The modern office is full of overworked stressed-out employees that often experience burnout. One of the key factors of a healthy working day is taking the time out to eat a good meal and get away from the office and your desk. However, around 56% of people don’t take their full lunch break. A study of 2,000 workers found that less than a third take a full hour and over a quarter never take a break at all during their working day.
Some of the reasons cited include having too much work to do or seeing their boss not take a lunch break and feeling pressure to not take one either. Encouraging your team to take a lunch break they are entitled to will help cultivate a healthy work environment and contribute to increased productivity levels.
Here’s how to encourage your employees to take their lunch break:
Make sure managers take their lunch break
Managers set the precedent for what is expected in the office, employees will take their actions as an indication of what is expected of them. Therefore, if managers within your business tend to work through their lunch break, remind them that it’s important to take that time for themselves. Letting them know that you expect everyone to take their lunch break, in order to boost energy and productivity within the office, will help everyone follow suit. The boss is the biggest influencer within the office so if you don’t take a lunch break, your employees will feel guilty for taking one for themselves.
Provide an area to take a break
Often, employees may find it easier to stay at their desks because there's nowhere else to go. It’s important you provide them with a space that is comfortable and away from their screen where they can take some time out of the day. A sofa or a table and chairs in the breakroom will give them a place to move their mind away from work for a short amount of time. Designating an area to only rest is a great way to show employees they are welcome to take the time out of their day for themselves.
Offer healthy meal options
Providing your employees with healthy meal catering will encourage them to see lunch as a break where they can enjoy their food with their colleagues. If you choose a meal delivery service, you’re showing your employees that they deserve to take some time out of the day for themselves to eat something that benefits their bodies. Wellness food services use nutritionists to design meals that optimise mental performance, meaning you can ensure your employees are eating food that is nourishing.
POW Food is a healthy meal delivery service designed to improve the well-being of employees both in the office and those working from home. Our meals are created by nutritionists to help your employees feel well, think well and work well. For more information, visit our website.