Morning coffee, afternoon coffee, maybe even an end-of-the-day coffee. If you have an office full of coffee lovers, you may already know how important having a good strong cup (or cups) of coffee is for your employees.
When employees leave your office to visit the coffee shop, it takes time and even productivity away from work. This is why many smart and savvy employers build coffee stations into their offices.
Four tips for setting up your office coffee station
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Determine what kinds of coffee (or other beverages ) your employees like to drink
Before you start your coffee program, do a short survey of your team members. Ask them what they like to drink and when and how often they plan to be in the office (if you offer work from home privileges). You might be surprised to learn that some people drink iced coffee year-round while others are seasonal.
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Location, location, location
There’s nothing worse than having the coffee bar in a bad location. From not being able to access hot water to having the coffee dangerously close to someone’s computer you want to make sure you put your coffee station in the perfect place. Coffee makers (and other equipment) require electricity so ensuring you have access to safe outlets is important. Try to hide wires both for safety and so you have a professional look to your coffee bar.
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Keep things clean
Having someone assigned to maintain the coffee bar space is another consideration. Whether you assign this role to an administrative professional or ask members of your team to share the responsibility, keeping the area where your beverages are prepared clean is just good food safety. If you purchase cold products like iced coffees, milk, or non-dairy alternatives they need to be stored at the correct temperature.
Ensure there is a sink to wash hands and dishes and paper towels handy to wipe up any spills. Not only is it unsightly to have a messy area, especially if clients are coming into your office, it can also be unsafe if someone slips on spilled coffee. In the era of people returning to work post-COVID-19, you also need to ensure that you have a plan for keeping the area germ-free. Frequent hand washing and wiping down high contact surfaces is a must as well as routine deep cleaning.
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Remember to restock
Having a coffee station is a wonderful employee perk - but your employees won’t feel appreciated if the coffee station is always empty. Someone on the team needs to own ordering coffee and supplies regularly. To make this a lighter lift, consider setting up subscriptions.
At Wandering Bear, we strive to make setting up an office coffee station easier for you. We offer easy to set up and store cold brew boxes, 32oz cartons or even 11oz containers, if you’re looking for a single-serve solution. We also offer eco-friendly 5-gallon kegs and can help you set up the right program for your office.
No matter the size or set up of your office, we can help you set up a coffee bar that will appeal to all the members of your team - no matter what they like to drink. Contact us today to discuss setting up your first delivery.
