Katie Waxman

Office Break Room Options in McLean, VA

Consider Updating Your McLean, VA Break Room

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Office Break Room Options in McLean, VA

The workplace including the office break room is changing. After the pendulum swung from everyone working at the office to a dramatic jump in remote employees, the pendulum is settling somewhere in the middle. McLean, VA companies are bringing their employees back to the office in hopes of fostering face-to-face collaboration, inspiring innovation, and increasing productivity. And thankfully, it isn’t back into cubeville or the dark, sparsely-decorated break room hidden somewhere at the back of the building. Companies are redesigning their environments to be open, communal areas with spaces designed to promote spontaneous work-related conversations and increase morale.

One area that is no longer left as an afterthought is the office break room. To learn more about what your McLean, VA employees need and want, try surveying them. They know what they want. A recent Staples survey found that “83 percent of employees say that a well-stocked break room results in happier employees, while 53 percent say that a well-stocked break room results in more productive employees.”

Break Room Options in McLean, VA

In 2018, there are a wide variety of options available including cafe-style coffee service and vending machines.

Vending Machines

  • Provide brand name snacks and beverages including traditional, healthy, organic, and sustainable options
  • Include easy payment methods such as cash, credit/debit and mobile
  • Built with environmentally-friendly technologies to decrease the carbon footprint  

Cafe-Style Coffee Service

  • Creates a gourmet coffee-house experience without leaving the office
  • Includes a variety of teas and specially sourced coffee beans and locally roasted coffees creating a unique coffee experience
  • Uses different brewing systems including single-cup brewers, traditional brewers, and commercial brewers

Which options will your employees prefer? Think of SunDun Office Refreshments as a partner that can help with your McLean, VA vending needs through the services that we offer. To learn more about vending machine options or cafe-style coffee service, contact us at 800.466.2731. We look forward to collaborating with you.

Bottled Water in Washington D.C. Break Rooms

Washington D.C. Consumers Prefer Bottled Water

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Bottled Water in Washington D.C. Break Rooms

For the first time in history, bottled water is the No.1 packaged beverage in the United States (by volume). People are shifting away from less healthy packaged drinks and choosing the healthy option—bottled water.

– Jill Culora, International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), Vice President of Communications

According to a recent study by the IBWA, more than 63 percent of Americans choose bottled water as their beverage of choice. And 94 percent of Americans believe that bottled water is healthier than soft drinks. But what exactly does the phrase ‘bottled water’ mean? The definition is more complex than it might initially seem.

Per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), bottled water is a consumer food product; which means that strict standards of identity must be followed in order to legally call a bottle filled with water ‘bottled water’. The FDA requires that the “type” of water must be clearly printed on the label of all bottled water sold in the United States. To understand the FDA’s classifications, it is important to know the following terms.

Spring Water: “Derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface, this water must be collected only at the spring or through a borehole that taps the underground formation feeding the spring. If some external force is used to collect the water through a borehole, the water must have the same composition and quality as the water that naturally flows to the surface.”

Purified Water: “Bottled water that has been treated by distillation, reverse osmosis, or another suitable process may meet standards that allow it to be labeled as “purified water.””

Bottled Water in Washington D.C. Break Rooms

Mineral Water: “This water comes from an underground source and contains at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids. Minerals and trace elements must come from the source of the underground water. They cannot be added later.”

Artesian Water/Artesian Well Water: “This water is collected from a well that taps an aquifer—layers of porous rock, sand, and earth that contain water—which is under pressure from surrounding upper layers of rock or clay. When tapped, the pressure in the aquifer, commonly called artesian pressure, pushes the water above the level of the aquifer, sometimes to the surface. Other means may be used to help bring the water to the surface.”

Well Water: “This is water from a hole bored or drilled into the ground, which taps into an aquifer.”

