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Happy employees and productivity: is there a link?
Are happy employees more productive?
Research says yes. Economists at the University of Warwick report that happy employees are 12% more productive on average. It has been shown that happiness has a bigger effect on productivity than salary. Studies show that happiness in the workplace is directly linked to a positive environment and how well the employer understands and responds to the employee’s needs.
The importance of perks
Happy employees feel like their opinions are heard. Benefits like paid sick leave, vacation time and a path to upward mobility are important. But day-to-day perks also play a role in employee happiness. According to Forbes.com, the best type of happiness reinforcement comes from small rewards that happen often, rather than grand gestures that happen less frequently. For example, Google (ranked the best place to work by Fortune Magazine) provides free food to all employees in areas no more than three minutes from each work station. So, while providing food may seem like a distraction from work, it is quite the opposite. Employees who gather on campus for meals and special events are more productive overall and spend less time away from the office.
Get creative
Employers across the country are figuring out creative ways to keep employees excited about the workplace. These employers provide everything from free snacks and meals to childcare, car washes and massages, based on the logic that taking these things off their employees’ to-do lists will keep them at the office longer. They might be right. Studies show that employees who are offered food when they work late are more effective at staying engaged. Productivity quickly offsets the price of food.
The best way to understand what might keep your employees happy is simply to pay attention. Keep an open line of communication and observe their habits. Do five of your employees disappear to the local coffee shop every morning at 10 a.m.? Maybe it’s time to consider a gourmet coffee cart and a space for them to gather on campus.
Be sure to consider the overall lifestyle and demographics of your employees so your perks align with their needs. The point is for your employees to feel like you understand them and care about what is important to them. That way, they will care about what is important to your business.
Ready to increase happiness and productivity?
Want an easy to implement and fun food and beverage option for your workplace to help increase happiness and productivity? Consider adding a micro market to your break room as a fun and exciting way to incorporate your employees’ favorite food and beverage items.
Learn more about how you can offer the ultimate employee perks package from Avanti Markets and how to get one at your office today.
Start Fueling your Employees with more than just food! Get your Micro Market today.
The effects and reality of COVID-19 changed the workplace for now and into the foreseeable future. One of the biggest concerns for employers is how to keep employees safer while at work, including reducing the need for workers to come and go during the course of their workday.
New Auxiliary Kiosk provides more flexibility for market operators and host locations.
Whether you have had employees on furlough or working from home, chances are that your workplace turned into a bit of a ghost town when COVID-19 rules forced your operation to adapt. You may still have only a fraction of the number of employees coming to your physical location to work right now.
Even before COVID-19 changed the restaurant and retail landscape in 2020, micro markets were growing at a nearly unprecedented rate due to: increasing consumer demand micro market operator earning potential versatility of micro market options underserved markets which represent opportunity for entrepreneurs ever-evolving micro market technology and capabilities Micro market revenues grew nearly $1B between 2016-2019, climbing to a record high $26B in revenues in only two years. We believe there has never been a more exciting time to become a micro market operator , and here are five reasons why, including the benefits of partnering with Avanti Markets on your micro market business. 5 Reasons to Open an Avanti Micro Market Business Right Now 1. Consumer Demand and Preferences The growth of micro markets is not just about the consumer’s demand for food and beverages. Micro markets answer consumer preferences in many areas, especially now in the aftermath of COVID-19 and its impacts to food service. Micro markets answer the consumer’s growing demand for convenience, self-service, and touchless payments, especially among younger consumers (and a younger workforce). Micro market technology enables unattended retail as a food service solution that can be placed in nearly any setting, such as: Office buildings, lobbies, and corporate campuses Colleges, universities, high schools, and other educational institutions Hospitals, medical buildings, medical office parks, etc. Airports, train stations, bus stations, and other commuter facilities Hotels and motels Adjacent to (or in place of) traditional cafeterias Resorts, arenas, stadiums, convention centers, entertainment venues Neighborhood convenience retail locations Automobile service and sales facilities Today’s COVID-19 era consumer also demands food safety and security. Micro markets offer safer, smarter vending solutions where foods and beverages are safely stored, minimally handled, and where inventory can be managed in real time to avoid shortages and respond to demand. The size and type of items which could be dispensed by traditional vending machines limited their ability to satisfy the needs of consumers who are increasingly aware of the benefits of eating healthy. Micro markets and intelligent vending solutions are not constrained in the same way, and so they are able to deliver access to the healthy, fresh foods that consumers want from food service solutions in retail and employment settings.
