The 3 o’clock coffee and 3 surprising benefits for business

Coffee is not just a delicious, invigorating beverage – it has business benefits too. Here are three surprising benefits of providing coffee in your workplace.

1. Improved collaboration and networking

Having a coffee machine in your office improves team performance in several ways. Hot beverages facilitate good relationships – whether it’s building rapport by sharing hot chocolate on a cold day or providing a round of coffee during a team meeting. Never underestimate the genuine gratitude a team member feels when you offer to make them a hot beverage.

Instilling a collaborative culture within your organisation is important, and this can be done through the installation of a self-service coffee machine. Office coffee machines have become the modern day water cooler, where informal but important conversations can take place. 

Around 3pm, you’ll likely notice a diverse group of staff congregating in the kitchen as they revitalise themselves with a hot beverage in preparation for the afternoon ahead. This provides space and time for team members to find common ground, bond with each other and discuss company projects. Coffee breaks are the perfect time for information sharing, thinking creatively and problem solving.

2. Increased productivity

Have you ever noticed that you get more done in the morning then you do in the afternoon? Ongoing work requires focus and attention, which can lessen throughout the day. By 3pm, many people begin to experience a slump in their productivity.

Drinking a cup of coffee increases energy levels which then assists your productivity by helping to keep you alert and active.

3. Enhanced employee happiness and health

Providing coffee can improve wellbeing, and also benefit your employees financially. All that time spent walking to the local cafe (no matter the weather), queuing in lines, dishing out $4 to $5 for a single cafe latte and leaving the quality of coffee up to chance is a waste of their time and money! 

Providing easy access to delicious coffee is also good for your employees’ health. Leading health organisations recommend that adults drink 1.5 litres of water per day,1 and evidence shows that drinking coffee can help meet those needs. Contrary to what people once thought, new research has revealed that drinking coffee in moderation (up to 5 cups per day) does not cause dehydration**.2 In fact, black coffee contains more than 95% water, so each cup of coffee you drink gets you closer to the recommendation for proper hydration. 

How do you nurture a productive, healthy, happy and collaborative work culture? Easy, just install a quality automatic coffee machine. Use our online tool to find the perfect machine for your business or give one of our friendly sales representatives a call. 

1 Kolasa KM et al. (2009). Hydration and health promotion. Nutr Today 44, 190-203.

2 Popkin BM et al. (2006). A new proposed guidance system for beverage consumption in the United States. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 83, 529-542.