Did you know that … eating as a team can be one of the keys to a happier company (and life)? buy youtube views
According to a recent study by Oxford Economics and the National Center for Social Research, eating together makes us feel better than eating alone. The study analyzed 8,250 people and found that those who ate with others were usually happier than those who ate alone.
Since we spend most of the day at work, eating together as a team can be a fantastic way to promote wellness and happiness in the company . Do you want to know more reasons to implement this habit?
Why eat in company makes us happier?
The Oxford Economics study shows that eating together makes us happy , but not why. But just stopping to think a little, I can think enough reasons for it:
- The meals are a good opportunity to talk and share things in a relaxed atmosphere. Although we are with our coworkers, we conceive them as a moment of rest and relaxation and we relate in a more natural way.
- We enjoy more of the food. Studies show that when we eat with other people, we spend more time eating and pay more attention to what we are doing. Food can also be a great occasion to have fun!
- Group meals are associated with family moments and with friends , which reinforces the bond with other people.
- According to the psychologist Robin Dunbar told The Guardian , sitting at the table with other people activates the production system of endorphins , chemical components related to happiness.
- If we eat regularly with the rest of the team, we create routines and moments in common, which reinforces our personal ties.
For all these reasons, and more, Cyberclick has been eating together for more than a year every Monday, after our weekly meeting. The company takes care of this food, as we consider it a way to promote happiness in the team and to unite the group. We tell each other about our weekend anecdotes, how we are doing and work things to start the week.
Every Monday we decide together what kind of food we eat that day (although lately we have always opted for Japanese, heh, heh). We talk, we laugh, we enjoy, and we have two little rituals that help us reinforce the team feeling:
- Share an example of something that has happened to us and that represents one of the three values of Cyberclick: “Admire people”, “Always find a better way” and “Customer experience freaks”.
- Tell good news of something that happened to us the previous week. Sharing the joys of life is very important! (It can be professional or personal).
If you also want to work in a happier company, go ahead and organize your team to eat in company and start enjoying all these advantages. Take advantage!