by Freedonia Industry Studies
August 5, 2020
Now more than ever, employees are working from home. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a necessary shift that quickly moved many office workers to work-at-home positions, doubling or even tripling the number of Americans working at home according to The Wall Street Journal.
In the new work-from-home age, some companies are spending money on perks for at-home employees to keep and attract talent. For instance, Firstbase is a company that provides a package of home office supplies (e.g., ergonomic chairs, desks, microphones, laptops, and monitors) that are paid for on a monthly basis by employers for use by their at-home workers. Firstbase has reported a more than 550% jump in the number of companies on its wait list since before March this year. The company reports that clients are opting for customized packages and that a number of them are sending each employee their own coffee machine and a coffee bean subscription.
As more people begin permanently working from home, office coffee service providers will need to change their business models to target this market for continued sales. Subscriptions are a way for employers to deliver perks to their work-at-home employees and retain top talent while enhancing productivity.
Single-serve and personalized coffee options are particularly important to the work-at-home market. Single-serve options are great for remote workers since they might be at home alone or making coffee only for themselves. Giving employees a choice about the types of coffee they receive at home can also be important to ensuring satisfaction.
Although targeting companies for incentive programs that distribute products to remote workers is a logical step, office coffee service providers can also begin offering services directly to consumers, as some coffee vendors already have.
Further analysis of the office coffee service industry, discussion of opportunities, and consumer insights regarding preferences and habits can be found in Packaged Facts’ report Office Coffee Service in the U.S. Packaged Facts also conducts research on other food and beverage topics. Related reports include Consumer and Corporate Food Gifting, Food Carryout & Delivery, Food Market Outlook 2020: Home Cooking, Grocery Shopping, & Food Trends in the Coronavirus Age, Online Grocery Shopping, Meal Kits, Eating Trends: Restaurant Use, and Global Food E-Commerce.