Understanding the different water sources and methods of extraction will help Washington D.C. employees answer questions about the taste, quality, and safety of a specific type of water. This is especially important as 82 percent of Americans think they should drink more water and 90 percent believe that bottled water is a healthy and convenient beverage.

To help your Washington D.C. employees stay hydrated and healthy, make sure to include bottled water in your office break room vending machine. Try offering healthy snacks with healthy beverages at a reduced cost. It not only keeps everyone hydrated and satiated, but it’s also a great moral booster. For more information about adding healthy vending machines to your Washington D.C. break room, call SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731.  

Breakroom Snack Options in Rockville, MD

Rockville, MD, What Is Your Favorite Breakroom Snack?

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Breakroom Snack Options in Rockville, MD

Everyone has that one favorite “not-so-healthy” snack that they enjoy every now and then. While we’ve all heard that moderation is key, deciding whether to go healthy or not can be quite the dilemma. Often Rockville, MD consumers want to eat healthy, but at the same time, they want to enjoy their favorite sweet or salty guilty pleasure.

Many of Rockville, MD’s favorite sweet and salty snacks have been around for more than 30 years and include:

  • Confections (chocolate, candy, etc.): PEZ (1950), Swedish Fish (late 1950s), Nerds (1983), anything made with chocolate
  • Salty: sunflower seeds, Cheese Balls (1980s), Combos (mid 1970s), Goldfish, Doritos (1974), Pringles (1975), chips, crackers
  • Cookies and Snack Cakes: Famous Amos cookies (1975), animal crackers (1902), rice krispies treats, Oatmeal Cream Pies (1960), Oreos, Pop-tarts (1964)
  • Other snacks: Dippin’ Dots (1987), Fruit Roll-ups (1991) or fruit snacks, granola bars, Milk ‘n’ Cereal Bars or breakfast bars (1990s – early 2000s)

If Rockville, MD employees are looking, however, for something that’s a little healthier, there are a lot of healthy sweet and salty options available too. Healthier snack options include fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, popcorn, squeezable yogurt tubes, yogurt smoothies, pre-packaged organic meal kits, salsa, and hummus. Many of these healthy snacks can also be combined to create a healthy mini-meal when there isn’t enough time for a sit down meal.

Breakroom Snack Options in Rockville, MDWhether your Rockville, MD employees are craving something healthy or “not-so-healthy,” many of these snacks can be found all day in the office breakroom vending machine. Providing an easily accessible, onsite location where all types of snacks and beverages including office coffee service are available is just one benefit that lets your employees know they are valuable. Another benefit is to offer everything at a reduced or zero cost. Not only will employees welcome onsite snack and beverage options, but they will also appreciate the cash left in their pocket.  

Don’t forget to offer refreshing beverages along with both healthy and not-so-healthy snacks. It’s important to keep your employees hydrated as well as satiated. To learn more about the many different types of breakroom snack and beverage options in Rockville, MD, call SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731.

Healthy Vending Machine Options in Columbia, MD

Quick and Healthy Snacks in Your Columbia, MD Vending Machine

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Healthy Vending Machine Options in Columbia, MD

Are you looking for something to eat that is quick and healthy, and can be found in your Columbia, MD break room vending machine? Whether it’s a quick breakfast, fuel for a lunchtime workout, an afternoon snack, or a sweet treat, a KIND® bar can meet each one of those needs. Each bar is made from nutritionally-dense ingredients and contains no secret ingredients, artificial flavors, preservative or sweeteners. You’ll find nuts, real fruit, chocolate, spicy and savory flavors, and five super grains including oats, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, and quinoa.

And soon, you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite KIND® bar with others when you travel around the globe. In a new partnership with Mars, Incorporated, KIND will be able to expand their product offerings and business into international markets while continuing to make healthy and tasty foods available and create a kinder world through meaningful social impact initiatives.  

Daniel Lubetzky, Founder and CEO of KIND, explained it best when he said, “we’re looking forward to continuing on this journey as we empower more people to make healthy eating decisions across the globe. We remain fully committed to our guiding principles, including our commitment to always use a nutritious food as the first and predominant ingredient in every food product.”

