Fika means ‘coffee break’ when directly translated from Swedish to English. But like so many other translations, it doesn’t capture the cultural nuances associated with the word.
Fika is so much more than just taking a coffee break. It’s a moment to pause and spend quality time with the people you are with. The enjoyment of good coffee and snacks amplifies the sense of occasion.
Team building is more important than it’s ever been. So, why not take from the spirit of Fika and bring it to the workplace? After all, a Fika style breakfast allows colleagues to slow down, catch a breath and connect.
What is a team-building breakfast?
Sharing food has always been a part of the human story, and the workplace should be no exception. Some companies provide breakfasts in a relaxed setting for employees to eat, drink, and interact, as you would at a social gathering. Usually, these breakfasts consist of a variety of healthy foods to kick start your day the right way.
Usually, breakfast and lunch at work is a solitary affair, and sharing food revolves around a meeting with work-related conversations. A team-building breakfast is about spending the breakfast hour with each other, chatting about ordinary things, and enjoying the little things in life like good food. Done right, breakfast at work can be about taking time to share, connect, and listen before starting the day.
Here are 5 benefits of offering team-building breakfasts:
Starting the day on a positive note
Imagine walking into your office to be greeted by the smell of freshly-ground coffee, and freshly-baked, wholesome muffins, the sight of bright colourful fruit saladss, and the cheerful chatter of your co-workers as they sample all the beautiful food. Picture your office looking like your best neighbourhood cafe on a Sunday. Breakfast like this sets the scene for lots of positive and friendly vibes?. Who wouldn’t want to start their workday this way?
And, what’s more? You get your caffeine hit and an array of delectable and healthy breakfast options you might not have time to prepare yourself in the morning – a far cry from your time-saving bowl of cereal. It stimulates your brain as well as your body and sets you up for an invigorating day ahead. It is a guaranteed fix for morning grumpiness!
Staff nutrition
The grind of the day discourages us from paying attention to what we eat. Most office workers are either skipping breakfast or settling for unhealthy snacks due to time constraints and busy morning routines. There are scientific reasons why breakfast is dubbed ‘the most important meal of the day.’ Breakfast should be nutritious, balanced and not to be missed!
Food is our fuel. Replenishing with this fuel helps us keep up energy levels during the day. If you are starting work on an empty stomach, you are likely to find yourself fatigued and not thinking properly. It can lead to slacking off at work, which nobody wants. Alertness and cognition should be at their peak when starting the working day. Breakfast can boost brain power and physical strength, so you can get a good day’s work done. Fuelling up in the morning is the best fix for a productive day.
Saves times
Want to see your staff arriving early? What better way to encourage them than serving breakfast. They save time getting to work as they don’t need to whip up a batch of pancakes at home (okay, okay, they’re probably not doing that anyway) or stop at the coffee shop on the way in. The best part? Your staff won’t need to rush their morning – scarfing down a slice of toast while high-tailing it to the train. Taking away any friction with the morning routine or dreaded commute will put your staff at ease. Saving them time, puts them in the right mindset to start work.
Builds a sense of camaraderie among staff
How well do you know your co-workers? There’s a chance we know very little. Workplace relationships have important implications for the individual and the organiszation. Studies have indicated that workplace relationships directly affect a worker’s ability to work and perform (Mamta, G & Ebrahimi, N., 2013).
A lot of our lives are spent at work, and good workplace relationships contribute to our general well-being and work productivity. Employers are constantly looking for ways to improve camaraderie among employees. A breakfast club can do more than make them relaxed and happy – a shared meal binds people together and offers quality bonding time.
Breakfast provides a mechanism for your colleagues to listen to each others’ stories and learn about each others’ lives. Understanding our colleagues better helps foster empathy and dialogue, which ultimately helps build better teams. It’s important to know one another to be able to give effective feedback and voice our opinions comfortably, especially in demanding workplaces where tempers may easily fly or miscommunications may occur.
Foster mutual respect and understanding
Sometimes we have it all wrong about a co-worker simply because we haven’t had a heart-to-heart with them. Interpersonal communication is integral to building healthy relationships at work. A team breakfast offers the opportunity to come together for light-hearted conversation, which sparks meaningful bonding and mutual understanding.
Team building doesn’t happen at the conference table; it happens in more informal settings. Organising a team breakfast leads to serendipitous interactions. For those working on the same project or work assignment, this offers the opportunity to talk more freely regularly. You get to learn about each others’ strong points and unique abilities, leading to mutual respect and knowledge about who can bring what to collaborative tasks. It is also an ice breaker for other members of the staff to get to know each other on a more personal level.
Decrease work-related stress
Employee stress is a business issue and finding strategies that help to alleviate stress are increasingly important in the workplace.. More and more employers are focusing on the mental health of their staff by creating happier work environments and adopting stress-relieving initiatives.
The workplace is transforming and becoming a place more conducive to our mental and physical health. The beauty of food is it can bring the most unlikely people together to foster strong relationships. Fooditude offers a fresh take on catering by providing workplaces a full food experience without the need for kitchens. Fresh seasonal ingredients and balanced, healthy meals can make your team breakfast come alive with vivacity.
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