Last Updated on May 13, 2022 by John Moretti
Have you worked at a job for years and recently had to start at a new job or company? You may have noticed that where your old employer provided coffee and tea, your current one did not. Now, there might be a thought popping up in your head: Do employers have to provide tea and coffee?
There are no requirements for employers to legally provide tea and coffee to their employers. However, not providing tea and coffee is seen as unusual. Providing employees with tea and coffee can have positive effects, such as showing you care and encouraging enough breaks to improve productivity.
Are you wondering what your employer is legally required to provide you with? And what does it mean when an employer goes the extra mile to provide their employees with refreshments, such as tea and coffee? Continue reading to find out!
Employers Providing Refreshments In The Workplace
There isn’t a lot that employers are legally required to provide to their employees. In fact, the only thing that employers are legally required to provide is fresh drinking water.
This can either be in the form of clean tap water, a water drinking fountain with cups provided, or bottled water if tap water is not available. The supply of water should be enough for the nature of the work, as well as the temperature of the environment.
Additional to free water, the employer should make clean seating arrangements and facilities available for working, as well as meal breaks. There should also be a washing facility nearby and a way for employees to heat their food. This can be a simple, entry-level microwave.
There should also be hot water provided for employees to make warm drinks for themselves. These are only a few of the basic things that are legally required for employers to provide to their employees, but most workplaces go beyond this and provide employees with a source of coffee and/or tea.
If your employer has decided to go above and beyond to provide free coffee, tea, or more in your workplace, you can consider yourself very lucky. Providing coffee and tea in a workplace has loads of benefits, including having happier employees in the workplace in general.
Staff is much more likely to feel valued and appreciated by their organization or employer, which results in them delivering high-quality work.
What Happens When Employers Provide Tea And Coffee?
As we touched on above, there are several positive effects that tea and coffee can provide in the workplace. Let’s take a closer look at each of these benefits in the workplace, and maybe you can convince your employer to set up a tea or coffee station if there isn’t one already:
Employees Feel Valued In The Workplace
Even though employers do not legally have to provide their employees with tea and coffee, creating a coffee station in an office is a very simple gesture, but it goes a long way!
It demonstrates that the employer or company cares about its employees and goes the extra mile to create a comfortable and accommodating workplace.
When employees notice that the management cares about their needs and general wellbeing, they will work harder to perform better and are more likely to stay loyal to the company.
Happier employees are more productive in general, with more spikes of energy and determination!
It Will Encourage Employees To Take Well Needed Breaks
Employees who work office jobs tend to chain themselves to their desks and work for hours without taking frequent breaks. This can result in posture issues along with serious health-related issues.
Employees refusing to take breaks can lead to lower productivity levels and can increase the risk of getting burned out. Many employees, especially the new ones who want to impress their employees, will believe that working non-stop will make a good impression.
It is up to the employer to create a workplace that lets employees know taking a break is acceptable and recommended. Encouraging breaks will release some serious stress, refresh employees’ minds for creative thinking, improve self-care, and boost overall productivity!
A coffee and tea station is the ideal way to send a message to workers that taking breaks is okay. The coffee and tea station will provide employees with a reason to get out of their desks, refuel, and stretch their legs!
Results In Increased Productivity
Coffee improves cognitive performance, memory, and sustained attention in the human brain.
Consuming a cup of coffee in the middle of the day will help employees retain important information from meetings, focus on current tasks, and improve their problem-solving abilities.
On top of receiving mental clarity from a hot cup of coffee, many coffee consumers have reported that coffee helps them to feel better. Coffee eliminates fatigue, stimulates the production of dopamine, and reduces inflammation.
This leads to better moods and emotional stability in the workplace. With this being said, having a coffee station inside of your office can boost every employer’s overall production rates.
When it comes to providing tea in the workplace, ut also has some miraculous benefits for employees! All types of different teas are very rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help to boost metabolism, enhance cognitive health, and fight off diseases.
Tea plants contain a unique amino acid, known as theanine, and it induces feelings of relaxation without causing sleepiness. Drinking tea lowers levels of stress and will induce clear-headed thoughts.
Providing Tea And Coffee Will Save Time
Finally, having a tea and coffee station in the workplace will eliminate the need for morning or afternoon coffee runs to your local coffee shop.
Having coffee ready at the workplace is not only convenient, but it saves workers from taking extended breaks to walk or drive to the local coffee shop or even Starbucks.
This will not only eliminate what we call office time wasters, but it will also save employees money, as the coffee in the office will be free of charge.
Conclusion
Now that you know what your employer legally has to provide in your workplace, you will certainly be much more appreciative of that cup of coffee. If your employer does not have a tea or coffee station, it’s not the end of the world!
However, studies have found that providing employees with tea and coffee leads to several benefits in the workplace!