Whether enjoying a vending machine snack in Columbia, MD or around the world, it’s nice to know that KIND will continue to fulfill its KIND Promise. Employees can continue to count on

  • Healthy Vending Machine Options in Columbia, MDsnacks made from real food, wholesome ingredients, and sound nutrition;
  • nuts, whole grains, or fruit as the first and predominant ingredient;
  • everyone and everything being treated with integrity and kindness;
  • transparency about everything from ingredients to labeling;
  • low amounts of added sugar and no artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols;
  • and tasty and healthy snacks.

An additional way to offer encouragement and support to your Columbia, MD employees in their quest to be healthy, is to provide a wide range of healthy snacks and beverages in the office break room vending machine. Fresh fruit, unsweetened tea, or bottled water are all great accompaniments to a KIND® bar. Help your employees a bit more by offering those snacks and beverages at a reduced cost or for free. That’s a win for everyone.

To learn more about adding healthy vending machine options to your office break room, call SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731. We look forward to hearing from you.

Healthy Snacks and Beverages in Gaithersburg, MD

Gaithersburg, MD Snacks and Beverages Go Trendy in 2018

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Healthy Snacks and Beverages in Gaithersburg, MD

 

2018 is predicted to bring new and unusual, but tasty, snacks and beverages to Gaithersburg, MD. According to Denise Purcell, head of content for the Specialty Food Association, “Macro trends like sustainability and health are converging in the 2018 [food] trends.” This combination will create food trends including more plant-based foods, upcycled edible products, and healthy alternative sweeteners.

Plant-Based Foods

Gone are the days when plant-based foods were only found in out of the way health food stores. Today, plant-based options are endless and can be found everywhere from the local grocery store to the office break room vending machine. Gaithersburg, MD consumers are likely to find a wide variety of plant-based options including dairy-free milk products such as cheese or yogurt; frozen desserts such as ice cream or whipped topping; and convenience foods such as crackers, cereals, cookies, bean chips, premade burritos, and protein bars. Below are a few of the plant ingredients found in healthy snacks and beverages that consumers will enjoy more of in 2018.

  • dairy-free alternatives: almonds, coconuts, cashews, soy, and rice
  • pulses: beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peas
  • vegetables: beets, sweet potatoes, kale, tomatoes, and corn    
  • ancient grains: quinoa, spelt, amaranth, kamut, and farro
  • protein-rich seeds: hemp, chia, and flax

Upcycled Edibles

Forty percent of the food produced in the United States is thrown away each year. That is equivalent to $165 billion of food. Upcycled dishes have already made appearances in home kitchens and restaurants. As Gaithersburg, MD consumers develop a better understanding of this problem, prepackaged upcycled products made from ingredients and scraps that would have otherwise been discarded, will increase in availability. Several snacks and beverages that are already available include

  • pressed juice made from imperfect fruit
  • chips made from fruit pulp
  • snack bars made from spent grain from the beer making process
  • condiments including chutney and chilis made from ugly produce
  • hot-on-the-go oatmeal made with the coffee fruit

Healthy Snacks and Beverages in Gaithersburg, MD

Alternative Sweeteners

Sugar. Many Gaithersburg, MD consumers have a love-hate relationship with it. It’s tasty, but too much of it can cause health issues. To be able to enjoy something sweet and be mindful of their health, consumers are looking for natural, alternative sweeteners that have a lower glycemic impact, fewer added sugar calories, and a sustainable footprint. The following are a few lesser known fruits that make deliciously sweet syrups and can be found in a variety of snacks and beverages.

