Espresso, latte, cappuccino? No, it's not the menu at your neighborhood coffee shop – or a scene from "The Office" – it's really the new array of options at the employee coffee machine.
A recent peak into the company break room finds that office coffee is no longer the lukewarm cup of swamp water most of us have come to joke about. And, there are definitely benefits on both sides of the boardroom table when it comes to offering luxury coffee as an office perk.
"Office coffee has changed dramatically over the last five years," said Tom Drescher, president of Metro Coffee, an onsite beverage service provider to Atlanta area companies. "Coffee drinkers have become more educated, they are looking for a higher quality. Starbucks did a great job of teaching everyone about premium 100% Arabica coffees like Costa Rican, Guatemalan and Konan."
Consumption of coffee as a beverage dates back to the mid-15th century monasteries of Yemen in southern Arabia. It is one of the most popular beverages worldwide, and with 54 percent of the adult population partaking in 2009, coffee has long been an integral part of the workday.
"Companies may be cutting back on employees, but they won't cut back on coffee," said Drescher. "Coffee is an amenity that costs, but it pays back in productivity by keeping employees happy."
Today's offices offer employees the gamut of coffee drinks and brewing machines, from the very basic to specialty spreads that serve custom drinks complete with syrup racks and an assortment of toppings that would rival your favorite coffeehouse.
"We do love a good cup of coffee here," said Ellen Terrell, retail banking manager at The Brand Banking Co. "But we're bankers, we make it the good old-fashioned way."
Great office coffee can be the gift that keeps on giving. It may lure employees to their desks early, fuel them to stay late, and limit breaks throughout the day. No more running out to the nearest convenience store to grab an energy drink, or to Starbucks for the good stuff.
Not only does coffee increase productivity – particularly in companies with high levels of intensity, all night preps for client presentations and corporate travel – if a company chooses to serve a high-end set-up, it can reinforce the overall quality image they want to project.
There are now many different qualities of coffee, ways to brew coffee, and coffee condiments available for offices with any budget to offer in their break rooms. Whether the employer views coffee as an employee perk or way to perk up productivity, a cup can cost anywhere from 2 cents to $1 depending on what is served.
But growing cold are the days of double burners hosting hardly fresh pots of regular and decaf. Luxury single-cup coffee has heated up the office coffee landscape. Specialty machines freshly brew one customized up at a time in just 30 seconds, with coffee pre-measured and packaged in flavors from vanilla bean to Irish cream and everything in between.
Some employees have equated the single-cup brewing system to almost like getting a raise. For those who buy specialty coffee outside the office – spending anywhere from $2 to $5 twice a day – it's a positive jolt to their wallets.
Coffee has played an important role in many societies throughout history. In today's business world, it keeps us caffeinated and cranking out the work. But has this centuries old beverage risen to the status of an employee benefit? Maybe. But at very least – especially if it's truly good coffee – it's a big perk.
