Katie Waxman, Author at Millennium Refreshment Services Blog

Tampa Snack Options | Vending Service | Break Room Solutions

How Rotating Your Tampa Break Room Snack Options Benefits Employees

April 8, 2021April 8, 2021 by Katie Waxman

Variety is the spice of life. This certainly applies to food. In fact, a meal or snack that includes a variety of foods has been shown to lower the risk of malnutrition. Diverse food choices also increase happiness and heighten the snacking experience.

To promote wellness in the workplace and boost employee satisfaction, Tampa businesses should offer their staff a variety of healthy snack and refreshment options.

Here’s how diverse vending machine options can benefit your workplace culture.

Employees Crave Snack Options

Stocking your Tampa micro-market and vending machines with new and trendy products will stir-up excitement. Employees are turning to their office break room to discover new snack brands.

To encourage your staff to revisit office vending machines throughout the workday, offer them more than the popular products they already love. Consider healthier options such as granola bars, nuts, and low-calorie chips. Premium teas and specialty coffee drinks are also sure to be a big hit.

The element of surprise in your break room product selection will keep employees engaged and curious.

Promote Wellness

Having Tampa vending machines that are full of diverse snack and beverage options can help employees healthy and energized. Healthy snacks with high nutritional values can promote workplace wellness. Moreover, healthy employees are more productive, have more energy, and able to efficiently tackle their to-do lists.

Consider offering employees gluten-free or vegan-friendly snacks. They will appreciate the variety of healthy options available to them.

Fresh, Local Coffee

There’s nothing better than a fresh cup of high-quality coffee first thing in the morning. Make the switch from ground coffee to bean-to-cup machines. Tampa businesses that offer fresh, organic coffee allow employees to enjoy workplace culture more. Additionally, your staff will appreciate that their coffee came from a local and sustainable source and feel instantly energized!

Single-cup coffee machines are eco-friendly and guilt-free. These break room beverage options give your staff the best of both worlds!

Tampa Snack Choices | Office Coffee | Refreshment Options | Workplace Culture

Employees Love Specialty Drink Options

In addition to fresh coffee, offices should offer employees a variety of coffee alternatives. Transform your Tampa break room into a café by allowing employees to enjoy teas, lattes, cappuccinos, and more.

There’s also numerous coffee alternatives can elevate the workplace break room experience and promote employee satisfaction.

If an employee prefers cold beverages, be sure to provide that choice too! Healthy juices, refreshing sparkling waters, and yummy teas all make excellent options.

Offer Your Employees More Snack Variety

Millennium Refreshment Services is the prime choice when it comes to offering diverse snack options in the break room. Enhance your employees’ break room experiences by stocking your break room with a variety of brand selections.

To learn how our team can diversify your workplace vending machine options, visit us at Millennium Refreshment Services or call 813-882-4300. We look forward to partnering with you!

Green Tea Options in Tampa | Refreshing Beverages | Tea Service

3 Key Benefits of Offering Green Tea in Your Tampa Office Break Room

March 25, 2021 by Katie Waxman

Having a company break room that includes an office coffee service has proven to keep employees happy and productive throughout the day. But the one thing that can take this employee perk to the next level? Green tea. Offering the tasty tea as an alternative to coffee will give your employees a better variety of refreshing drinks along with the added health benefits.

Not convinced yet that your office in Tampa should have a green tea service? These three key benefits of offering green tea in your company break room might change your mind.

Provides Natural Energy and Increases Productivity

Green tea is a natural source of energy that your employees will love. Drinking a hot or cold cup of tea has the ability to heighten alertness and beat fatigue. So your workers will be able to overcome that 2 p.m. slump and stay on top of their tasks.

Not only that, but green tea can also help with stress management. This is crucial to create a healthy and successful working environment. Sipping on a cup of tea throughout the workday can give Tampa employees some much-needed relief. In fact, drinking tea has been linked to helping people relax, soothe, and uplift their mood. The happier and more alert your employees are, the more productive they’ll be!

Tampa and Green Tea | Corporate Wellness | Coffee and Tea Service | Break Room

Meaningful Health Benefits

In addition to keeping people alert and in a positive mindset, green tea has a slew of added benefits for physical health as well. Some research shows that green tea can improve blood flow, lower cholesterol, and even help prevent a variety of heart issues, such as high blood pressure. With these impressive benefits in mind, your employees will know that the company cares about their health and wellbeing. Yes, something as simple as an office coffee and tea service can make a big difference! Everyone in your office will be grateful for the employee perks and remain loyal to your brand in Tampa.