  • dates: the fruit of the date palm tree that becomes a thick molasses-like syrup with a rich, sweet flavor
  • monk fruit: a fruit native to southern China and northern Thailand that has a flavor similar to traditional sugar
  • agave: a cactus plant from Mexico and the Southwestern United States that has a flavor similar but milder than honey
  • lucuma: a Peruvian fruit with a maple-like taste
  • yacon: a South American tuber that tastes like an apple, but has a maple-like flavor when it is a syrup  

Have your Gaithersburg, MD employees started looking for snacks and beverages that are healthier or better for the planet? Whether they want a mix of traditional and healthy choices or just an afternoon coffee pick-me-up, SunDun Office Refreshments can help. Call us at 800.466.2731 for more information about vending machines and a variety of other vending options.

Bottled Water in Baltimore, MD

Bottled Water: It’s Healthy for You and Baltimore, MD

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Bottled Water in Baltimore, MD

The relationship between the bottled water industry and Baltimore, MD consumers has had its ups and downs. But recent news from the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) is good news for everyone. A recent study found that bottled water now has the lowest water footprint of all packaged drinks, using a total of 1.32 liters of water, including the 1 liter of consumable water, to produce a 1-liter bottle product.

Environmental Impact

To decrease the amount of water used, the amount of energy spent, and the amount of plastic materials needed for the production of bottled water, the bottled water industry has developed new and innovative ways to decrease the number of resources spent. According to the IBWA, some of the changes include:

  • “Auditing total water use at bottled water facilities,
  • Reducing groundwater extraction through improved water processing and bottling processes,
  • Looking for leaks in all of their piping and tanks,
  • Planting drought-resistant vegetation at bottling facilities,
  • Reminding employees to be good stewards of the environment and encouraging water conservation,
  • Implementing water use restrictions at their facilities,
  • Implementing ultra-efficient cleaning methods inside plants to reduce water usage when cleaning reusable 3- and 5-gallon bottles for water coolers used in homes and offices,
  • Reducing the use of cleaners when sterilizing water pipes, storage tanks, and finished products,
  • Managing water withdrawals in a manner that ensures the long-term viability of the watershed, [and]
  • Using hydro-geological evaluations on springs to assess any potential impact on local groundwater levels and stream flows.”

The result is an industry that uses fewer natural resources, creates less waste, and produces one of America’s most purchased packaged drinks. As Jill Culora, IBWA’s vice president of communications, said, “consumers who are drinking bottled water instead of other packaged drinks are making a healthy choice—and also reducing the impact on the environment.”

Bottled Water in Baltimore, MD

Health Benefits

Water offers multiple health benefits to those in Baltimore, MD who drink it. According to the Centers for Disease Control, water helps to regulate body temperature, lubricate and cushion joints, and protect the spinal cord. Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, the director of nutrition at WebMD, writes that water keeps our body hydrated which helps all of its systems to function properly, decreases muscle fatigue which can contribute to poor performance, and helps skin to stay hydrated and healthy.

Unfortunately, most of us don’t drink nearly enough water to make up for the water that we lose every day, which can lead to dehydration. Side effects of dehydration include lack of energy and fatigue. To combat dehydration, the Mayo Clinic recommends that men drink about 13 cups or 3 liters of beverages per day, and women drink about 9 cups or 2.2 liters per day. Additionally, researchers at the University of Illinois determined that the more water a person drank, the fewer overall calories that person consumed. For most individuals, a decrease in calories, even by a small amount, can positively impact long-term health.  

Do your Baltimore, MD employees enjoy water as a pick-me-up during the day? If so, be sure to include bottled water in the office break room vending machine. For the ultimate employee bonus, consider covering part or all of the cost of healthy vending machine snacks and beverages.

For more information about customizing your current vending machine options, or adding new healthy vending machines to your office break room, contact SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731.

Office Coffee Service in Fairfax, VA

Fairfax, VA’s Evolving Office Coffee Service

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Office Coffee Service in Fairfax, VA

 

Have you ever considered what the workday would be like without coffee service? No? Well, neither have I. And Fairfax, VA employers don’t want to see that happen either.

