Eating together in the workplace has been shown to have benefits ranging from promoting more positive feelings around the workplace to improving mental health, to improving teamwork, says Martin Carraher, Professor of Food and Health Policy at University College London.
In an article published by the Australian website "The Conversation", Karaher said that employees in Sweden believe in the positives of this behavior, and organize a daily event called "Fika" that depends on sharing food at work, especially cakes and other desserts, and they spend some time away from the office. To communicate with them while eating.
Eating in the office
The author acknowledges that workplace eating habits have changed over time in many countries, including the United Kingdom; Few people now get a lunch break of less than an hour. And a survey published in 2021 - of 133 British companies - found that 6% of workers in the United Kingdom skip lunch.
Recently, the Corona (Covid-19) pandemic has clearly changed work practices, and developments such as online ordering and workplace delivery have affected what people can eat for lunch.
Karaher pointed to the benefits of group eating from its effects on nutrition, through mental health, to productivity in the workplace.
The writer emphasized that eating in the workplace is one of the factors that enhance productivity and job performance, if it is properly balanced.
He points out that the International Labor Organization conducted an analysis of eating habits around the world in 2005, and found that poor diet or overeating in the workplace can cause productivity to decline by 20%.