Afternoon Pick-Me-Up

While coffee is a staple in most working cultures, there are plenty of people out there who choose not to drink it at all. Whether they don’t consume coffee for health reasons or personal reasons, it’s important to keep your non coffee drinking employees in mind too. Providing green tea will give these workers a much-needed midday pick-me-up thanks to the light boost of caffeine. With green tea in the break room, every employee will have the burst of energy, alertness, and flavor they need.

Overall, adding green tea to your office coffee service has a plethora of benefits that will make both you and your employees successful and satisfied on even the toughest of work days. Looking for the best tea and coffee break room service in Tampa? Call us at 813-882-4300 or visit our website at Millennium Refreshment Services now!

Tampa Break Rooms | Healthy | Micro-market | Workplace Culture

4 Ways Break Rooms Can Become an Essential Part of Tampa Workplace Culture

March 11, 2021March 11, 2021 by Katie Waxman

When you think of workplace culture in Tampa, multiple things come to mind, perhaps employee perks, integrated leadership, and a shared system of values. What you may not think about is your break room services. But break rooms do more than offer your employees a place to eat lunch. With the right amenities, the break room becomes an essential part of your workplace culture.

Break Rooms Encourage Breaks

Many employees don’t take daily lunch breaks. They believe management will think they’re not hard workers and that coworkers will judge them. When employees don’t take breaks, their health and wellness suffer.

Encourage employees to take breaks by providing a variety of healthy snacks and meals through micro-markets and vending services. By providing snacks and foods your employees want to eat, they’ll be more likely to act on the opportunity.

Break Rooms Increase Engagement

When employees do take breaks, productivity and engagement metrics improve. Team members feel refreshed and rejuvenated and are less likely to get stuck in an afternoon slump. They also report higher job satisfaction and are more likely to recommend their employer to friends and family in Tampa.

Increase the likelihood of employees taking breaks by providing incentives, such as free snacks or office coffee service. Holding a “break challenge,” where employees must record at least one break a day, adds to workplace culture and creates a healthy office competition.

Break Room Solutions in Tampa | Corporate Wellness | Vending Solutions

Break Rooms Make Employees Feel Valued

A well-stocked and comfortable break room makes employees feel valued and increases the sense of community. When break rooms are designed for comfort and relaxation, they become a gathering place of team members from different departments, allowing employees to interact with staff they don’t normally see.

Inspire this sense of community by adding comfortable furniture, such as a loveseat or plush chairs. Encourage your management team to lead by example and use the break room. This can bridge the gap between executives and staff, creating a stronger workplace culture.

Break Rooms Support Corporate Wellness Goals

Healthy living is important, both to your employees and your company’s wellness goals. Use a vending service to fill your break room with nutritious and healthy snacks. Micro-markets offer healthy meals, which allow team members to forego fast food, and instead grab a few minutes of downtime during breaks.

When your employees adopt healthy habits, such as utilizing their breaks and eating healthy, they have a significant decrease in stress. This decrease improves their health and wellness and works to avoid workplace burnout.

Need Healthy Break Room Snacks in Tampa?

If you’re looking for vending services in Tampa, look no further than Millennium Refreshment Services., the local leader in break room services. We offer a range of services to meet your needs, from office coffee services to micro-markets. Call 813-882-4300 today to learn more!

Upgrade Your Tampa Break Room Services

February 25, 2021 by Katie Waxman

Is your Tampa break room an inviting space that your employees look forward to visiting? Does it offer a wide selection of snacks, drinks, and fresh food? If the answer is no to either of those questions, the following are four things to consider before making big changes.

What are your break room goals?

Maybe you want to encourage your employees to stay on-site during breaks and meal times or offer more better-for-you options. Or maybe, you’d like to provide a great coffee service with gourmet coffees and teas. Knowing your goals ahead of time will help guide the decision making process.

How much space do you have available?

The answer to this question will likely dictate what types of services you can offer. For example, a smaller room with some seating probably wouldn’t work with a large micro-market and accompanying coffee service. In that space, a small micro-market or several vending machines might be the best fit.

Does your break room menu meet your employees’ needs?

The answer to this question shouldn’t only be about specific brands or types of snacks and drinks. It’s also important to think about why your Tampa employee would visit the break room. The following are two scenarios that might change the answer.