According to a recent report by Emily Refermat, Editor at Automatic Merchandiser, “employers are taking it [coffee] to the next level, spending money to bring in quality coffee, beverages and other refreshment. Due to an increasing number of options, including single-cup brewers, OCS [Office Coffee Service] providers are able to create a solution tailored to their customers wants, size and budget, while still keeping good margins.”

There is, however, one important factor to consider when determining the best possible solution—don’t treat coffee like it is a commodity.  

Beans

A coffee bean is actually a seed from the coffee tree. The two types of coffee species that are used for coffee are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica represents 70 percent of the world’s coffee and Robusta represents the other 30 percent. Of the two types, Arabica is the more expensive one and is used in specialty coffees. Arabica grows at higher altitudes on steeper terrain at cooler temperatures and is more disease-prone. Robusta is primarily used in coffee blends and instant coffee. A hardier tree, the Robusta is more resistant to diseases, can withstand warmer temperatures and is grown at lower and more accessible altitudes.  

For Fairfax, VA’s  office coffee service, there are several different types of suppliers:

  • locally roasted coffee: the brand is known to local consumers; 31.1 percent of OCS sales
  • national coffee brands – value: the beans are sourced from different locations, and are mixed, processed, roasted, and ground on a large scale; 28.3 percent of OCS sales
  • national coffee brands – specialty: the beans are from a single location, grown to produce a higher quality bean, and roasted on a smaller scale; 21 percent of OCS sales
  • espresso coffee – a concentrated form of coffee made by forcing pressurized, hot water through very finely ground coffee beans; 8.9 percent of OCS sales

Office Coffee Service in Fairfax, VA

Packaging & Brewers

Options for packaging and brewing can be just as varied as the different types of coffee. In an office coffee service, coffee is packaged using several different methods: frac pack (enclosed filters filled with pre-measured amounts of coffee), whole bean, single cup (non k-cup), and k-cup. While the packaging can dictate the type of brewer required—single-cup packaging requires a single-cup machine, for example—often the two are separate decisions.

Today, pour-over coffee brewers and automatic brewers continue to play an important role in many Fairfax, VA break rooms. Single-cup brewers, however, are slowly finding their own place. Emily Refermat wrote that “consumers love the idea of brewing coffee one cup at a time. Whether it is the novelty, the ability to brew a personal hot beverage choice, create an espresso-based drink conveniently at work or the newest, must-have OCS innovation, single-cup attracts consumers, despite the fact that it costs more per cup.”

An alternative to the single-cup brewer, and a potentially a less expensive option, is the bean-to-cup brewer. When a/an Fairfax, VA employee orders a drink, the appropriate amount of whole beans is dropped into the grinder, ground, and brewed to the drink’s specifications. It’s a gourmet coffee shop and single-cup brewer all rolled into one.

Offering coffee service in your office break room is a great benefit for future and current employees, but don’t forget about other popular Fairfax, VA employee benefits. Water filtration services and healthy vending machine choices are popular additions. For more information about adding or updating any of these options, call SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731. We look forward to hearing from you.

Healthy Food and Beverage Choices in Alexandria, VA

New Food and Beverage Choices Fill Millennials’ Shopping Carts in Alexandria, VA

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Healthy Food and Beverage Choices in Alexandria, VA

Which food and beverage choices did you purchase the last time you needed something to eat or drink? Was it a green tea or maybe a breakfast smoothie? If so, you might be one of the many Alexandria, VA residents who have recently posted online about your experience.

According to a recently released study by CBD Marketing, Millennials, or those between the ages of 18 and 35, have played a key role in changing “long-standing truths” within food and beverage categories. The research analyzed 10.8 million social media posts and other online content specific to food (8.6 million) and beverage (2.2 million) product groups. Frequently used hashtags for foods included #healthy, #organic, #naturalfood, and #healthyfood), while #greentea, #healthy, #coffee, and #tea were seen most frequently for beverages.

