Return to work is made easy through cafeteria digitisation

Apr 20, 2022 | Digital Cafeteria

The last two years have been tumultuous, to say the least. While the COVID-19 virus wreaked havoc on the health and health systems of countries around the world, a significant consequence was the change in the way we worked. Working from home transitioned from being a perk to a new normal. What many expected to be a temporary disruption turned into a long period away from the workplace. However, with widespread vaccinations and the easing of COVID restrictions across most countries, there has been a move to go back to the office. Companies on their part have had to realign some of their policies and procedures to ensure the safe return of employees to the workplace. Social distancing, sanitisation protocols, adherence to safety guidelines, etc are becoming second nature for most employees.

Catering for the returning employees

One of the areas where there has been the most significant change is in the aspect of dining. With employees coming back to work on campuses with the new protocols in place, changes in the catering and dining system are unavoidable. Many organizations have been able to make the change and move seamlessly to meet the new requirements through digitization of the cafeteria.

The benefits of cafeteria digitisation

An end-to-end food management program for corporates enables the next-gen digitised cafeteria. The robust solution can lead to more efficient and transparent food service management for corporates and vendors, and convenient food ordering and delivery for employees.

For corporates

Cafeteria digitisation leads to an increase in transparency and efficiency, as well as the opportunity to improve the employee experience. Seamless integration with the facilities or admin system can enable easy management of employee benefits including setting up eligibility limits, and of fully-paid, part-paid, or reimbursement rules for different categories of employees. Also, the admin has far more realistic feedback on the services provided at the cafeteria and also better visibility of sales at the cafeteria.

For employees

Employees get the power of ordering from an app and tracking the progress of their food. They can choose to pick it up from the vendor after they get a ‘Ready’ notification or get it delivered to their desk. This means less time spent in queues or in crowded cafeterias while waiting to pick up their order. Contactless ordering also helps in minimising the touching of surfaces to add another layer of safety to the ordering process. A powerful cafeteria digitisation app will also give them the option of contactless ordering even from vending machines and unmanned counters. Thereby giving them complete cashless convenience.

For Vendors

No return to work or cafeteria digitisation solution can work without the buy-in and cooperation of those who work to make the food happen – the vendors. A digitisation solution can help them improve their service in many ways. Additions and variations to the menu can be easily modified and broadcast on the app, giving employees more choices. Precise ordering and process tracking add to efficiency and reduce wastage. Every aspect of the food process can be tracked and audited – from supplies to final delivery to every financial transaction. This leads to greater accountability and in some cases has proven to reduce cash pilferage by up to 15%. A comprehensive cafeteria digitisation solution can help make the return-to-work process seamless, efficient, and much more convenient to all the stakeholders – corporates, vendors, and employees.