Micro markets are popping up through the country and transforming traditional breakrooms with food and beverage options through choice and versatility combined with a perfect blend of technology for ease and functionality.
PART 4 OF A SERIES CONTACTLESS OPTIONS FOR THE WORKPLACE - OFFICE COFFEE INCLUDED Contactless shopping is a term we are all hearing a lot lately. It’s one of the strategies being enacted to keep people safe given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. But what could that mean for the workplace breakroom? The good news is that companies do have options to help keep their employees safe with contactless options while maintaining office perks such as coffee service or breakroom food options. With the new normal of minimized shared contact points in our everyday lives, the office coffee pot has come under scrutiny. Self-serve pours from the same containers used by virtually all employees no longer feels safe. To combat this, fully contactless coffee solutions are being introduced to the office coffee service landscape. Many convenience service operators are offering coffee programs that limit shared touchpoints to align with consumer expectations. One such example is a bean-to-cup brewer with a software add-on that allows for contactless beverage selection. Users can scan the 2D code on their smartphone and be taken to a mobile interface to make their drink selections. Once selection is completed, the coffee machine will dispense the coffee or hot beverage to the user’s specifications. Companies can use this system to continue to offer free coffee for employees. Or, if they want employees to pay or want to subsidize the cost, the payment can be completed through an associated micro market kiosk. The benefit of a bean-to-cup brewer is that employees can get a fresh, customized cup of coffee at a fraction of the cost of going to the local coffee shop. Not to mention, this way, employees are staying on site to get their coffee instead of traveling to an outside establishment. These are important benefits related to morale and safety of workers. As mentioned, a contactless coffee system can be used in conjunction with a micro market kiosk. An Avanti micro market in your breakroom is another contactless perk not to be overlooked for your facility. Fresh food micro markets offer a variety of fresh, healthy, and in-demand food and beverage items that are likely to keep employees on site for lunch instead of going out to pick up food from a different location.
Micro markets are on the grow nationwide. The revenues generated by micro markets increased 99 percent between 2016 and 2018, representing more than $2B in annual sales. While they initially found success in manufacturing businesses and office buildings, micro markets and smart vending solutions have the potential to grow exponentially in other industries as well.
Smart N Go Markets give hospitals and medical facilities a reliable and secure food service solution that is available 24/7. Smart N Go markets are a revolutionary self-service food service alternative that is ideally suited to better serve the needs of hospitals and medical facilities beyond open cafeteria or traditional snack vending. Available at little or no cost to your facility, Smart N Go intelligent vending allows a variety of fresh food, beverages, snacks, coffee and more to be ready to grab 24/7 behind secured glass doors.
Seven organizations recognized for their accomplishments this year through virtual presentations of awards.
7 Benefits of Micro Markets in Light of COVID-19 Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, micro markets were an emerging trend. These unattended retail establishments began cropping up in offices and apartment building lobbies since 2010 and are especially popular with Millennials and Generation Z. During the pandemic micro markets have evolved from fun novelty conveniences into essential businesses that provide key benefits to the general public and businesses, including the healthcare industry. Here are seven benefits micro markets offer during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: 1. No-contact, touch-free transactions 2. Safety and security 3. Provide safe and healthy food options 4. Entice employees back to the office 5. Not affected by labor shortages 6. Versatility and convenience 7. Opportunities to serve underserved markets 1. No-contact, Touch-free Transactions Micro markets are unattended retail spaces and even prior to the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, they provided customers with a contactless way to purchase healthy food and beverages. Furthermore, micro markets provide added safety in that they offer consumers touchless payment options that can include things like subscription options and payments via an app they can easily download to their smartphone. 2. Safety and Security Micro markets provide the COVID-19 era customer with the added security and food safety they demand. Even fresh produce can be pre-packaged, providing consumers with the added confidence that a piece of fruit, such as an orange or an apple, hasn’t been handled by other people. And for added security, sneeze guards and other plexiglass display options can be installed as well. Additionally, the food and drinks at micro markets have always been safely stored and offered in an easy to access self-service environment where it’s easy for customers to stay socially distanced from each other for added peace of mind. 3. Provide safe and healthy food options According to a recent survey of nearly 1,500 adults, 56 percent of the respondents admitted they found it challenging to eat healthy, in spite of 89 percent also saying that nutrition is important to them. And because micro markets aren’t vending machines but mini one-stop shops, they can provide your customers or employees with healthy snack options in conveniently wrapped and sealed packaging. Furthermore, larger items like sandwiches, salads and fresh produce aren’t a size issue like they are for vending machines that are more limited to less healthy options such as candy or chips.
