For Gen Z workers, on-site foodservice sweetens the job offer

For companies facing a labor crunch, offering foodservice amenities could help boost their recruitment efforts, especially among younger employees.

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of Gen Z workers say an on-site cafeteria would incentivize them to join a given employer, according to a recent survey.

The Global Eating at Work Survey, a collaboration between foodservice provider Compass Group and research company Mintel, found that prospective employees are looking at staff benefits more closely than in the past, with foodservice being a key consideration.

Seventy-one percent of workers who have access to a staff eatery say they speak more highly of their workplace to others, while 62% of employees with no food amenity say the same.

In addition, 82% of Gen Z and millennial workers are pushing for employers to offer free or subsidized meals to staff as costs of living rise, per the survey.

“With Gen Z and millennials soon to make up the largest proportion of the global workforce, their influence in the workplace is on the rise,” Shelley Roberts, group chief commercial officer of Compass Group, said in a statement. “Gen Z workers want to associate themselves with companies who share their values, provide a safe, comfortable working environment, and support their health and wellbeing. A staff restaurant is one of the most effective ways for employers to attract, retain and motivate their teams, helping win the war for talent and addressing the productivity challenge at the same time.”

The Global Eating at Work Survey compiled input from 35,000 workers in 26 countries.