Should Office Desks Be Food-Free Zones?

When it comes to putting policies in place at the office, it can be tricky to know how your employees are going to react - especially when it comes to food. In many working environments, eating at desks is perfectly acceptable, but is this the best route to take? It could be argued that allowing your workers to munch on snacks and tuck into their lunch from the comfort of their workstations is a recipe for disaster. To help you suss out if the desks in your office should be food-free zones, keep reading. Fewer distractions You might not realise it, but allowing your workers to consume food in front of their computer screens could be distracting them from the job at hand. Any time spent chomping on a quick snack could divert your employees’ attention, making it more difficult to get back to work. What’s more, those who stay in the office while they have their lunch can find it more tricky to get back into the swing of things once their break is over. Sometimes, a separation of work and food is the key to a productive work environment. The chance for informal interactions By banning food at desks, employees are forced to go elsewhere. Whether it’s a kitchenette, a canteen or breakout area, workers are likely to retreat to a place away from their desks and the usual office setup. In doing so, they’re given the opportunity to socialise and interact with their fellow colleagues in a more relaxed, informal setting. Having the chance to chitchat with their co-workers means employees are able to switch off from work, lowering stress levels and boosting energy and happiness. As a result, they’ll be more likely to be able to focus on the task at hand once they get back to their desks, potentially raising productivity levels. A healthier place to work Did you know that the typical office desk can harbour up to 400 times more bacteria than a toilet? According to a scientific study carried out by Dr Gerber from the University of Arizona which examined various different office surfaces, workstations could be putting the health and wellbeing of employees at risk. You might find this horrifying statistic hard to believe, but it’s the harsh truth - and it’s even more likely to be the case if your workers are given the green light to eat food while they’re sitting at their desks. Allowing your employees to eat at their workstations can lead to a buildup of food debris, and while you might try your best to sweep up crumbs every now and again, it can be difficult to maintain a totally clean and bacteria-free work setup. As a result, employees could be more prone to picking up potential illnesses which in turn leads to absences from work, So, by putting a food-free desk policy in place, you could stand a much better chance of creating a healthy work environment for everyone to enjoy. There’s no denying that making desks food-free zones can have its advantages. Enforcing this rule could help you create a more productive, cleaner and overall happier place to work for you and your employees.