Vending And The Future Of Flexible Offices

The modern working world has changed drastically. Most employees now see hybrid working as essential, not optional. This has resulted in organisations reassessing their approach and adjusting their office layouts to support the flexibility of hybrid working. 

The days when there were long lunch queues and overcrowded canteens are in the past. Nowadays, facility managers are faced with a new challenge: supporting staff when they can’t predict when they’ll turn up.

Micro markets offer a simple solution to this challenge. These automated retail environments operate around the clock without needing staff to run them. They include contactless payment kiosks and operate independently. 

Whereas traditional canteens run on fixed opening hours, preplanned menus, and cost a fortune in staffing costs. Micro markets are run entirely by operators, who change the stock levels based on actual usage, and work towards a restocking schedule that makes sense for the site. This adaptability makes micro markets particularly effective for hybrid working patterns that would prove economically challenging for traditional cafeterias.

Traditional workplace canteens are well-suited to predictable work patterns, five-day weeks, and consistent headcounts. But with the rise of hybrid working, this is no longer the case. Staffed cafeterias require salaries, benefits, training, and management overhead regardless of how many people show up. When occupancy drops to 30% on a quiet Friday, you’re still paying full operational costs.

Amazon Filters came to us with a common problem. They run a manufacturing company that operates 24/7, which is split between hybrid office staff and shift patterns. They needed a food and beverage solution that could serve everyone, at any time, without the additional costs of a catering service.

Our solution was installing a micro market that was stocked with fresh food vending, commercial coffee vending machines, and water dispensers. The results were almost immediate: shift workers who previously drove offsite during breaks now stayed on the premises, and hybrid workers had a wide range of quality fresh food options to choose from, regardless of what day or time they came to the office. 

By installing a micro market, the facility managers also eliminated the need for hiring staff, arranging schedules, and managing the food waste.

Installing and maintaining more than 50 micro market sites has taught us what works well in flexible office environments. 

Here’s what the data shows us: 

Employees don’t want the same snacks on repeat; they want variety, and it’s that same variety that drives employee satisfaction. Micro markets typically stock between 150 and 300 + fresh items, depending on the size, compared to traditional vending machines. This usually offer 30-60 packaged options. With healthy eating trends on the rise, micro markets for hybrid work environments are the perfect space for employees to grab a healthy lunch or snack when they are in the office, rather than leaving the premises and losing break time getting lunch out.

Behind the scenes, operators track sales, monitor which products are popular and what aren’t selling, and review the products every six weeks to keep the products fresh and varied. The micro markets are typically restocked three to five times a week, depending on the individual site’s needs.

Unlike traditional vending machines, where you pay before getting the product, micro markets use an honesty system that trusts users to pay for their products correctly. The typical shrinkage rate across micro markets ranges from 2-10%, but shrinkage is easily managed through both internal management processes and using technology. 

The majority of Connect Vending’s micro markets are equipped with 365 Retail Market payment kiosks, which have built in cameras that photograph the customer every time a product is cancelled, the camera also has sensors in it which can detect which products have been brought to the till and offers prompts to remind the customer to pay for all of the products if one has been missed. 

At Connect Vending, we have found that this technology, along with internal messages reminding employees of the procedure, has worked well to deter theft and has ultimately decreased shrinkage across multiple sites. 

Research conducted by DoorDash highlights that employees choosing healthy meals are 66% more productive than those who pick unhealthy alternatives. In today’s competitive market, workplace amenities can make all the difference when it comes to employee retention. 

Modern workplace food options give your employees access to quality, healthy meals on site, which directly influences their energy levels, performance, and workplace satisfaction. Our data shows that 85% of employees feel more valued when their employers provide healthy food options at work.

After 30 years of service and maintaining over 2,500 assets, Connect Vending has pinpointed what makes a successful micro market installation in flexible offices.

We conduct complimentary site surveys examining existing break room infrastructure, electrical and connectivity requirements, and traffic patterns. The placement also makes an enormous difference to the success of micro markets, especially in hybrid workplaces where footfall can vary significantly day to day. 

Each micro market we install is designed to fit the individual needs of the site. For example, a tech company with designated collaboration days will need a different restocking schedule and product variety compared to a manufacturer or warehouse that has rotating shifts. We tailor everything from sandwich varieties to coffee machine capacity based on your actual patterns, not industry generalisations.

Like any fresh food service, there is an aspect of waste management that comes with micro markets. To prevent excess waste from entering landfills, we partner with Olio, a food rescue charity, to redistribute items approaching expiration rather than creating waste. 

Since using Olio, Connect Vending has donated 807.09kg of edible food and avoided using 336.91kg of CO2. The operators also check the expiry dates at every visit and complete weekly audits to stay on top of waste management. This takes away the burden from facility managers.

Providing quality food and beverage has evolved from a “nice-to-have” office perk to an essential part of the working day. Micro markets in flexible offices are successful because they provide a varied selection of quality fresh food and beverages. They do this without the need for human operational dependencies. 

Due to their bespoke nature, micro markets can be scaled up or down depending on the site’s size and support any shift pattern whilst eliminating the economic burden of paying for staff.

This article originally appeared on Your Coffee Break.