Business A is open during traditional working hours. Unfortunately, it’s located ~20 minutes away from any refreshment options. Making a 40 minute round trip will likely cause a drop in productivity. A break room with wraps, salads, and sandwiches would keep most employees on-site and working more.

Business B has employees that work shifts other than the traditional 9-5. A third shift employee who needs a bite to eat may have a hard time finding an open “lunch” option at 1:00 am. A break room with fresh food options will remove any concern about finding an open alternative.

Have you considered subsidizing part or all of the cost for your employees?

Believe it or not, the cost for a Tampa employer to pay all or part of the costs for products in vending machines or in a micro-market is lower than the value employees place on the benefit. The overall cost for this benefit is also lower than many other employee benefits.

Maybe you’d prefer to subsidize only healthy products to encourage employees to make healthier choices. Since price is often a barrier to choosing healthy, employees may be more likely to buy that better-for-you item when it costs them less.

Now that you’re armed with more information, it’s time to take the next step. Millennium Refreshment Services is here to help. We offer a wide range of vending services and can help turn your break room into a space everyone wants to visit. For more information, please contact us at 813-882-4300.

Tampa Break Room Additions

February 18, 2021February 15, 2021 by Katie Waxman

Great-tasting food, cold drinks, and coffee are a must in any break room. But, did you know that there are several other things that every Tampa break room should have?

Adding some or all of the following categories can turn a bare-bones space into a break room that your employees will want to visit daily.

The Not-so-Extra Extras

Paper Products

Basic supplies such as napkins, paper towels, eating utensils, and plates, bowls, and cups should be offered and easy to find. After visiting the micro-market for lunch or the vending machine for an afternoon snack, employees shouldn’t have to go on a hunt to find a fork or knife or a napkin.

More Break Room Flavor

Almost everyone adds some type of additional seasoning to their food. For snacks or meals, that often means salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, mayo, or hot sauce. The key is to offer the condiments that go best with your break room’s menu.

Coffee Station

Unless your Tampa employees only drink their coffee black, a variety of coffee additions should be available. Common options include sugar, artificial sweeteners, alternative sweeteners like honey, creamer and non-dairy creamer options, and flavorings. Paper products such as stir sticks, cups, lids, and coffee sleeves will make sure everyone has what they need.

The Break Room Space

A break room should not only be a separate space from the rest of the workplace, but it should also feel different. Let’s look at two important components.

Seating

Offer multiple types of seating that encourage conversation, a coffee or meal break, or a few minutes of relaxation. That might include different areas with sofas, tables and chairs, booths or even a rocking chair or two. And don’t forget to offer easily accessible outlets or charging stations.

Break Room Décor

Lack of color or bland colors have been shown to make people feel sad or gloomy, and that is especially true at work where access to the outdoors can be limited. Yellows evoke friendliness and cheer while blues and greens create a sense of peace and tranquility. One word of caution; before running to the paint store, remember that colors affect people differently.

To make your break room more appealing and relaxing, add natural lighting and décor such as plants, wood, or water. Plants are especially functional as they help clean the office air too.

Small additions or changes in your Tampa break room can make a big difference. But you don’t have to do it alone. We can help. For more information about our vending services or to update your current space or menu, please call Millennium Refreshment Services at 813-882-4300.

3 Reasons to Choose a Micro-Market in Tampa

February 5, 2021January 30, 2021 by Katie Waxman

The break rooms of yesterday didn’t offer many services, including a micro-market. Instead, they often included a vending machine or two that served as a backup to eating at home. Today, however, things are different.

Many Tampa employees look to their break room vending services for snacks, meals, and great coffee. While today’s vending equipment are state-of-the-art machines and offer all types of products, from cold beverages to healthy snacks and fresh food, they still have limited space.

So, what’s the solution when companies need more choices for their employees? The answer is a micro-market.

A micro-market is like a convenience store. The main difference is that a micro-market is unattended, meaning that there isn’t a cashier. Tampa employees visit the self-serve kiosk to make purchases. Payment options vary from mobile payment apps to credit cards, cash, or a company account. Refreshment options can include healthy and traditional snacks and beverages as well as freshly prepared food.

Let’s look at three reasons why a micro-market might be the best choice for your break room.

It’s Open 24/7.

Do you have employees that work the second or third shifts? Working late or overnight hours makes it difficult to find an open store or restaurant to grab a snack or meal. With fewer options available, employees will have to drive or walk farther away from work to find something. A break room micro-market removes both of those obstacles and gives employees a place to relax during their breaks.

