As business owners, we are always looking for new ways to succeed and drive our organization forward. While a lot of the time this will mean winning new clients or growing the business, there are some easy wins to be had.
Of all the low-hanging fruit, the easiest win is increased productivity, and there are lots of little ways that don’t take a lot to implement and generally don’t require large investment.
One of the easiest is having a good coffee break area for your team that encourages them to have regular cups of coffee.
Let’s have a look at what you need to make a good break area, and then the five top reasons why drinking coffee will make your team more productive.
What You Need for a Good Coffee Break Area
Having an encouraging space that your team will actually want to use is essential if you want to take advantage of the increased output.
Luckily, this doesn’t require much, and you can get set up with the below for not a lot of investment.
Coffee Machine: I would recommend the type that doesn’t require a lot of skill to use. The easiest and most convenient type would be a bean to cup coffee machine. This will produce good quality coffees with the touch of a button.
Fridge: The health benefits will be gone pretty quick if you use bad milk. A fridge is essential so the team can keep their milk and cream fresh.
Table and Chairs: You want the team to sit and congregate in this area throughout the day, so think of it as a modern day water cooler. This will encourage collaboration.
5 Reasons Coffee Makes You More Productive
You are probably thinking right about now, why are we spending money and making the space all nice for the team to relax and have a brew?
How is this going to increase my output?
Well, sometimes we have to look at it from a different perspective and below are 5 reasons why this can benefit your team’s productivity.
1. It Makes You More Alert
It is no secret that caffeine is a stimulant; it is the most widely used stimulant in the world. Consuming caffeine in reasonable amounts each day will give you the feeling of a boost and make you more productive.
2. Drink Coffee to Reduce Sleep Deprived Stress
Everyone knows that morning feeling when you’ve had a bad night’s sleep — everything seems so much more difficult than usual.
Drinking caffeine in the morning actually inhibits the brain’s ability to absorb adenosine, the chemical responsible for making us feel tired.
Several studies have also shown that coffee aromas help you relax and relieve stress.
3. Coffee Time Is a Social Affair
At first glance, it may seem counterproductive to have your team stand around drinking coffee and chewing the fat.
But having a meeting of minds in a more relaxed atmosphere can be very productive and a lot of good ideas start in the break room.
In addition, a team that socializes together works better together
4. A Cup of Coffee Is Good for Your Health
Coffee and I mean the fresh kind, not instant, is actually loaded with antioxidants. Healthline.com mentions it is one of the largest sources of antioxidants in the human diet.
These powerful antioxidants actually protect your cells from aging and can prevent a number of diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
A healthy team is a productive team.
5. Caffeine Can Reduce Pain and Anxiety
There have been several studies recently regarding the role caffeine plays in pain management, and is currently a subject of great interest among medical professionals.
It is believed that chemicals in coffee can actually help switch off the brain’s receptors to pain, and help alleviate the suffering.
Ongoing chronic pain is one of the biggest reasons for under performance among the workforce.
Summary
It’s probably not the first thought that pops into your mind when brainstorming ways to increase the team’s output. In fact, most initial thoughts are that a good coffee area and encouraging the team to take breaks is counterproductive.
But sometimes, as leaders, we need to think outside the box and look for the not-so-obvious ways to boost the output.
And as you can see, coffee is a great, easy win that won’t break the budget.
