About 55% of all vending machines in the U.S. are located in office buildings or manufacturing centers, making them a prime attractor to hungry employees. For some work environments such as universities, round-the-clock manufacturing facilities and hospitals or nursing homes that remain open 24/7, workplace vending machines are essential.
While it’s better to take a proper break, deadlines and work responsibilities sometimes mean powering through lunch or dinner—but skipping meals altogether during the workday can lead to fatigue and burnout. That’s where the appeal and convenience of an office vending machine comes into play.
How to get a workplace vending machine
Luckily, it’s easier than you think to get a vending machine at work, and there are a couple of options to choose from. Employers can purchase a vending machine, stock it and maintain it on their own. This, however, tends to take time away from running the business and can be costly in terms of both money and time, especially if an employee is tasked with the responsibility.
A better option is partnering with a vending machine company that can properly install and maintain the office vending machine, keep track of inventory, purchase food and drinks and stock the machines with employee favorites on a consistent basis. This situation is ideal for large companies and factories with a lot of foot traffic that may require restocking on a more frequent basis.
Many vending machine businesses are locally owned, allowing the operator an opportunity to get to know the tastes and nutritional needs of their customers at any given location. Plus, they have the knowledge and expertise to keep the office vending machines fully stocked and properly maintained, rather than employers training their employees to take over the task. Technology such as remote monitoring also makes it easy for professional vending machine operators to know when a particular item is running low.
Healthy vending machines at work
What a person eats during the day can make or break productivity, yet studies show that two-thirds of employees don’t take a proper lunch break. As many as 10 percent of employees have even reported getting lunch out of a vending machine at least once a week.
One sure way to keep employees happy and boost productivity is to make sure no one is hungry—or hangry. Many people are opting for healthier food choices to help propel them through busy days, late nights and long shifts. Plus, a vending machine in the break room can be a great motivator, both nutritionally and socially.
With thousands of vending products to choose from, including low-calorie, vegan, gluten-free and organic options, many office vending machines are even able to dispense full meals such as entrées, soups, chili, stews, pasta dishes, hot and cold cereals and more. It’s another way to keep employees satiated without wasting their precious lunch hour running off-site to pick up lunch.
Healthy vending machines make it easy for companies to provide access to healthier snacks and drinks in the workplace, and can often be placed at the office or business at no cost. And, as is often the case, both employees and customers appreciate the convenient access to healthy snacks, drinks and meals.