Reaching employees’ hearts through their stomachs: How corporate catering is luring workers back to the boardroom

As the world continues to adjust to a new normal, companies are struggling to get workers out of the house and back to the boardroom. Though not all employers need every employee back in the office every day, getting back to a traditional office work-life is important for many companies, which begs the question:  How can employers entice employees to return to the office?

The promise of free food has the potential to attract even the most dug-in remote workers to return to the office. Even if it’s on a part-time basis for starters, large law firms, tech companies, and corporate giants are using catered meals to lure employees back to the office. 

Whether you think of it as a perk, a bribe, or a kind gesture, dangling the carrot of free mid-day meals under your employees’ noses is a simple, savvy, and fun way to fill up your cubicles and offices once again.

And the time could not be better, as pharma has just announced the approval of a fourth vaccine for folks over 50, giving your senior staffers, (those who bring the greatest experience and contributions to the conference table) an increased sense of security as they venture out of their cozy home office cocoons.

But, there are still obstacles in the way, making the move to come back into the fold a tough task for employers. 

There are those employees that have young children, are caring for older parents, and others that have simply dug their heels into their remote work lifestyle and don’t have any desire to change. Some note that they don’t miss the commute, 6:00 alarm, or a big boss looking over their shoulder. Regardless of the objection, companies need to work overtime to convince staff to return.

It’s important for companies to understand their staff’s mindset by acknowledging the pros and cons employees are weighing before making the decision to return to office life. 

Studies show that Americans spend an average of $3,000  annually on midday meals. So, it should come as no surprise that the average corporate staffer, who spends between $11 and $20 per day on lunch, either at their desk or going out for a bite with co-workers, isn’t exactly jumping at the chance to return to the office.  And this goes for breakfast and dinners for those who work beyond 9 to 5.

So, how can employers remove the food factor from the equation? It stands to reason that offering your employees complimentary catered meals during work hours will certainly have an enormous impact when luring them to leave the nest.

By bringing in boxed lunches, healthy breakfasts, happy hour hors d'oeuvres, and beautiful brunches, the idea of returning will certainly seem a lot more appealing. And many caterers, who pivoted to small-size catering to stay afloat over the last two years are ready to oblige.

Good Heart, serving some of the largest corporations in Southern California, has created a complete menu directly suited to the busy corporate lifestyle. 

Founded by Jon Toktas, an experienced LA hospitality veteran, Good Heart’s primary vision is to assist businesses and event planners with the most convenient, delicious, reliable catering services.   

“At Good Heart Catering,  our two main priorities are timely delivery and fresh meals,” offered Toktas in a recent interview. 

“We believe catering should come from the heart and our team of experienced chefs, catering concierges, and delivery drivers are dedicated to curating perfectly prepared meals served at your customer’s locations.” 

From a variety of made-to-order breakfast boxes, perfectly prepared to give individual staffers a great start to their day,  to a premium line of boxed lunches, perfect for keeping the energy high during long presentations and brainstorming sessions, the wide selection of lunch platters, individual bags and boxes, group breakfasts, sweet treats, and beverages fits any dietary restrictions, taste preferences, and budget. 

Perfect for any health-conscious crew, salad boxes, offering everything from Chef, Caesar, and Cobb to Greek, Pasta, and Quinoa,  come complete with a bottle of water, bread roll, and a cookie.

Premium Boxed Wrap Lunches offer a variety of meat and vegan offerings including Country Turkey, Pesto, Chicken Cranberry Tuna, Vegan Baked Falafel, and Hummus Wrap, to name a few. All boxed lunches are filled to the brim with good heart goodies.

Mini Slider Platters, Tofu Skewers, and Shrimp Cocktail Platters are just a few more menu options available to please any crowd. 

For a more value-conscious option, choose from a long list of Value Brown Bag Lunches with mouth-watering options like Pesto Chicken on Focaccia, Grilled Caesar Ciabatta, and Veggie Delights. 

Looking to impress your employees in a big way on their first day back in the office, consider Good Heart’s selection of elevated individual lunch and dinner meals including Crusted Salmon and Spinach, Beef Shawarma Bowl, Shrimpy Quinoa, and Pesto Fettuccini, to name a few.  

Not sure? Let the good chefs at Good Heart create an assorted selection of Great Food, guaranteed to make your staff glad to be back.

Note: With the labor shortage still in full force, and many employers having a hard time hiring staff, even for remote work, another option is to  offer your workers a free lunch once a week,  as a part of the onboarding process. 

The days when ping pong tables, beer nights, and free coffee worked to keep employee morale high are in the past. Whether your office is still operating remotely, hybrid, or back to normal (whatever that may be), catering to the needs of your office staff will help to satisfy their craving for colleague camaraderie, give them a taste of “normal,” and bring them back to the boardroom.