A Micro-Markets Has More Space.

Vending machines have limited space. That’s not necessarily negative, but it is a natural constraint of the size of the machine. Micro-markets typically have a bigger footprint and can be customized to offer a wider selection of products, such as wraps, sandwiches, yogurt, cheese, and fresh fruit. A menu with more options will help employees avoid becoming bored with their choices and encourage them to stay on-site.

You Can Pick It Up.

Employees can’t pick up or touch products before buying them. Not being able to read a nutrition or ingredient label before making a purchase may be a problem for those keeping an eye on how many calories they eat or those who have a food allergy or intolerance. The open shelves, coolers, and storage racks in a micro-market mean your Tampa employees can easily reach in and grab an item.

Still not sure which vending service would be best for your company or employees? We can help with that. Millennium Refreshment Services offers both vending machines and micro-market services. We’ll work with you to customize the best solution to fit your space and your employees’ refreshment needs. For more information about our vending services, please contact us at 813-882-4300.

Tampa Discovers Hot Tea

January 16, 2021January 15, 2021 by Katie Waxman

January is National Hot Tea Month. Can your employees find their favorite teas in the break room? If the answer is no, you’ve just discovered a new opportunity to encourage employees to stay on-site during the workday.

Today’s office coffee service (OCS) is about more than coffee. It’s about creating an experience that improves workplace culture and productivity. With four out of five consumers and more than three-quarters of Millennials drinking tea, there is a strong need for great tasting hot tea at work.

A mug of hot tea is more than a cup that holds a drink. It offers diverse flavors, health benefits, and soothing qualities.

Hot Tea Menu

While most of the tea consumed is black tea followed by green, oolong, white, and dark teas, your OCS menu can be simpler. A variety of high-quality teas including at least one green, one black, and two to three herbal teas should be able to meet the tastes of everyone who visits the break room. Tea specific sweeteners like honey packets or honey bears and additives such as citrus, cinnamon, honey, and milk or non-dairy milk should be offered.

Health Benefits

Tea also has many health benefits. Antioxidants help reduce the risk of cancer. Caffeine supplies an energy boost which can also help combat obesity. And an increase in blood flow is good for cardiovascular health. In a month when the world focuses on healthier choices, drinking more tea is a small change that can make a big difference.

A Relaxing Moment

There is something pleasant and relaxing about looking forward to a favorite flavor and a moment of stillness. As with coffee, a hot mug of tea presents employees with a minute or two of stress relief. Tampa employees who experience less stress are more productive and approach everything with a more positive attitude.

As drinking tea grows in popularity; it is important to update your Tampa break room refreshment menu to meet the demand. Not only will your employees enjoy the benefits of drinking their favorite hot beverage, but they will also be more likely to turn to the break room for healthy snacks and beverages.

For more information about updating your OCS or other vending services, please call Millennium Refreshment Services at 813-882-4300.

Coffee Service and the Tampa Micro-Market

December 28, 2020 by Katie Waxman

Office coffee service (OCS) is often considered a separate service when it comes to the break room. But it doesn’t have to be. For a moment, ponder what it would be like to mesh coffee service with a micro-market. On their own, each offers distinct benefits. But when they are blended together in your Tampa office break room, they create a unique employee perk.

Employees now have a relaxed on-site spot to grab a gourmet coffee and a snack or meal. This is now even more important. Research has also found the best time to enjoy a cup of coffee is mid-morning or early afternoon, not right after waking up.

To effectively blend coffee service and micro-markets, there are two things to consider. The first is the different aspects of coffee service. And the second is how each aspect helps integrate coffee with the micro-market.

Coffee Brewers

choose a brewer that makes gourmet beverages; bean-to-cup and single-cup brewers are the current favorites
with the concerns around COVID-19, consider a touchless brewer
discover which brands are most sought after in your area—yes, brands matter even with brewers

Coffee Beans

offer a range of local and national brands
discover which coffee brands are well known and liked by your Tampa employees
make sure that the perception of the coffee brands matches the perception of the micro-market—both should be high-end

Other Coffee Service Factors

place the coffee service near food and snacks that go well with coffee. Tampa employees are more likely to purchase a breakfast item or an afternoon treat if it’s nearby.
create a supply station with a variety of creamers, flavorings, and sweeteners.
employees are consumers. Brand recognition of brewers and coffee brands plays a role in purchase decisions.

