As a nation, we’ve become used to the idea of a 9-5 office environment. Although over the last 18 months this has been thrown out of the window thanks to COVID, many companies are now back! (even if it is only for a couple of days a week).

Instead of the daily commute into the office, we were faced with a journey downstairs that often ended at the kitchen table. Although it had its perks at first, it soon became clear that the new WFH model wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, and the novelty of being away from the office quickly wore off for many workers.

That got us thinking about what it was, specifically, that we missed about office work. Here’s a rundown of the top 5 things we missed about working in an office.

1. The Office Coffee Machine

Where else to start other than the office coffee machine. A staple of morning routines up and down the country, quality coffee machines were sorely missed. Popping the kettle on and brewing a cup of instant was never really a substitute for a decent latte and a morning natter, was it?

The return to office working has proven to be the ideal time for businesses to upgrade any older machines. You can view our state of the art range of coffee and hot drinks machines now.

2. Colleagues

Admittedly, you probably didn’t miss all of them, but the camaraderie and busy atmosphere of a bustling office were hard to replicate at home. There’s only so much banter that can be had over a morning Zoom meeting and it became much more difficult to find out the latest gossip or what had gone on the previous weekend.

3. Motivation

Collective and creative motivation is linked to the point we made about missing your colleagues. Along with the banter and office chat, having that support network physically around you, rather than on the other side of a screen, is invaluable. The sense of working towards a common goal is highly motivating, particularly for new staff who pick up new skills simply by being in the office environment.

4. Variety

Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. Now we’re back in the office, it’s made many of us realise how much we value variety throughout our day. Where during the pandemic you could start at your laptop for a few hours, then stare into the fridge for a bit, then maybe take a toilet break, being physically back means more time dedicated to collaboration, more in-person meetings and the chance to go out and get some fresh air either at lunch or on your commute.

Working from home made it all too easy to fall into a monotonous cycle, so it’s great to have in-person encounters and random events that spark new ideas back in our work lives.

5. Interesting Meals

Building on the theme of variety, we missed interesting office meals! Whether that’s a team trip to the cafe next door, a lovingly prepped lunchbox or a fresh DELI CAFÉ snack, being able to mix it up on the fly adds excitement to your day.

If your office is lucky enough to have a DELI CAFÉ micro market you’ll already know how having a dedicated area for staff to catch up and enjoy meals benefits the office environment. It’s also a great solution for shift workers, with self-service options available 24/7.

What Does the Future Hold For Office Working?

While there’s no denying that the return to office work has been (mostly) met with open arms, the old school 9-5 Mon-Fri model is all but dead. The flexibility and ease that comes with working from home needs to find the right balance with the obvious benefits of office environments. It’s not surprising that hybrid working is set to become more popular.

But as well as flexible working arrangements, employers are looking for more ways to be flexible when employees come to the office. Vending solutions ranging from snack machines and water dispensers right through to full micro market setups are a great way to do that.

For more information, speak to our team today.

The Top 5 Things We Missed About Office Working