In the UK, Covid-related restrictions have been dropped in an official sense, as part of the ‘Living with Covid-19’ initiative.
Businesses are now having to make their own decisions around whether staff should isolate on testing positive for Covid-19, and for how long. And the result of this is fluctuating volumes of workers based at a central workplace location, at any given time.
For caterers, this has made the planning of ingredients and ordering of produce extremely difficult.
Hybrid catering for a hybrid workforce
We don’t believe this hybrid trend will go away any time soon. Because as well as impromptu isolation periods, a large portion of the UK workforce will continue with flexible working, being based between an office and their home, for the foreseeable future.
So, for on-site caterers looking to make changes fit for this renewed working landscape, what’s the solution?
We think it’s hybrid catering.
What do we mean by hybrid catering?
Put simply, providing catering solutions that work for every eventuality. So, allowing staff to order and collect food when works around their individual schedule. Whether that be from the on-site restaurant or ordering food in from elsewhere to be delivered when they want it.
Just as the contemporary workforce wants flexibility in where they work, they also want options for where and when they eat.
Flexibility over singularity
In response to this, we believe that more is more, as we’ve learnt from the many studies that’ve been conducted on the post-pandemic workplace, choice is key.
The increase in cloud kitchens emerging is currently leading the way in providing a flexible, cost-effective catering approach in the workplace, helping both caterers and restaurants rebound from the pandemic more quickly.
On-site kitchens generally need to serve at least 150 covers to be cost effective, but cloud kitchens allow caterers to serve businesses with 10 or 15 employees, considerably increasing the addressable market.
This is where Pre Order Pods can support kitchens to provide workers access to a freshly prepared meal, regardless of how many people are working that day, or whether it’s prepared on or off site.
By offering multiple options, it’s likely customers will feel their needs are being met, increasing the likelihood of them returning every time they’re in the office.
As well as providing flexibility to staff, Pre Order Pods also help reduce food waste by extending the sell-by lifespan of hot or cold food, by keeping it at exactly the right temperature to be consumed.
This means, on unexpectedly quiet days, there’s less worry around meals being prepared and left to spoil.
Here’s to a hybrid state-of-mind
We understand that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to plan food preparation around the hybrid workforce. But we truly believe that viewing catering as hybrid too – being agile and giving the customer what they want, when they want it – is the way to secure the future of the workplace kitchen.
At Pre Order Pods, we’re committed to supporting you. To find out how we can enhance your on-site catering facilities, please get in touch.
Photo by Daniela Araya on Unsplash
