In any office, it is at the corner of long corridors or near the water cooler that people end up having the best conversations. And, in the just-before lunch hours, it wouldn’t be too hazardous a guess to make that a big chunk of chatter revolves around food! Many office-goers pack their lunches, or order in food from the nearest dhaba or deli. 

Cafeterias have become and integral part of employee welfare in any organisation.

And Then there are those for whom fresh and healthy food is five minutes away from their workstations, thanks to several companies who have understood the wholesome business benefits of good food and productive lunch hours. Typically, uber-cool, corporate giants such as Google have been written about for their lavish, bountiful cafeterias. But, many mid-size companies have caught on with this trend as well despite these pennypinching times. Smartly, these corporate canteens aren’t limited to satiating the gastronomic impulses of their employees although that is the starting point think international cuisines, food festivals, special diet combos and fresh juice counters. But, the real benefits are often beyond nutrition. Cafeterias have become an integral part of employee welfare in any organisation. Not only does bringing lunch on-site keeps employees healthy and boosts productivity, it also helps companies reduce their health care cost and combat attrition. Which is why, companies are trying to create their canteens more as an alternative space where people can relax with their colleagues.

Clarista, the 4,000-square feet rooftop cafeteria of Ahmedabad-based Claris Lifesciences, a sterile injectables pharmaceutical company, has a gaming zone with pool, foosball, table tennis, air hockey, boxing bags, chess and carrom equipment. It also has a reading and a smoking corner. “Different people have different energy triggers and adopt different ways to rejuvenate themselves. We have tried to create an environment where more and more people can congregate to unwind,” says Shyam Sharma, president of HR and corporate communications at Claris Lifesciences. Clearly, the high-fun quotient has worked because Claris was one of the “Best Companies to Work for in India in 2012”, according to a study conducted by The Economic Times and Great Place to Work Institute, India. Karunakar Gupta, group manager for administration at Evalueserve India, a global KPO with more than 2,600 professionals worldwide, echoes the sentiment. Right from when they moved to an office space in Cyber Park at Gurgaon, Evalueserve dedicated 12,500 square feet of space with a seating capacity of 510 people to its cafeteria. The idea was to provide safe and hygienic food that is value for money. But, over the years the cafeteria has become a hotbed for other activities. When employees stay back in the office, they use the space to play table tennis, chess or carrom.

Sudhir Dhar, head of HR and admin at Motilal and Oswal (pictured above) says,"there are no earmarked tables for anyone. Even our CMD eats at the canteen. It serves as an informal discussion room that gives people a chance to discuss work-related issues in a non-threatening environment."

As this area has maximum footfalls, it is used for promotional activities, and miniexhibitions of garments, artificial jewellery and gift items. Shop as you work, anybody?  Evalueserve believes the canteen also gives them an opportunity to demonstrate their concern for the employees by paying attention to small conveniences. For one, although the company does not subsidise the food, it does not charge the vendors rent or electricity charges. This brings down the cost of food by 15-25 per cent. They have instituted the use of meal coupons to help employees save tax and minimise their expenses on food. “Investing in non-revenue generating platforms shows the ideology of the management. It shows they care for their employees,” emphasises Gupta. At Motilal Oswal Financial\ Services, a Mumbaibased financial services firm, the canteen offers opportunities for collaboration and discussion among employees. For instance, they have a Cafeteria Committee of 10 people who liaise with the vendors to discuss the weekly menu and suggest changes. In fact, it was thanks to one of these suggestions that the “Super Food” concept was started. Diet combos were added to the buffet along with a kiosk for fresh juices. The crusade for healthy living, as a corporate goal, did not stop there. The canteen’s tables are screen printed with “Do You Know?” health tips. Even the wall paper has health facts splattered all over. Also, it is within the interstices of a canteen that everybody from the top management to an intern or a fresh recruit eats the same food together. It helps break down the spacial hierarchy of the office which otherwise has enclosed cubicles for senior managers. “There are no earmarked tables for anyone. Even our CMD eats at the canteen,” notes Sudhir Dhar, head of HR and admin at Motilal Oswal. “It serves as an informal discussion room that gives people a chance to discuss work-related issues in a non-threatening environment.

Investing in non-revenue generating platforms shows the ideology of the management. It shows they care for their employees, emphasises Karunakar Gupta from Evalueserve(pictured above).

It’s interesting that such conversations can be inter and intra department, and help the management figure out the buzz and the chatter in the company.” Having said that, the orange, green and yellow cafeteria at Motilal Oswal also has an all-white, glass-doored Executive Dining area with a seating capacity of 25 people used for all client meetings. The idea for such a space is fed by some smart thinking. Dhar notes that clients who come in often remark that a company that takes such good care of its employees will certainly look after its clients well. The executive dining area is also a venue for its bevy of employee awards for super-achieving or long-service employees. The winners enjoy an executive lunch with the CMD, and other senior management members. The company has also made buying food at the cafeteria a cashless affair with DIY payments where employees just need to swipe their ID card, and select buffet or a la carte options. The total amount gets deducted from their salary at the end of the month. The rationale was to do away with the need to carry a wallet and save queuingup time. Also, the system keeps a track of everyone’s eating habits. At any time, a person can log in on the company intranet and view the food consumed. It helps people keep a tab on their daily intake.

The old cliché—health is wealth—certainly seems to hold much sway. It’s making demands on the vendors who service corporate canteens. G S Vohra, co-founder of Tulip Institutional Services, a company providing catering services to educational institutes, corporates and hospitals has started including nutritional value for all the 20,000 meals they serve everyday for their 26 clients. Vohra avers there has been a considerable difference in eating habits of people—away from “good food” to a healthy, balanced meal. “Many now prefer pre-portioned low-calorie meals, and our corporate clients put in surprise visits at our kitchens to keep a tab on quality. “Some also send the food for laboratory testing These checks and audits keep us on our toes,” notes Vohra. Vohra also remarks on the increasing demands from companies for different types of cuisines. They range from regional variety such as Rajasthani or Gujarati to international cuisines like Mediterranean, Greek and Thai, called in to replace regular buffet meals or be a part of food festivals organise regularly to break away from the monotony.

The cafeteria at Motilal Oswal changes its menu every week and invites many one-time counters like Dominos Express besides the permanent Cafe Coffee Day and Aroma Tea kiosks. Also, the cafeteria at Evalueserve has an organic food stall from Organic Express that caters ready-to-eat organic food to corporates and eateries, and sells raw organic products for the health conscious. “The idea is to offer not only healthy recipes but food cooked from organic products,” says Ishit Pilani, partner at Organic Express. With prices 25 per cent more than a regular meal, their multi-cuisine kiosk offers a variety of sandwiches, pastas, salads  biryani—all using organic cereals and produce. Currently, they serve in 22 corporates including big MNCs such as GE, American Express and Future’s First. They also take orders and deliver organic raw materials and organic ready-to-eat food, helping people take home the goodness of health food.