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These days it can be difficult to make friends, especially when we work sedentary jobs that see us spending most of the day in front of a screen.
Not only do we not have the time, but many of us lack the skills to go up and talk to new people and sustain a certain amount of small talk. This leads many people to actually feel quite isolated at work, leading to feelings of unhappiness and depression. This can have a knock on effect on sleep, fatigue levels, stress levels and relationships in personal life.
According to this Guardian article, Office workers spend 65% to 75% of their working hours sitting, half of which is in prolonged periods of sustained sitting. It goes on to say that British people sit for 8.9 hours each day on average – and one study suggested that, for those sitting more than seven hours a day, there is a 5% increased risk of premature death with each additional hour off their feet. These statistics are alarming, so it is clear that as employers, we need to get our staff to get up on their feet more throughout the day – without compromising on productivity levels.
One idea that is sweeping the nation is office fruit. How can office fruit help, you ask? The idea is that by introducing a basket of free fruit for staff in the staff room, employees will be more inclined to get up and off their feet, and satisfy their mid morning hunger pangs with some of the fruit that is on offer. In doing this, people are more likely to collect in the staff room and therefore actually talk to each other. Rather than staring blankly at their computer screens and disconnecting from the other staff around them, employees can sample unusual fruits, seasonal fruits, and stand for a few minutes and talk.
There are many more benefits to offering office fruit. One study by Fruitful Office, who deliver such office fruit baskets across Dublin said that:
- 81% of staff thought having fresh fruit available at their desk had “improved their quality of life at work”
- 70% of staff started eating more fruit
- 45% of staff were eating fewer unhealthy snacks
It seems that by offering this affordable and cost effective perk for your staff, you could be not only making your staff healthier, but also help them to interact with each other throughout the day, connect with each other and work more productively.