Reducing Stress in Warren and the Detroit Area

Reducing Stress in Warren and the Detroit Area

April is National Stress Awareness month. It’s also spring, which means trees are budding, flowers are blooming, and the grass is turning green. The signs of new growth in Warren and the Detroit area will soon bring vibrant colors and sweet smells to delight in. 

Spending time enjoying nature, whether inside or out, is a healthy activity for Warren and Detroit area employees. Research has shown that “Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings.”

Enjoying nature is just one of the many different things that can be done to help reduce stress and create a calmer state of mind. The key is remembering what works and what doesn’t. Below are six suggestions that everyone should consider.

Diet: Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean sources of protein, and drink lots of hydrating beverages. Not only will you have more energy, but you’ll be able to deal with what the day brings more easily.

Exercise: Keep moving even if it’s only going for a walk or taking a yoga class online. Regular physical activity is necessary to maintain a healthy body, but it can also help relax the muscles and improve one’s mood. 

Reducing Stress in Warren and the Detroit Area

Sleep: Getting enough sleep while feeling stressed out can be hard, but not getting enough can make it even tougher. Try to develop a healthy bedtime routine that encourages relaxation and includes turning off electronics at least 30 minutes before bed and spending some time reading or meditating.

Feelings: Whether it’s talking with a trusted friend or family member or writing everything out, expressing what is causing stress is a great way to problem solve and let the brain know that you’ve got this.

Planning and Priorities:  Take some time to think about what is important. From there, set some short-term goals. They might include planning ahead, getting organized or a list of healthy snacks to enjoy. Either way creating order out of what feels chaotic helps the brain to relax.

And finally, smile, laugh and have some fun. Whether it’s a new hobby or an old one, a funny movie or just being silly with family or coworkers, each of these activities is great for one’s mood and overall health.

While we may not be able to help Warren and Detroit area essential employees exercise or get more sleep, we are here to provide refreshments including healthy snacks and beverages, fresh food and coffee service to their break rooms. Continuing to offer these services to essential employees will help them stay on-site during their workday and keep their focus on their responsibilities. For more information about our current services, please call American Vending at (248) 895.2606.

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Three Break Room Topics to Consider in Warren and the Detroit Area

Break Room Design in Warren and the Detroit Area

Although the idea of offering an employee break room with a selection of refreshments has been around for years, providing a space for relaxation, conversation and snacks or meals is even more important now. Break rooms are more than a room; they can help employees relieve stress, brainstorm, boost productivity and build community.

When considering if your Warren or Detroit area break room fits the needs of your employees, it can be helpful to consider the following topics: what your employees need or want, the physical space and the menu.

Needs and Wants

When considering the answer to this question, the first place to go is to your employees. Not only will it help clarify what your employees like to do when they aren’t at their desks, but it will help create a list of food and beverages preferences, allergies and dietary requirements. Asking for employee input lets them know that their opinion matters and that they are appreciated.

The Physical Space

Whether your Warren or Detroit area break room is large or small, it needs to be welcoming. There should be a variety of comfortable seating arrangements that support different activities including eating meals, reading, collaborative work, having fun and even napping.

Break Room Design in Warren and the Detroit Area

The vibe or energy of the room, created by colors, textures, lighting, seating arrangements, layout, plants and organization, also contributes to the experience employees will have when walking into the room. A great example comes from Google’s campus where “diner booths, it turns out, can work better than traditional conference rooms.”

In addition to tables and chairs for meals, access to microwaves, a sink, a refrigerator and coffee machines as well as supplies like utensils, plates and napkins will encourage employees to leave their workstations and have meals together and build relationships.

The Menu

One of the primary reasons Warren and Detroit area employees go off-site during the workday is to grab a bite to eat or a coffee, which can cause a decrease in productivity. With that in mind, the importance of offering the right combination of snacks, cold beverages, fresh food and coffee service stands out even more.

