Installing a coffee machine in your workplace is an industry standard and, nowadays, it’s easier to imagine an office space without a printer than one without a coffee machine. It is a fact that coffee boosts productivity, yet, productivity is a complex phenomenon and coffee helps improve it in more than several different ways. Other than this, the ownership of the device itself creates some passive boosts to your staff’s productivity and sense of belonging. That being said, there are several benefits of a coffee machine in your workplace, as well as several reasons why your office space benefits from owning such a device.
Caffeine keeps you alert
The first thing you need to understand is the fact that, even though their work schedule should mandate it, not a lot of people sleep long enough or wake up completely rested. They might be working long hours, as well as have a second-job back at home, which means that the evening is the only time they have for themselves. Therefore, it’s understandable that, no matter how tired they are, they might be urged to spend just a bit more time on YouTube or watch an extra episode of their favorite show before going to sleep. In the morning, coffee might make all the difference in their level of alertness. Therefore, an investment in a coffee machine is an investment in the mental presence of your staff.
It reduces inflammation
Another reason why you need to have a coffee machine in the office is due to the fact that it reduces inflammations and even battles a headache. Sitting in the same position for hours and hours may cause you to experience some back pain and turning towards coffee may help you elevate some of this pain. Now, don’t get us wrong, caffeine can’t replace painkillers but it can offer a tiny bit of assistance, just enough to take away the edge. There are some studies showing that when combined with caffeine, remedies like ibuprofen or acetaminophen last longer. This is incredibly important for someone who stares at the screen for 8 hours straight (probably even longer).
It saves time
Previous two sections focused on the reason why you need caffeine and coffee but now, it’s important that we mention why coffee machine, in general, is a must-have in the office. First of all, people with a healthy caffeine addiction will take time to brew their coffee even if you don’t have a coffee machine. However, the absence of an appliance for a work coffee will make you look unprofessional. After all, if having a coffee machine in the office kitchen is an industry standard, not having it makes you bellow this standard. From a practical standpoint, it will take your employees a lot longer to get to their favorite hot beverage which will, in turn, increase the downtime within the office.
An opportunity for socialization
Interpersonal relationships within an office are not just a side-effect of working in a group. They’re an amazing opportunity for your company to help increase the sense of belonging amongst their staff. It’s far easier for your employees to develop a sense of belonging to a certain group (their co-workers), rather than for them to start feeling loyalty to your brand, right away. In the long-run, both of these methods may give you the same effect. People socialize next to the coffee machine as much as they do next to the watercooler, which gives your office yet another social focal point. Unlike with water, coffee takes longer to drink, which, indirectly, gives you more time to spend with your colleagues.
Encouraging your team to take a break
The biggest problem with overachievers lies in the fact that they are unlikely to take a break on their own but forcing them to make a halt in their activities isn’t as effective either. What you need to do is encourage your team to take a break by giving them a reason to do so. Equipping your breakroom with a ping-pong table is one way to do so, however, purchasing a coffee maker is a cheaper, more pragmatic and even more elegant way to do so. Even the longest line in front of the coffee maker makes less disruption than a coffee machine does.
In conclusion
The best part of it lies in the fact that, when compared to the rest of the office tech, a coffee maker is a relatively inexpensive item. Now compare this idea with all the benefits that you get to reap from purchasing it and you’ll see that this simple device provides you with an outstanding ROI. When you put it all into perspective, you’ll quickly realize that getting a coffee machine for your office is not an optional move. A presence of such a device might, at times, be taken for granted but its absence is definitely something that you’ll come to notice, in a negative way.