Your employees spend the whole day being bombarded by mental tasks. They are exhausted. They sometimes don’t feel like taking their lunch breaks or even eating anything at all. Some of the employees are living on coffee and tea alone. The problem is that without the right diet, employees’ mental capacities are affected because the brain needs the right nutrients to function well.
To keep your business competitive, your office pantry needs the right content. Trail mixes, cocoa nibs, vegetable sticks, unsalted crackers, fresh fruits, and pressed juices are some of the things that come to mind when you think about a health office pantry. But you must also recognize that your employees are big coffee drinkers. You should also invest in pantry equipment such as a Hario pour-over coffee server set. Freshly brewed coffee is healthier and more nutritious than ready-mixed options.
Makes People Happy
Healthy snacks lead to happier people. This is grounded in science and research. Healthy snacks boost one’s self-esteem. In fact, the right choice of food can increase the hormones dopamine and norepinephrine, which can improve your mood and energy even hours after eating. Healthy food, such as Greek yogurt and nuts, is packed with proteins that trigger the release of these feel-good hormones.
On the other hand, snacks that are high in sugar and gluten can increase the risk of depression. Processed food is also bad for health. There are many options for healthy snacks that can still satisfy your cravings for chips and sweets. Gluten-free potato chips and dates are great options.
Sustains Energy and Increases Focus
What do you do when you feel low in energy? Don’t you reach out to that candy because you believe you need a sugar rush? The problem is that after a few hours, you will experience lethargy and you will be unable to perform. This is a vicious cycle. When one is unable to perform, there is a tendency to reach for a sugary snack because you want that spike in energy. But later on, there will be a plunge in your energy levels. This is the reason why there is a high level of obesity in office workers—the constant need for energy and the wrong snacks that employees seem to want to reach for.
If your employees want sweets, you can offer in your pantry fresh fruit cups. These “sweets” will increase your employees’ alertness level and energy to complete their tasks. There are also healthy chips with a sweet and salty variety that only has few calories per bag.
Shows Value to Employees
There are two reasons why a healthy pantry shows your appreciation to your employees. The first reason is that it shows your staff that you value their health. Next, it also raises the awareness of your employees that these healthier choices are good for them. It might also encourage them to follow a healthier lifestyle from there on since the option is available in the office. This is the first step to opening their eyes to the reality that a healthy lifestyle will lead to better performance in the office.
To start pushing your employees toward a healthy lifestyle, have the basics in your pantry—nuts, yogurt, fruits, vegetables, and chips. You can also look into food that’s rich in vitamin C since these are powerful brain food that improves your mental agility and reduce the decline in the brain’s cognitive abilities. Thankfully, there are protein bars with less than 10 grams of sugar.
Manages Health Problems
Office employees may fall into absenteeism because of various health problems, from respiratory to mental issues. Good physical health is equal to good mental health, too. But to get to this point, one must realize the importance of eating nutritious food and following a balanced diet.
The availability of snacks in the office will be the best jumping point for your employees to start managing whatever health problems they have. Whether it’s something they’ve been dealing with for a long time or primarily due to stress, healthy snacks will help them get through it. Health employees, as you well know, will bring nothing but benefits to the organization.
It is not difficult to start a healthy pantry in the office. All you have to do is to start replacing junk food and instant coffee with the right substitutes. Your employees will thank you for it. Although some of them may feel bad at first, they’ll immediately notice how healthy they feel and how productive they have become in the office.