There’s been a lot of talk about masks, disinfecting, and social distancing in workplaces but one thing that’s not getting much discussion is how much eating in the office has changed. Let’s pour one out for the communal candy dish, and water coolers, because it seems like the “new normal” doesn’t have a place for them.
- Changing Office Food. Most of the businesses that offered free snacks to employees have either eliminated them completely or more to individually packaged treats. Shared items like cereal boxes and even coffee pots have been removed for the safety of all workers. And the CDC just signed the death warrant for water coolers by recommending that employers “encourage staff to bring their own water to minimize use and touching of water fountains.”
- New Rules For Meal Pick-Up. It’s not that big of a switch for everyone rocking a lunch pale, but for the folks who order-in, it’s a whole new world. Many offices have moved to touchless food deliveries to avoid having people crowding up hallways and elevators as much as possible. But the people that like to go out for lunch have been the hardest hit. Between all the new protocols with signing-in, when and where you’re allowed to go, and capacity at restaurants getting cut, pulling off a half-hour lunchbreak isn’t really a thing.
- The New Break Room. Safety guidelines say your breakroom seating should be six feet apart and have ample amounts of disinfectant to clean up when you’re done. With space limited, many employers are enforcing new rules and having employees eat at their desks. Because nothing says ‘I am on a break’ like eating in front of your computer.
Source:Fast Company