According to a report from the Leesman Index[1], third in the list of the most important workplace features is tea, coffee and other refreshment facilities, beaten by just a desk and chair. This means that 77.8% of workers see on-site drinks as highly valuable – time to think about you vending and office coffee machine offering?
As we embark on this brand-new year, Coffee Expert, Dan Matthams shares his thoughts on forecasted trends for coffee and the workplace in 2023…
1. Premiumisation
Today, coffee is deeply ingrained into many people’s daily routine, and with the increased expectation of quality, consumers now benchmark workplace coffee offerings against café experiences; expecting to enjoy full café style menus, with drinks in larger paper cups and the likes of fresh milk machines, such as our tabletop Bean to Cup La Radiosa office coffee machine. Many consumers are willing to pay more for higher quality[2] and providing access to premium refreshments is a great on-site perk to brighten the working week – we predict that premiumisation is a key trend that is here to stay throughout 2023 and beyond.
2. Hybrid culture
With 76% of Travel Perk report respondents confirming a shift to hybrid work in their companies for 2023[3], providing premium on-site drinks is also a fantastic incentive for hybrid staff to travel into the office this year. Those who want the flexibility to come and go from their desks, also benefit from the flexibility that unattended vending and office coffee machines can offer. Having access to the likes of a self-serve micro café fuels staff with coffee shop quality moments 24/7, bringing coffee culture to life all day long.
3. Employee wellbeing
A whopping 79% of British adults in employment regularly experience work-related stress[4], so amidst the UK living through a time of uncertainty, it’s important for companies to provide a supportive workspace that advocates short breaks and ‘coffee corner conversations’. In fact, research featured in Psychology Today found that spending more time talking over coffee than sending a mail can have a 10-15% increase in workers productivity[5]. And, having a well-deserved break with colleagues or catching up by the office coffee machine is an important part of developing workplace friendships – a key contributor to staff satisfaction and wellbeing, something that should be high on the agenda for 2023.
4. Decaf options
The consumption of decaf coffee has been steadily increasing, with FMI predicting that the global decaf market will expand from $20.06 billion in 2023 to $39.10 billion by 2033[6]. Because of this rise in popularity, premium coffee needs to translate into good quality decaf, which is why we have decaffeinated coffee beans and instant coffee in our coffee range.
To ensure your workplace experience is ahead of the curve and meeting all your business needs this year, get in contact and one of our friendly team members will be available to discuss the best vending and office coffee machine solutions for you.
[1] Leesman Index, The Workplace Experience Revolution Part 2, October 2019
[2] The Vending & Automated Retail Association, UK Vending Industry 2021 Census, May 2022
[3] Top hybrid work trend stats from global companies for 2023
[4] The 2020 UK workplace stress survey
[5] The water cooler effect, Psychology Today
[6] Future Market Insights, Decaffeinated Coffee Market Outlook
