What did you have for lunch today? A quick sandwich in front of the computer? A bland meal in the canteen? Or did you skip the meal altogether because there was no time for it between meetings and deadlines? Lunch in the office is a sensitive issue for many employees because the decision often has to be made between nutrient-poor fast food dishes and the extra time spent cooking or pre-cooking.
That's why a healthy lunch offer in the company is an excellent way to offer the team a delicious and healthy benefit that not only strengthens employee loyalty but also provides a large portion of other benefits.
Employee retention in times of skilled labor shortages
Today's employees have different expectations of their everyday working life than was the case in the past. This is especially true for the younger generations, for whom a healthy work-life balance is paramount, but who also identify strongly with their job. Companies that want to make their employees happy - and thus retain them - are therefore well advised not to be too stingy with benefits in order to show how much each individual team member is valued.
Sad but true: Only one in ten employees in Austria feels an emotional connection to their employer, as a 2023 Gallup study found. And because the way to a person's heart is through their stomach, we'll now take a closer look at how a healthy team lunch can contribute to better employee loyalty and what other benefits ensure that the investment pays off across the board.
Lunch offer for employees – more than just good taste
"Sad lunch" is the term on social media for a joyless and often unhealthy lunch in front of the screen. The name says it all: we don't like eating alone. Regularly sitting down together at the table not only strengthens the sense of togetherness within the team, but also the employees' bond with the company. After all, who would say no to a free, healthy lunch? At lunch there is finally time and space to get to know new team members better, to deepen contact with colleagues from other departments and to chat with superiors in a relaxed atmosphere.
But the positive effect on employer branding is not everything. How we eat lunch influences our mental well-being, because social contacts are proven to make us happier. But what we eat also plays an important role in how we feel, how productive we are and how well we deal with stress and other challenges.
While ready meals usually contain a lot of salt, sugar and saturated fats and are also heavily industrially processed, even reheated food from the day before only provides you with some of the original nutrients. What the body needs are natural and fresh ingredients that provide it with all the necessary macro and micro nutrients to stay healthy and productive in everyday life - and especially at work. Stress resistance, creativity, motivation and energy levels are all directly linked to nutrition.
The quality of the food is also a major factor. Organically grown fruit and vegetables are not only better for the body and health, but also contain fewer harmful nitrates and pesticides, making them easier for many allergy sufferers to tolerate and also placing significantly less strain on the environment.
In short: A balanced organic lunch in the office ensures greater productivity, resilience and inventiveness among employees - and also improves team dynamics and loyalty to the company. A culinary all-rounder, so to speak.
Ideas for an uncomplicated team lunch
A healthy and tasty lunch doesn't have to be complicated. Dishes like our soups, porridge and smoothie bowls are rich in nutrients, nutritious and very quick to prepare. Purora's range offers you a large selection with something for every taste. Perfectly portioned and preserved with a natural essence of 26 herbs (ultra-fresh line in our health packages ), Puroras are the ideal lunch option for the office. Our ThermóTwist ensures gentle chopping and heating directly in the glass so that the valuable nutrients are retained and the effort is reduced to a minimum. This means that preparation works even in the smallest office kitchen.
Conclusion: The meal makes the difference
One thing is now clear: the team lunch is an indispensable factor for outstanding satisfaction and thus employee loyalty to your company. In addition to the social aspect of eating together, a healthy lunch provides a real motivational boost and increased productivity in your team. High-quality macronutrients provide the body with important energy and the micronutrients they contain, such as zinc, magnesium, iron and numerous vitamins, contribute to mental performance.
Nevertheless, food preparation can and should of course be done quickly so that lunch doesn't mess up your schedule. This works particularly well with nutrient-rich soups and refreshing smoothie bowls, which can be mixed in no time and - refined with individual toppings - offer a balanced and delicious meal.
Sounds fantastic? If you want to start delighting your team with a healthy, organic lunch offer, then send us a request for a Purora subscription of your choice and secure our individual advice for companies.