Even though Millennials are tech savvy and share their thoughts and buying habits frequently and openly, it would be a mistake to treat all Millennials as one group. Millennials consist of three overlapping subgroups whose differences can greatly impact their preferences. Some are college students or living at home, others are out of college and just entering the workforce, and others are buying homes and starting families.

And don’t forget to consider other Alexandria, VA demographics when monitoring social media insights. For example, women created 62 percent of the content while men created only 38 percent. The study also found that “Millennial men and women use very different descriptors when talking online, so it’s important to use language that reflects your target audience.” The top terms used more frequently and often by women include love, amazing, good, best, favorite, enjoy, and delicious) while men used good, love, great, enjoy. Men also seemed to express negative options more frequently.

Healthy Food and Beverage Choices in Alexandria, VA

CBD Marketing’s Co-CEO Lori Colman said it best when she said that “businesses and brands that mine this treasure trove of online data will be the ones that market their products successfully.” In order to learn about your Alexandria, VA employees’ food and beverage preferences for the office break room consider the following criteria.

Beverage Preferences
  • Looking for green tea, kombucha and even traditional hot lemon teas
  • Want flavored, sparkling and plain water, “better-for-you” drinks promoting energy, immunity, digestive health
  • Enjoy plant-based milks and cold brew
Food Preferences
  • Like healthy, natural snacks; support alternative food distribution via meal delivery and meal services
  • Buy from environmentally conscious manufacturers and purveyors; want transparency
  • Gravitate to cultural flavors and foods like Scandinavian and Indian

How many of these healthy food and beverage choices are available for your employees in the Alexandria, VA office break room? If you’d like to add more options or bring some variety to your current vending machine offerings, SunDun Office Refreshments can help. Contact us at 800.466.2731 to get started.

Healthy Vending Machine Options in Arlington, VA

Healthier Vending Machine Beverages in Arlington, VA

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Healthy Vending Machine Options in Arlington, VA

Vending machine technology is only one of the many aspects of the vending industry that has changed a lot since the first bottled soft drink machines, cooled with ice, appeared on the market in the 1930’s. Which beverages Arlington, VA consumers want to buy have also undergone several makeovers.

Diet sodas, for example, were first mass produced during the 1960’s and enjoyed a seemingly positive reputation until the early 2000’s when sales started to decline. The shift in opinion began as Arlington, VA consumers learned more about diet soda’s ingredients and understood that those ingredients were actually chemicals that were dangerous to their health.

Today, medical professionals have a better understanding about the downsides of consuming diet soda. Keri Glassman, R.D.N., at Women’s Health shares, “It [diet soda] is filled with unhealthy chemicals, including artificial sweeteners, which actually make[s] you crave more calories later” and contributes to weight gain.  

However, diet soda alone doesn’t cause all weight gain. Cara Harbstreet, R.D., of Street Smart Nutrition says, “Consumers of diet soda who engage in other lifestyle behaviors associated with poor health outcomes are at a greater risk than those who balance their intake of diet soda with other healthful habits.The variables make it difficult to pinpoint whether diet soda consumption alone is the cause of negative health outcomes, or whether it’s the culmination of a number of factors…nothing in nutrition or health exists in a vacuum.”

Healthy Vending Machine Options in Arlington, VA

As 2017 comes to a close, it is important to consider other habits that play a role in developing health-related issues such as not exercising, smoking, consuming too many sweets, and diet or regular soda instead of water, and not sleeping enough. The following are a few health issues that can happen as a result of doing either too much of a bad thing or not enough of a good thing.

