Cutbacks on free refreshments making work worse, say staff

Savannah Selle
June 30, 2011

Cutbacks on free refreshments making work worse, say staff One in ten employees has admitted that workplace cutbacks on free tea and coffee are making their work environment worse, research from uSwitch for Business has revealed.

Perks as seemingly small as free tea and coffee have been shown to be an essential addition for a happy workforce.Just 55% of Brits are able to enjoy drink free hot drinks at work, however three in ten say that such small pluses boost morale in the office. Despite this, over a third of workers say that their employers have cut back on the costs of in-house refreshments, as businesses struggle to keep afloat during the recession. Nevertheless, this is leaving their staff out of pocket by an average of over £110 a year as well as reducing overall spirit in the workplace. Only a third (35%) think that the company they work for is generous enough with its staff and four in ten (42%) classified the perks they do get as ‘poor’.While 36% of the workforce expects their employer to provide free tea and coffee, just 20% care more about good pay than free drinks and only 6% said that they don’t value company perks.

A further 30% say that the quality of company perks influences where they choose to work and 16% use them as a barometer for what the company would be like to work for.

James Constant, Director of uSwitchforbusiness.com, says cutting costs needn’t cost you valuable staff: “Given the economic climate it makes sense to cut costs.

“However, it’s also vital that companies send out the right message to loyal staff.

“Perks like free tea and coffee do add up, but the cost is minimal when compared with the value that staff place on them.

“Cutting out the free cuppas may add to the bottom line, but there may be a far greater price to be paid in staff morale.

“When it comes to cutting costs businesses need to pick their battles wisely.

“There are many quick and easy wins that won’t impact on staff morale, including moving to a cheaper energy supplier and reducing the amount of energy you use.

“Business energy contracts come up for regular renewal, but if businesses don’t check the market before signing their next contract or even worse simply allow their existing contract to rollover, they can end up paying over the odds for their energy.

“But by shopping around for a better deal businesses can save up to 70% on their energy bills[ meaning they can afford to leave the tea fund alone.”

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