes we don’t make the best decisions or have the best options available to us. This has definitely been the case in years gone by. If we look at business districts, take-away options were less than healthy but also less commonly used with people bringing their own food into the workplace. Nowadays, people have less time to prepare and more of us rely on the food offers around us whether it be whats provided by your workplace or the take away food offers installed within arm’s reach. Therefore, it’s important that these offers support the users by being good and smart options that don’t allow the ball to be dropped on good nutrition.

2. Food is a Talking Point for People

8 hours in the office is a long period of time and when that goes without a break, employee wellbeing can be impacted. We all need time out from the daily grind and a hospitality strategy can facilitate that. Take Barangaroo in Sydney which services a number of businesses in the area, it provides a point for people to come to, chill out in and enjoy food that has been cleverly curated to meet all user group needs. NAB HQ in Melbourne provides a break out area to all it’s staff and the catering company that has been brought into the space provides options that are not only nourishing but exciting so that staff choose to head to these spaces and utilise them. Mental wellbeing is just as important as physical wellbeing and your hospitality strategy can promote both if done with the user in mind.

3. Hospitality Builds Workplace Satisfaction

Workplace satisfaction comes from a number of things but essentially it’s about keeping your staff engaged with the business so that it and they continue to thrive. Data shows that employees who are provided with food options by the company they work for are more likely to stay in the company as well as recommend it as a great place to work. It’s also been expressed that staff would be happier if perks such as lunch were part of the deal (2). Your staff are the cogs of your business so keeping them engaged, happy and satisfied is integral to business success.

Story Coffee & Foodstore by Melbourne coffee roasters, Duke's based at NAB HQ, Bourke St (image via Broadsheet)

A hospitality strategy is worthwhile investment for you arts, cultural or education institution. We've touched on how a hospitality strategy can build the foundations of your business - your ethos, we've shown you ways in which a hospitality strategy can bring about business growth both organically and by attaining new business and now we are showing you how a well-planned hospitality strategy can keep the cogs of your business working through supporting your staff and keeping them healthy, happy and satisfied in your workplace. At Future Food, we have gained years of experience in the arts, culture and education field to know that by providing hospitality, a space can be transformed into a place and people as well as business benefit majorly from it if strategically masterplanned and implemented well.

Credit - cover image of Slater Street Bench at 580 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne via Broadsheet