  • not exercising enough: increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, depressions, osteoporosis, bone fractures, and more sick days
  • smoking: higher risk of developing lung cancer, COPD including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, and worsening asthma
  • eating and/or drinking too much sugar: greater risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, heart attack, stroke, cavities, depression, joint pain, and an increase in wrinkles and saggy skin
  • not getting enough water: causes headaches, dry mouth, eyes, and skin, disorientation, low energy levels, muscle cramps or spasms, hunger, and mood swings
  • not getting enough sleep: increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, obesity, depression, lack of alertness, impaired memory, mood swings, and an increased chance of having a car accident

So, as 2018 is quickly approaching, individuals should focus on exercising, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and consuming healthy vending machine snack and beverage choices. But don’t forget to enjoy a special treat every once in awhile.

To help your Arlington, VA employees make healthy choices during the workday, offer a wide variety of healthy snacks and beverages in the office breakroom vending machine. Not only will it positively impact your employees health, but it will also help maintain high energy levels and increase productivity. That’s a win-win for everyone.

For more information about adding healthy options to your current vending machines or creating the ultimate breakroom in 2018, call SunDun Office Refreshments at 800.466.2731. We’d love to help.

Healthy Vending Machine Choices in McLean, VA

Healthy Vending Machine Options in McLean, VA Can Boost Productivity

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Healthy Vending Machine Choices in McLean, VA

Corporate wellness programs including those that offer healthy vending machine options can have a positive impact on both an employee’s health and on the company’s productivity, but only if the wellness program is implemented carefully.

A recent study by researchers at the University of California, Riverside, UCLA, and Washington University in St. Louis found that wellness program participation “improved average worker productivity by over 4 percent” which is roughly equivalent “to adding one additional day of productive work per month for each employee” (Gubler, Larkin, & Pierce,2017, p. 2). Taken one step further, researchers determined that by using diet and exercise, sick and healthy employees increased their productivity by 10 percent.  

There are, however, several important caveats to consider.

  • Participation must be voluntary. Researchers found that when participation was required or strongly suggested through social or financial pressure, the participants reacted negatively. Participants perceived the company to be overstepping its bounds and interfering in their health and lifestyle choices.
  • Participants must believe in the program’s merits and safety. Highlighting the differences between the reality of the program versus its perceptions will help employees trust that their health data will remain private and will not be used for employment-related purposes.
  • Long-term productivity gains are unlikely to be sustainable through single or short-term interventions. Employers must consider multiple or long-term wellness support for employees if increased productivity is to be sustainable.

Wellness programs or interventions in can occur in many different forms from fitness activities to healthy choices in the office break room vending machine. The best choices for your specific organization will likely vary from the organization next door. Ask your McLean, VA employees for their opinions and preferences. To start the conversation, consider a few of the following options.

Healthy Vending Machine Choices in McLean, VA

Fitness

  • encourage public transportation, walking or biking—arrange for bike racks and provide “bike to work” promotional materials
  • encourage stairwell use by strategically placing posters with information about the physical benefits of using stairs
  • offer corporate discounts for health club memberships in the McLean, VA area or offer an on-site fitness facility
  • coordinate and market running and walking groups and other monthly and weekly fitness challenges

Corporate Culture

  • Turn sit-down meetings into walking meetings
  • bring in items that will encourage folks to take a break and rejuvenate such as scooters, game rooms, footballs, and hula hoops
  • incorporate plants and other greenery around the office
  • offer a quiet spot to take a nap

Food Choices

  • offer healthy snack and beverage choices via vending machines—don’t forget to include non-dairy milk options for those who are vegan or are dairy intolerant
  • offer free or reduced cost refreshments for employees—it’s a great morale booster
  • throw a monthly healthy potluck
  • coordinate with a community supported agriculture (CSA) for local fruit and vegetable deliveries to the office and/or find local farmers markets in McLean, VA

Whether you are looking to offer free vend or add a new vending machine, SunDun Office Refreshments can help. We offer a wide variety of products and services that can help boost your employees’ wellness, morale, and productivity. Call us at 800.466.2731 for more information.  

Reference:

Gubler, T., Larkin, I., and Pierce, L. (2017, June 28). Doing Well by Making Well: The Impact of Corporate Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity. Forthcoming, Management Science. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2811785