In the last few years, a movement has been taking place in the office refreshment industry. What started as a way to keep employees in the office and more productive, has turned into something that is truly at the center of a movement to promote positive company culture.
At Corporate Essentials, we refer to this as our full-service office snack delivery, but it is more commonly referred to as free vend.
What is Free Vend?
Not too long ago, free vend was often looked at as ‘what Google does,’ because when someone would be interested working with a Corporate Essentials representative to set up a full-service refreshment offering, they would usually say, “we want to do what Google does.”
The fact that Google was known for offering their employees snacks, beverages, breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc was common knowledge; and companies focused on attracting and retaining top talent wanted to replicate these types of offerings.
This way of thinking didn’t specifically start at Google, but it did start where all big ideas seem to start these days, in Silicon Valley (although the folks at Bloomberg, widely known for going above and beyond to take care of their employees, in NYC might disagree with that).
As top tech companies started moving to New York City, they brought their desire to attract and retain top talent with them, so free vend soon followed.
Why Full-Service Office Snack Delivery Works
As more and more Millennials enter the workforce (making up 36% of the workforce in 2014), things like a high-quality, full-service refreshment service become more important.
In so many published articles, we read that ‘experiences’ mean more to this generation than money; and putting together a premium office snack delivery program is another way that employers can offer another experience at work.
Look at it this way, if someone on your team gets a craving for a snack to keep them going at 3PM on a Tuesday, they have options. They can get up from their desk and head down to the corner coffee shop and get their favorite cafe drink and snack, or they can go to your kitchen where your office coffee company delivers Keurig K-Cup Packs and Nature Valley Granola Bars.
Both of these options fill that employee’s need to refuel, but if given these two options, most employers would choose the latter. By choosing option two, you’ve accomplished at least two things; you’ve satisfied your team member’s craving and kept them from leaving the office, disrupting the workday.
But what if, as an employer, you could do more? What if that same craving led to them finding a drink and snack they love and telling everyone they know how great you are for providing those things for free?
That’s why free vend works.
Adding value and happiness to your office.
Let’s say that same employee finds themselves with that same Tuesday afternoon craving. When they walk into the office pantry they have a choice of the same snacks and beverages they might find at a Whole Foods or other specialty retailer. They grab a Harmless Harvest Coconut Water and their favorite Kind Bar and head back to their desk.
That member of your team might be so excited with the items they chose, they decide to share a picture on their Instagram account proclaiming they work for the “best company ever.” Well, that drink and snack just gained a lot more value.
It’s all about the experience.
Anyone can, and most companies do offer some sort of office coffee, water and maybe even a few snacks; but companies with their finger on the pulse of what drives company culture have started offering a wider selection of locally roasted and third-wave coffees, premium cold beverages and healthy snacks as part of a free vend offering. And by doing so, have taken the act of satisfying a basic need, and turned it into one of those experiences Millennials so desire.
With employers having a real focus on keeping their teams engaged at work, no opportunity to grab that engagement should be missed. An office snack delivery program is just one part of what makes up a positive company culture, but it’s what we do best, so let Corporate Essentials work with you to start fueling your culture today.
