Published: 27th February 2024
Although the world might see us as the quintessential tea consumers, the British are increasingly becoming a nation of coffee drinkers, and with evidence to suggest having such a luxury can help staff productivity, it’s no wonder more and more businesses are created dedicated spaces for the beloved coffee break.
The majority of us rely on it to get us going in a morning, we socialise around it, and it has become a huge part of our culture. That is why more and more businesses have recognised that they need to provide their workforce with more than just some freeze-dried instant and a kettle, and so that are creating workplace coffee stations instead.
In this article, we take a look at how you can create your own perfect coffee station in the workplace and what essential features it should include.
Location. Location. Location. If you are setting up a coffee station at work, you need to do it in the right place. You need to ensure that there is easy access to power and water, and that you are not causing any kind of obstruction to the usual flow of traffic.
It might be tempting to put your coffee station in typical communal areas like break rooms and kitchens but locating them in spaces such as reception areas and collaboration zones can help to make them more inclusive and encourage cross-communication between departments.
Any good coffee station needs a good quality coffee machine so that you can provide a range of barista-style coffee’s that suit everyone’s tastes. You need to make sure that you take the size of the space and the level of demand into account when choosing your machine in order to make sure that you opt for something reliable that consistently delivers a great cup of coffee for your employees and your visitors. A bean-to-cup coffee machine allows everyone to get their coffee hit in a matter of seconds without compromising on the quality.
If your employees are going to make a cup of coffee, then you need to provide them with the tools to do that. You should make sure that there is a good supply of things such as cups and stirrers on hand, and where possible, make these reusable or recyclables in order to ensure your coffee station is as sustainable as possible. It is also a good idea to have things like sugar and a range of different milks available so that everyone can have their coffee exactly the way that they like it.
It is important that any coffee station remains hygienic and appealing, so it needs to be kept clean. Ensure that there are a range of cleaning materials on hand to take care of the inevitable spills and set up a schedule to make sure that the bins in the area are emptied regularly.
It is also important to make sure that your coffee machine is thoroughly cleaned as coffee, milk and hardwater can cause some unpleasant smells and build ups in the pipes. If you buy or lease the machine, you may be able to set up a maintenance package where this is carried out professionally for you on a regular basis.
A coffee station or vending machine in the workplace is one of the things that many employees put a lot of value on. It is seen as a perk that can not only show that they are appreciated, but it can also help to create a collaborative and creative culture that helps to attract and retain talent through a relatively simple gesture. With a little thought and planning, it can soon become a great asset to a business, and you will wonder how you ever coped without it.
Our commercial coffee machines are available for purchase or hire for businesses in Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and businesses across the East Midlands. Browse our coffee vending machines or if you have any questions and want to chat to our team, get in touch on 01157 845 845, or drop us an email on sales@cemavending.co.uk.
