4 Reasons to Have a Coffee Machine in Your Workplace

Coffee is one of the most valuable traded commodities in the world, second only to oil. A nice cup of coffee on your desk is the perfect way to start in the morning or it can keep you company during the day. More importantly, coffee is a core part of the work day. But what is coffee without good coffee machines at your office?

At work, the good old coffee pot is not enough to satisfy the diverse cravings of your employees and customers anymore. People want espresso, latte, cappuccino, hot chocolate and some even demand soup out of their office coffee machines.

Recent studies revealed that employees think that high quality coffee offered by employers is an important workplace perk, proving that the company cares about its workers. So it is time to deal with the fact that having a commercial coffee machine in your workplace is a necessity, even more so than pens and paper nowadays.

Investing in quality office coffee machines for your business does not only have benefits for employees, but it can improve the whole work environment and increase workers' productivity. If you are still not sure why or whether you need a coffee machine in your office, here are four very good reasons to have one.

Caffeine is a strong stimulant that helps employee fight off sluggishness and keeps mental alertness, energy and endurance at work. Throughout the workday most people undergo a decline in mental abilities. Because of the normal human biorythm, many people feel mental acuity to flag at around 10 AM and 2 PM. This is connected to the production of a chemical responsible for sleepiness, adenosine, which links to receptors that slow down brain activity. The more adenosine, the more you feel tired. Caffeine has a similar structure to adenosine, binding to the same receptors but as it is not adenosine, the sleepiness effect is not felt.

Taking a coffee break with colleagues during the work day is nowadays a widespread and ingrained habit in office culture. Meeting or inviting co-workers to take a coffee is a perfect occasion to foster relationships, network and talk things over in a more relaxed way. The Swedes even have a word for it, ‘Fika’, and they believe that it’s during the coffee break that most work gets done.

A study at MIT proved that coffee breaks have a positive effect to increase the strength of groups in the workplace and they also increase productivity. Having a cup of coffee in the office with your colleagues may also create a space where new ideas are born. People tend to exchange opinions by simply chatting by the office water dispenser or over a cup of something hot. 

In a Harvard study, women who drank 4 or more cups of coffee per day had a 20% lower risk of becoming depressed. Caffeine affects the level of dopamine and serotonin in the brain, preventing their re-absorption, which makes you feel happy. Obviously, the happiness of employees is proportionate to the number of coffee varieties they can choose, so having a proper machine, like a coffee vending machine, is fundamental to keep workers happy and foster a positive work environment.

In addition, providing free and good coffee is a generally effective office perk that helps with keeping morale among employees high as it is generally considered a token of appreciation. Companies should never disregard the importance of high morale in the office environment, considering that it is a big factor contributing to employees’ productivity.

Fortune reports that “People who get too little sleep are prone to go along with unethical practices at work unless they up their caffeine intake”. Sleep-deprived people are more susceptible to undertake unethical behaviours but caffeine can help strengthen will-power and self-control. Employers should always make sure they don’t overwork their employees, but sometimes it’s not up to them to decide how much rest they get. What is up to them, though, is how much coffee they offer in the workplace. To ensure that employees are on their best ethical behaviour, plenty of coffee should be available at all times.

These are only four of the many good reasons why having a coffee machine at work is important. Overall, being able to take a break from work and enjoy a good cup of coffee makes people happier and better at their jobs. Of course, coffee is not the only thing you need for a healthy and productive work environment, but it is a way for an employer to show his or her employees that they care about them.

Employees will normally take breaks and socialise during working hours, whether they have a coffee machine or not. Employers can encourage this behaviour to show that they respect their workers' needs. In turn, employees who feel like their needs are taken into consideration, will work better and avoid sneaking behind the boss' back. A simple gesture like getting a coffee machine for your workplace can go a long way to make everybody happier and more productive.