International Coffee Day // 5 Reasons Why -dash- Exists

Today is International Coffee Day. Chances are that a large percentage of your team are drinking coffee at home & work every day. We’re sharing 5 reasons, beyond the caffeine kick, that serving coffee at work helps.

Gone are the days when team members would have watercooler productive discussions and they now opt for discussions over a cup of coffee.

According to a 2015 study by the Zagat, 82% of employees drink 2.1 cups of coffee per day! Chances are, someone you work with cannot function in the morning until they have had their cup.

With this in mind it is evident that these days, it’s unlikely that an office doesn’t have a coffee area of some sort.

In fact, in Keurig’s Green Mountain survey, 89% of the 843 surveyed workplaces said that coffee in the office can make an entire workday happy and productive.

As more firms find co-working spaces as a perfect solution for a workforce, the spaces are increasingly focused on wellbeing and flexibility.

This is driven by the number of millennials entering the workforce, who are changing the modern workplace and the ways in which we work.

Beyond the ‘Coffice’

Co-working itself is a relatively new phenomenon, and in the past, freelancers, remote workers or simply employees wanting to get out of the office have resorted to working from a cafe or coffee shop in search of good coffee and free WiFi.

Whilst cheap and relatively flexible, the “coffice” (Half coffee shop, half office. Hence the name.) can be a hindrance for business owners and employees.

Conducting business meetings, taking important calls, or simply meeting with colleagues can be difficult in coffee shops as there’s no guarantee of table space, it’s often noisy and the WiFi can be intermittent.

Even the coffee can sometimes be sub-par! Co-working spaces have bridged the gap between the amenities of a traditional office, creating a third space that includes good WiFi, great coffee, desks big enough for laptops, and the ease, flexibility, and cost savings of share

The increased focus on wellbeing, agile working, and technology has drastically altered how and where we work, and the youngest generation has different expectations of work, and the workplace, compared to their predecessors.

The technological revolution means we can work from anywhere we want, at any time we want, and this is impacting the modern office. In fact, the modern office often isn’t an office at all…

So, if you don’t yet offer a coffee service in your office, you’re passing up on the opportunity to show your team how much you appreciate them, strengthen your workplace culture, and keep employees working hard!

-dash- is Nairobi Garage’s in-house café providing a variety of affordable coffee supplied by Spring Valley Coffee.

It is clearer now more than ever that coffee is becoming a workplace staple. It is becoming an essential drink at the workplace and as we mark International Coffee Day, here are a few benefits that come with serving coffee at the workplace.

1. Productive Meetings

Ever find that when you conduct meetings in the afternoon or toward the end of the day, your co-workers are less focused and attentive?

Well, studies show that caffeine helps people understand and retain information better, as well as more quickly learn new material.

Researchers at John Hopkins University found that the caffeine in coffee enhances memory functions. It makes the brain more resistant to forget new information in the long term. The takeaway: if you want better quality meetings where your co-workers will retain information more efficiently, utilize your office coffee!

2. Increased Concentration

Research shows that providing office coffee can keep employees’ productivity and concentration. The caffeine in coffee works as a stimulant that heightens brain activity, gets nutrients flowing, fights off sleepiness, and boosts focus.

Coworking Spaces in Nairobi // 4 Exponential Growth Reasons

In fact, it’s been scientifically proven that caffeine improves alertness and mental performance when consumed in small doses (between 100 mg and 250 mg, or 1 to 2.5 cups of coffee). When people feel more alert and focused, they produce better work and demonstrate higher performance quality – it’s a win-win!

3. Boost Interaction

For many companies, the office coffee or break area is a space where employees can talk about work and share ideas.

Rather than sitting at their desk or cubicle all day long, the coffee space gives employees an area to be creative and enhance the quality of their work through outside opinions.

In fact, a study showed that coffee breaks can lead to more cohesion and a larger sense of culture at work. These short breaks allow employees to get to know one another and experience a higher quality of life at work.

4. Collaborative Opportunities

Many forward-thinking businesses are taking their office coffee service to the next level by creating a collaborative workspace.

This is a place where employees can work outside of their desk or cubicle, conduct meetings and take advantage of collaborative opportunities, and enjoy coffee at the same time. Research has shown that coffee breaks and time spent away from the desk stimulate team members and replenishes their energy, motivation, and focus.

Plus, many employees prefer to work in a coffee shop than at a desk. In fact, they feel more productive in this sort of environment. Rather than employees having to leave the office to feel rejuvenated, providing this coffee shop-like space keeps employees at work while enjoying relief from their desks at the same time.

5. Time Efficiency

Consider that most of your employees will drink coffee at work – whether it’s offered or not.

That means if you don’t offer it, your employees will take time out of their day to go out to get a cup. The lost time may be in the morning, during lunch, or in the afternoon.

But regardless, you will most likely experience a shorter workday from employees who go out to get coffee. You also risk employees having a mid-day slump when they can’t get a refill. This can dampen their productivity and work output.

There is also research behind the fact that taking short breaks (aka “micro-breaks”) throughout the day can make the time employees spend working at their desks more productive and valuable. It allows them to get up, stretch, and recharge – which is better for their overall focus and health thus the reason we have -dash- Cafe across our spaces.

Pop in any time at our Karen, Kilimani & Spring Valley locations to get your cup of joe!