Hungry staff lose companies money

BRITISH businesses are losing billions in productivity because
of poor eating habits, according to a report.

A study by Mori for leading food manufacturer BaxterStorey shows
that many office workers are skipping breakfast with a high number
ignoring lunch as well.

Nearly 20% admitted to never having breakfast during the working
week, while a further 17% said they ate breakfast between one and
three times a week. Around 8% of those questioned said they
regularly skipped lunch.

More than 30% who never eat breakfast don't snack. Only 63% of
workers said they ate breakfast every day.

The cost to the nation of missing the first meal of the day alone
is estimated at £8.1bn or 46.5 million working days according
to figures from the International Labour Organisation.

When missed lunch and snacks are added into the scenario lost
productivity rockets to £16.85bn or 97 million working days.

A sandwich is lunch for the 92% of people who do eat at lunchtime.
For the 78% who do snack, more than half said crisps and biscuits
were the usual choice.

Matt Barker, a performance and nutrition specialist helping
BaxterStorey with its findings, said that many studies had found a
relationship between eating breakfast and attention span, learning
ability and general well-being.

“It's clear that too many people are getting much of their
energy intake after work, then sleeping on it,” he said.

“This is certainly not efficient for the body or brain and is
far from ideal for work performance. People who eat breakfast have
better concentration, problem solving ability, mental performance,
memory and mood.

“Research tells us that scores on memory tests were around 15%
lower in people who skipped breakfast.”

Alistair Storey, chief executive of BaxtorStorey said he was
shocked at the findings.

“Given that as a nation our understanding of food and
nutrition grows daily, and that breakfast is considered so
important, we're shocked and surprised,” he said.

“While it's not our role to advise people when and what to
eat, it's clear that the UK worker needs a far greater
understanding of the importance diet plays in their
productivity.”

However, a number of Yorkshire companies have already introduced
healthy eating initiatives in an effort to keep workers
nutritionally fit.

Harrogate-based financial software developer Coda provides free
fruit to all its staff and has created an in-house online system
for ordering lunch.

“It's important for us to make good food available to our
staff. This is particularly important in our main office in
Harrogate, which is on a business park with no shops around,”
said David Turner, Coda's group marketing director.

“It saves staff from having to go miles to get food, or worse
still skipping meals. We see it as a key element of staff
welfare.”

Bradford & Bingley is another company to reap the benefits of
providing a good breakfast and lunch.

The bank as part of a series of initiatives, changed menus at its
head office locations to reflect a healthy eating policy.

Staff turnover dropped by 20% from 30.1% in 2005 to 23.3% in 2006,
while the “feel good factor” score rose from 45% to 72%
as a result of the healthy eating and other workplace
initiatives.