Picture this: Employees head to the nearest vending machines to grab tasty bites and treats. But are they healthy?
Companies have recently begun to realise the value of health for business success. They have started offering employee wellness programmes to promote a healthy lifestyle in the workplace.
Offering healthcare benefits, giving access to fitness centres, and promoting a work-life balance are some popular initiatives implemented for employee wellness programmes. However, one unique tactic stands out in the workplace: Healthy snack vending machines. Quite interesting, right?
Are they carving the future of employee wellness programmes? Have they already started gaining ground in the workplace? Or are they just a mere fad?
In this article, we’ll share with you the role of healthy vending machines in employee wellness programmes. Discover how they can offer wonderful benefits to both employers and employees.
Read on.
The Role of Healthy Snack Vending Machines in Employee Wellness Programmes
Did you know that many companies have begun offering employee wellness programmes?
In 2021, Statista reported that over 50 per cent of UK organisations were taking action to promote employee health and wellbeing. Nearly 25% prioritised physical health, while 13% focused on healthy lifestyle choices.
Businesses offer various employee wellness programmes, including fostering health and nutrition. Installing healthy snack vending machines in the workplace is a good idea. But first, learn the stats:
The global research consulting predicts that the UK vending machines market could grow at a 4.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2020 to 2026. They attribute this market growth to the high adoption of vending machines among people in the country.
According to the Automatic Vending Association (AVA), the UK vending industry has an annual turnover of £1.54 billion, with about 24,500 people directly employed. The AVA members run over 420,000 vending machines in the country. These machines dispense foods, beverages, and, yes, snacks.
As such, what better way to capitalise on this than to sell healthy snacks, particularly in the workplace?
Some vending machine operators have recently begun focusing on plant-based and sustainable food options. Let’s take the Meatless Farm with its Automated Plant Machine, the first in the UK launched early this year. This machine offers free vegetables and plant-based foods. Amazing, isn’t it?
Companies should consider installing healthy snack vending machines within their business premise. This initiative should be part of their wellness programmes so employees have easy access to healthy foods and beverages. However, this shouldn’t be just a fad you implement and quickly forget about.
Offering healthy snacks through vending machines can help promote health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Employees who eat healthily become physically nourished and mentally well. As such, they won’t easily get sick and can come to work everyday. Likewise, they can focus on their work, accomplish tasks efficiently, and deliver more output. Ultimately, healthy snacking translates to a boost in employee performance and business success.
Take these interesting Gitnux statistics on workplace wellbeing impacting employee performance and productivity:
- Healthy employees are three times more productive than unhealthy ones.
- Health and job-engaged employees are 2.5 times more likely to be top performers.
- Physical fit employees reduce absenteeism by nearly 15%.
- Employers with wellness programmes have a 25 to 30% decrease in absentee costs.
- Over three-fourth of employees (78%) believe that wellness programmes positively affect the workplace culture.
Still unconvinced? Learn more about the role of healthy snack vending machines in employee wellness programmes below.
1. They provide easy access to healthy snacks
In today’s business landscape, office snacking has become more critical than ever before. However, it’s easy for employees to grab what is readily available. This means opting for junk foods and unhealthy snacks.
Unfortunately, unhealthy foods can harm employees’ health and wellbeing, impacting work and business later on. As such, companies should make a conscious effort to provide employees with access to healthy snacks. So, how can you tackle this problem?
Max Wesman, Founder & COO of GoodHire, recommends investing in healthy snack machines.
Wesman said, “If you offer employees a quick and easy way to grab healthy snacks, you will encourage them to establish healthy eating habits for improved health and performance. But if they aren’t readily available, employees will most likely settle for unhealthy snacks.”
2. They offer healthy food options
Most of the unhealthy snack choices contain fat and cholesterol. They can contribute to employees’ poor health, causing negative repercussions in the workplace. As such, they present significant challenges to many companies and organisations.
Given these challenges, employers should show the utmost concern for their employees by offering them better food options and helping them improve their health. Partnering with health-conscious vending operators and installing healthy snack machines can help you achieve this goal!
Stephan Baldwin, Founder of Assisted Living, cites Southwest Vending as a perfect example of a vending machine operator promoting health and wellbeing.
Baldwin said, “This company shares the vision of helping employees make better and healthier food choices. It actively promotes employee wellness through its healthy vending options. They offer nutritious and tasty snack options, like fresh fruit, granola bars, and yoghurt. So, consider working with them and investing in their machines.”
3. They foster a culture of healthy workplace
Companies and organisations have various imperatives, like promoting a culture of customer-focused service, data-driven decision-making, or work-life balance. However, many tend to neglect the idea of fostering a healthy workplace culture.
Shawn Plummer, CEO at The Annuity Expert, suggests staying on top of this initiative. “Take good care of your much-valued employees by creating a healthy workplace, literally and figuratively. This makes them feel like they are always supported and valued. So, they’ll take good care of your company and customers as well.”