In addition to offering traditional snacks and beverages, better-for-you options are a must. Healthy choices such as fresh food, fruits and veggies, yogurt, granola bars, nuts, filtered water and flavored sparkling water minimizes food comas, avoids dehydration and keeps employees feeling their best.

The last section of the menu should reflect coffee and tea service. It might include a combination of espresso-based drinks, nationally known brands, local roasters and a variety of hot teas. Don’t forget to include creamers, non-dairy creamers, sugar and sugar-free options.

Once the three sections listed above have been considered, the final break room design and menu should reflect both your Warren or Detroit area organization’s needs and the refreshments your employees enjoy. Not sure where to begin? American Vending can help. For more information about updating your break room or creating a new, customized menu, please contact us at (248) 895-2606.

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Gratitude and Healthy Hearts in Warren and the Detroit Area

Healthy Options in Warren and the Detroit Area

While healthy lifestyle choices will vary greatly among Warren and Detroit Area employees, there is one thing that everyone should be concerned about—their heart. February is American Heart Month. It’s a good time to consider current and/or adopt new, healthy habits that will help prevent heart disease.

Diet

Following a heart healthy diet is one habit that can help fight cardiovascular diseases. Rather than trying to strictly follow a specific diet that feels very restricting, it’s important to consider the overall pattern of one’s eating habits. Enjoying a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, low-fat protein sources like chicken and fish, nuts and legumes, and non-tropical vegetable oils is a great way to provide the body with the minerals and nutrients it needs.

Exercise

Consistently moving or exercising is another habit that benefits heart health. The American Heart Association recommends that Warren and the Detroit Area adults get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. That’s 2.5 hours of exercise per week, or 30 minutes a day for five of the seven days each week. Resistance or strength training should also be added at least twice a week.

Gratitude

In addition to choosing healthy snacks, beverages and food and exercising, being aware of decisions that impact one’s mental health is also important. Practicing gratitude is beneficial for many different parts of Warren and Detroit Area employees’ lives including their mental health, personal and professional relationships and physical health.

An individual’s mental health can be impacted by many things including stress, which increases adrenaline and cortisol levels. That increase triggers a rise in the rate of breathing, the heart rate and blood pressure. Not only can these reactions contribute to heart disease (i.e. high blood pressure), but there are also mental health related biological and chemical factors that may play a role too.

Healthy Options in Warren and the Detroit Area

Barry Jacobs, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist and director of Behavioral Sciences at the Crozer-Keystone Family Medicine Residency Program recently explained, “The head-heart connection should be on everyone’s radar. It’s not just being unhappy. It’s having biochemical changes that predispose people to have other health problems, including heart problems.”

Developing a practice of gratitude can be healthy for everyone. Whether at work or at home, practicing gratitude builds relationships. At Warren and Detroit Area businesses, gratitude can be practiced on multiple levels such as between coworkers or between management and employees. When an organization regularly practices gratitude, motivation and productivity can sky-rocket. Below are five simple ways employees and employers can express gratitude while at work.

  • Make it specific: Be sure to clearly express the reason why. Saying thank you without a specific why just doesn’t have the same effect.
  • Show gratitude consistently: Make sure to express gratitude to those who consistently perform as well as those who go above and beyond. No one wants to feel unappreciated.
  • Send thank you notes: A handwritten and specific thank you note is always appropriate.
  • Lead by example: Create a company culture that values recognition. When employers actively express and show appreciation, gratitude can grow.
  • Understand what employees want: Which benefits do your Warren and Detroit Area employees really value? Understanding the answer and acting on it is a great way to express gratitude for all that your employees do.

A welcoming break room that offers delicious and healthy snacks, beverages and fresh food as well as office coffee service is a benefit that employees want. American Vending can help your organization customize the perfect refreshment menu and create an inviting break room space. For more information, please contact us at (248) 895.2606.