To make the melding process easier, Millennium Refreshment Services can help. We will guide you through the steps of integrating your OCS into an existing micro-market or adding both at the same time. For more information about micro-markets, coffee service, and other vending solutions, please contact us at 813-882-4300.

Break Room Visits Help Tampa Employees

December 18, 2020December 18, 2020 by Katie Waxman

Your Tampa break room has potential. It doesn’t have to be a place that employees avoid or use sporadically. Instead, employees should be able to find a relaxing space with vending machines or a micro-market that offers delicious lunch options.

While breakfast is referred to as the most important meal of the day, lunch plays a crucial role in making the afternoon a success. Unfortunately, the lunch break is disappearing.

But isn’t this dedication to one’s career or job good for business? No. In fact, the opposite may be true. Rather than focusing on eating, many employees feel they need to do something more meaningful. They also feel guilty for not always being available.

Even employees who are working from home because of COVID-19 need a break too. Spending too much time at a desk without taking a break can decrease productivity and hurt the bottom line.

Creativity and Community

Everyone, including Tampa employees, needs a change of scenery every now and then. Creative thinking and new ideas are more likely to occur after taking a break or moving to a new workspace. Going outside for a walk or sitting in the sun help solutions to form.

Studies also suggest that taking time off in the middle of the day, whether to eat, walk or take a coffee break with coworkers, creates a community culture within the workplace and happier, more productive employees.

Rejuvenate your Break Room

Although a walk outside can be beneficial, too much of a good thing can turn into a bad thing, especially when a short break becomes an extended time away from the office. To create a sense of community and a pleasant place to go when getting away from the office isn’t ideal, create a better break space.

Offer quality coffee service (a high-value benefit at a lower cost) and healthy snacks and beverages. For a bonus, consider offering micro-market or vending options for free or at a reduced cost.
If possible, bring some of the outdoors inside with potted plants, oversized windows, or natural scenery wall murals.

Regardless of how you encourage your employees to get away from their desks, it’s essential that you do it. Whether it’s lunch out, a walk around the block, or a foosball tournament in your break room, your Tampa employees will appreciate it.

To learn more about updating your break room or adding office coffee service, vending machines, or a micro-market, contact Millennium Refreshment Service at 813-882-4300. We look forward to hearing from you.

Coffee Breaks in Tampa Offer More

December 5, 2020November 30, 2020 by Katie Waxman

When is a coffee break more than just drinking a cup of coffee? The answer is when it happens during a work break. Even though many businesses are short-staffed or overwhelmed because of COVID-19, Tampa employers realize that encouraging their employees to take breaks is necessary.

15 minutes of employee downtime to enjoy a hot cup of coffee or healthy snack from a vending machine or micro-market results in other benefits. As a result, many employers go out of their way to encourage employees to take a coffee break.

Health Benefits

Coffee contains caffeine. The main reason most people drink coffee is the caffeine, but it can also improve one’s mood and cognitive performance. Moderate coffee intake is also shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, dementia, brain cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. A bonus when an energy boost is an employee’s primary goal.

A break room also encourages Tampa employees to move around. Sitting for long periods can cause joint stiffness and fatigue. Eye strain and headaches can happen after staring at a computer screen for too long without a break. Therefore, everyone finds multiple benefits when employees take breaks.

Breaks help employees work better, and employers see an increase in morale and output.

Coffee Gets Everyone Talking

According to Entrepreneur.com, stress levels are at an all-time high. Too much stress causes a loss of productivity and morale, and an increase in health costs, errors, and interpersonal conflicts. Today, almost everyone suffers from some degree of stress.

Encouraging coffee breaks is one way to help your Tampa area employees combat stress. Just as stepping away from one’s desk for 15 minutes helps decrease stiffness and increases circulation, walking and taking a break helps the brain relax.

Another benefit of the coffee break is an increase in communication among employees. Breaks encourage everyone to share concerns, which helps reduce stress. The break room is also a great place to relax and engage in informative conversations. These gatherings often stimulate creative ideas, improve employee camaraderie, and build workplace morale.

The Drink Menu

Coffee isn’t the only beverage that offers benefits. Many employees do not like the taste of coffee or consume limited amounts of caffeine. If an employee falls into either category, there are many other delicious and healthy options. Hot or iced tea, bottled water, and energy drinks are just a few. The goal is to create a time and place for employees to recharge so they can go back to work more focused.

For more information about our hot and cold beverage menus or to add additional vending services, please contact Millennium Refreshment Services at 813-882-4300. We look forward to hearing from you.