As such, installing healthy snack vending machines contributes to building a healthy workplace culture. It’s not just about what is in the vending machine; it’s also about conveying a powerful message to employees that they are always taken care of.
The Benefits of Healthy Snack Vending Machines for Employers and Employees
The way we snack in the workplace has been evolving. Businesses have gone beyond installing vending machines with greasy chips and sugary treats. And healthy food vending machines have gradually begun gaining ground.
That is because healthy snack vending machines prove beneficial to both employers and their employees. Take the Riverside Refreshments’ vending machines with healthy food options to support the employees’ health. You might want to invest in one:
Why would you invest in healthy snack machines in the first place? Discover their wonderful benefits below.
Benefits for Employers
Healthy vending machines focus on employee health and wellbeing. However, employers can significantly benefit from them as well.
Jerry Han, CMO at PrizeRebel, has seen the value of healthy vending machines in the workplace. “Taking care of employees translates to them taking care of your company as well.”
Han highlights the three ways in which these healthy machines benefit your business:
- Reduced absenteeism: As an employer, you promote the health benefits of napping, exercising, hydrating, and eating properly among your employees. You want to ensure they are always healthy so they can come to work. Installing healthy vending machines can be a great addition to your employee wellness programme. It can go as far as minimising the absenteeism cases due to sick employees.
- High employee retention: Nearly nine out of ten employees say the quality of health benefit options is essential. About 70% will remain loyal to their employers if they’re satisfied with the benefits. However, almost 35% say they’re dissatisfied with the benefits offered by their current jobs. Installing healthy snack vending machines contributes to satisfying employees and making them stay in your company for good.
- Lower healthcare costs: Many people are worried about health insurance costs and whether they can afford quality healthcare. Due to this expense, over 8% reported not seeing a doctor in 2021. The same burden lies on the employers’ shoulders, as they refuse to offer health benefits and wellness programmes due to the rising cost. However, offering these, including healthy snack vending machines, can go a long way in promoting wellbeing and reducing healthcare expenses.
Benefits for Employees
Of course, installing healthy snack vending machines is meant to promote employee health and wellness.
Robert Kaskel, Chief People Officer at Checkr, recommends investing in these machines for their much-valued employees. “You want to give them various food choices and convenient access to healthy snacks. That way, they can always be healthy, productive, and engaged at work.”
Kaskel highlights the three key benefits of healthy snack vending machines for employees:
- Improved health and wellness: In today’s business landscape, there’s a need to focus on health and wellbeing in the workplace. But often, employees have limited options and less access to healthy snacks. Installing healthy snack vending machines stocked with fresh fruits, nuts, and whole grain snacks can help contribute to their overall wellbeing.
- Enhanced focus, energy, and productivity: As an employer, you want to keep your employees physically nourished and promote their mental health. Poor physical and mental wellness can make them sluggish, lazy, exhausted, and burned out at work. Setting up vending machines with nutritious snacks can help address this issue. Give employees access to snacks rich in carbs, fibre, and protein for them to be more focused, energised, and productive.
- Increased job satisfaction: Employees don’t just go after the wages or salaries; some opt for health benefits and wellbeing initiatives. Think of workers’ compensation benefits, health insurance, and wellness programmes. Having healthy snack vending machines in the workplace can go as far as increasing job satisfaction. They send a crystal clear message to all employees: They are well-taken care of in the workplace.
Healthy Snack Vending Machines: The Future of Employee Wellness Programmes
Businesses can no longer ignore the harmful effects of unhealthy snacking habits among employees. The challenge is posed to each and every employer: take the initiative to promote health and well-being in the workplace.
Setting up healthy snack vending machines helps you achieve this key objective. As discussed above, their benefits are multifold:
For employers, they help improve employee attendance, decrease turnover rate, and reduce healthcare expenditures. On the flip side, they enhance the employees’ health and wellness, augment their focus and productivity, as well as boost their job satisfaction.
That said, install such vending machines to encourage employees to eat healthy snacks. As early as now, add this initiative to your employee wellness programme.
Ultimately, expect to see more and more of these machines for a healthier, happier, and more productive workforce!
Author: Catherine Schwartz – HARO & Content Outreach
Photo credit: Bryce Carithers
This insightful blog article explores the pivotal role of healthy snack vending machines within employee wellness programs, shedding light on their potential to positively impact workplace well-being. Drawing from my own professional experiences in diverse work environments, I wholeheartedly agree with the author's assertion that accessible, nutritious snack options can significantly contribute to employee satisfaction and productivity. The article adeptly highlights the importance of offering a variety of healthy choices, tailored to accommodate different dietary preferences and restrictions. As organizations increasingly prioritize employee wellness, integrating healthy snack vending machines emerges as a practical and effective strategy to promote a culture of health and vitality within the workplace.