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Warren and the Detroit Area, Build a Healthy Lifestyle One Step at a Time

Healthy Break Room Choices in Warren and the Detroit Area

Staying healthy usually means something different to everyone whether it’s eating a certain way or participating in a favorite physical activity. As 2020 gets into full swing, let’s consider a super important but often forgotten organ that plays a huge role in everyone’s health – the lungs.

When a Warren and Detroit Area individual’s lungs don’t work properly, it can impact their health, and as a result, there can be a negative impact on all parts of their life including their job. One way to keep the lungs healthy is to exercise.

Exercise

The American Lung Association, a nonprofit organization that works to improve lung health and prevent lung disease, sponsors an annual event that not only helps raise funds for the organization but also highlights the importance of exercise for lung health. It’s called the Fight For Air Climb, and it honors National Take the Stairs Day.

During the stair-climbing event, participants, from running and fitness enthusiasts to people of all abilities, take the stairs instead of the elevator to get to the top floor in the event. Often, the buildings used for Fight for Air Climb are tall skyscrapers with many flights of stairs.

If attending an event like the Fight for Air Climb isn’t an option for Warren and Detroit Area employees, there are other ways to add small steps of exercise into one’s day such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking further away from the door, going on a walk during a lunch break and taking a stretch break during the workday. Regular exercise has other benefits as well. It boosts energy levels, improves muscle strength and increases the immune system’s ability to fight infections.

Healthy Break Room Choices in Warren and the Detroit Area

Diet

The type of food and beverages that a Warren and Detroit Area employee consumes can also have an impact on lung health. In addition to improving productivity and alertness, staying hydrated keeps the lungs working more effectively by thinning out linings located in the lungs.

Portion size is another factor that can affect how well the lungs work. Not only can consistently eating portions that are too big cause weight gain, but they can also cause the stomach to be too full, decreasing the amount of space that the lungs have to expand. Healthy options to consider adding to one’s diet include lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats.

Consuming water and other hydrating beverages plus healthy foods provides a lot of benefits that many individuals never need to consider. In 2020, Warren and Detroit Area employers have an opportunity to help their employees make healthier decisions by considering the types of snacks, beverages and fresh food that are offered in the break room.

For more information about updating your refreshment menu to include healthier options, please contact American Vending at 248.895.2606.

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Break Rooms Impact Warren and Detroit Area Employee Morale

Break Rooms in Warren and the Detroit area

Can Warren and Detroit area break rooms really contribute to employee morale? The answer is yes, they really can and especially during the winter months. A specific break room can either invite employees to visit it, stay awhile and engage in conversation or push employees to other areas for conversation and refreshments.

Let’s look at three ways that your break room can have an impact.

The Space

There are many different factors to consider when designing a break room’s physical space. The first question to ask is how will the space be used. Understanding the purpose(s) before making design decisions allows the design to encompass current and future needs. Some employers offer open spaces with games such as Foosball or table tennis while others focus on multiple, smaller and unique seating arrangements.

The second questions to ask is what type of vibe or energy will the room have. For example, colors, textures, lighting, seating arrangements, layout, plants and organization all contribute to the experience an employee will have when walking into the room. Textures can come from a variety of materials including bricks or rocks, wood, pleather, metal, glass and plants. One caveat when it comes to color; colors have different meanings in different cultures and can impact Warren and Detroit area individuals differently.

The Refreshments

Do the refreshments offered in your Warren or Detroit area break room match the types of refreshments that are important to your current employees? If the answer is no, then it’s time to learn what would. Once those answers are clear, the next step is to consider quality coffee services, healthy snacks and beverages, and fresh food. The final menu should reflect both your organization’s needs and the refreshments your employees enjoy.

Break Rooms in Warren and the Detroit area

The Activities

A break room can be used for more than grabbing a bite to eat or taking a break. The space can also become a central location where team building activities take place. At this time of year, gray skies are often accompanied by the winter blues. To combat these blah and sluggish feelings, host an event for your Warren and Detroit area employees that creates feelings of team spirit and happiness.   

