A lot of employers tend to focus on the quite obvious things that will make their employees happy and more productive. Such things include bonuses, rewards, good salaries, exceptional work environment and conditions and so on.
Let’s not kid ourselves; those things are very important when it comes to boosting employee morale, efficiency, engagement and overall productivity. However, that’s not all you can do to ensure your workers are happier and more productive, in general.
Oftentimes, the answer can be found in little things that can make someone’s day. In other words, workplace supplies fit into a category of something small but something relevant and they can have a huge impact on employee happiness.
Hard to believe that’s true? Have you ever come across a bag of Skittles in the office and you knew you can eat the whole thing right then and there? At that very moment, you enjoy yourself and the world becomes a much better place, at least for a while. With that in mind, here are a few workplace supplies proven to boost employee happiness and productivity.
Coffee
The nectar of the gods and a major source of productivity, as well as elevated heart rate, coffee is the must-have workplace supply. If coffee doesn’t make someone happy, probably nothing will. Jokes aside, coffee isn’t special because it’s cool to drink it. There’s actual scientific proof that coffee can make you happy, more alert and more productive. Here’s how it works.
- Coffee mimics the neurochemical called adenosine. This chemical is responsible for making you feel sleepy and shuts you down when you’re tired.
- When caffeine from coffee enters your body, it fights the adenosine chemical by blocking the receptors that detect it and prevents them from doing their thing.
- As a result, you’re no longer sleepy and your body has no other choice but to start producing its own stimuli – dopamine and glutamate – the “feel-good” hormones.
Therefore, you’re happy, awake and productive just by drinking a cup of coffee. Scientific stuff aside, the sheer presence of heavily-scented aroma and plentiful taste of coffee is enough to kick start your day and your heart, no pun intended.
Food and snacks
Now we’re getting into the thick of it. Okay, enough with the puns. Food and snacks can make someone’s day better almost instantly. Of course, it all depends on the food and snacks available and personal preferences but the fact of the matter is that we all need nourishment from food to live.
Still, there’s more to it than simply eating to survive and helping our body function properly. In fact, what we eat can have a holistic and profound impact on our emotions. You see, our brain basically seeks out pleasures wherever it can find them and food is no exception.
However, a common misconception is that we seek the so-called pleasure foods because we then produce the happy hormones and are, therefore, happier. Pleasure foods can cause a serious addiction that can, if out of control, lead to severe health-related issues like obesity, for example.
So, the key to happiness is a well-balanced diet. A lot of workplaces oftentimes supply their employees with plenty of fresh fruit that can make you happy and healthy at the same time. But of course, eating a bit of chocolate can also be powerful emotional stimuli, as long as you don’t overdo it.
Drinks and beverages
Just like with food and snacks, drinks and beverages can also have an impact on your productivity and emotions. You might believe that a glass of gin and tonic will do the trick but that’s not how it goes, unfortunately.
Alcohol and soda drinks can, in fact, boost your serotonin levels (one of the happy hormones) briefly but the drawbacks can be quite severe. The actual secret to happiness and productivity from drinks and beverages lies in hydration.
A well-hydrated body functions much better. You’re more focused, your short-term memory improves and you have high levels of energy. So, drinking enough water will actually do the trick. Another thing that can also help out is smart drinks.
Such drinks are natural supplements that can provide your body with vitamins and beneficial minerals, in addition to hydration. Some even contain caffeine that can replace coffee if you’re not a fan. Of course, juices from fresh fruit can replace a snack giving you both hydration and nutrients.
Cutlery and crockery
We’ve established that foods and drinks are workplace supplies that are of vital importance for employee productivity and happiness. However, you shouldn’t forget one crucial element that binds everything together and that is a place to sit down so you can actually eat and drink.
In most cases, that’s the office kitchen or canteen but any place will do as long as you provide employees with cutlery and crockery. Without those, things can get pretty messy, really fast. When you have a dedicated space where employees can sit back, enjoy the time off and enjoy their meal, you immediately create a stress-free zone.
People can share their lunch at the table and reflect on things other than work. This is a happy atmosphere where employees can step away from everything and just enjoy the moment. That way, they can go back to work, fully recharged and equipped with newly found happiness and productivity.
Workplace supplies can have a drastic impact on employee productivity, performance and overall happiness. Sometimes, even the smallest of details, like finding that bag of Skittles, can turn things around for the better.