  • Volunteer: Choose an organization that needs help creating packages or collecting items. For example, the break room could be a gathering point for a food drive for a local food bank or a space where employees can put together backpacks for foster children or care packages for overseas soldiers. 
  • Host a Potluck: Encourage your employees to bring a dish to share. Themes for the event could include bring your favorite dish (from any time of year) or bring your favorite winter dish. It’s about choosing a theme that encourages employees to want to participate.
  • Ugly Sweater Day: Invite your employees to wear the ugliest sweater they can find to work and host a competition in the break room to see whose is the ugliest. While this type of event often happens before the end of December, hosting an ugly sweater day during January or February is a fun way to boost everyone’s mood after the initial excitement of winter has worn away.

Are break rooms really this important? The simple answer is yes. Break rooms and the activities that happen in them can boost team morale and support happy and relaxed employees, which increases creativity and productivity. And that makes it worthwhile to us.

For more information about customizing your Warren and Detroit area break room menu with cafe style coffee service, delicious fresh food and healthy snacks and beverages, please contact American Vending at 248.895.2606. We look forward to hearing from you.

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Unique Vending Machines Inspire Warren and Detroit Area Break Rooms

Vending Machines in Warren and the Detroit Area

References to and the use of vending machines can be found off and on throughout history. The first written record described a machine in 215 BC that dispensed holy water after the user inserted a coin. In 2019 countries across the world have chosen to use vending machines to make sure their customers always have access to the products they want when they want them.

Three interesting examples that can be found in different parts of the U.S. are Barrett’s Smokehouse’s meat vending machine, The Art-o-mat® and The Breadbot.

smoked meat: Ever have a craving for bratwurst, beef brisket or pulled pork, and your favorite smokehouse is closed? A Michigan smokehouse has the solution to your problem. Open 24/7 with almost any barbecued product you can think of, this closely monitored vending machine offers delicious, fresh products that are replaced daily.

art: The Art-o-mat®, a vending machine that sells art, is both a machine that sells a product and a work of art. Using an old cigarette vending machine, artist Clark Whittington modified the machine in order to be able to sell his own art at a local cafe. The idea took off, and now multiple artists sell their work in machines throughout the US.

bread: Enjoy freshly made bread without having to put in all the work. Wilkinson Baking Company developed The Breadbot, a free-standing, mini bakery that takes care of the entire baking process and delivers a variety of delicious options.

Vending Machines in Warren and the Detroit Area

As with the creators of these vending machines, don’t be afraid to step out of the box when designing your Warren and Detroit Area break room. Approach the process from the perspective of a business determining how they will meet very specific goals. The following objectives are examples that any organization can use to start determining their specific goals.

  • encourage employees to stay on-site when they need a coffee break by offering delicious coffee options; benefit: less time spent away from the office (less time at the office usually means less work accomplished);  
  • offer healthy snacks, beverages and fresh food; benefit: healthy employees have fewer sick days and are more productive
  • create a welcoming space; benefit: chance to decrease stress levels and increase morale

In addition, meeting the previous three goals also creates more opportunities for spontaneous creativity and interactions with colleagues.

How will your Warren and Detroit Area organization get creative when determining your break room goals? Whether you know exactly what your break room needs or are starting from scratch, American Vending can help. We offer a wide variety of refreshment programs including micro-markets, vending machines and office coffee service as well as healthy and traditional snacks, beverages and fresh food. It’s time to take the first step. For more information about any of our services, please call American Vending at (248) 895.2606.

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Subsidized Vending in Warren and the Detroit Area Delivers More

Subsidized Vending in Warren and the Detroit Area

What type of refreshment options are available in your Warren and Detroit area break room? A Micro-Market? Vending Machines? In 2019, it’s very important to offer your employees a variety of snack and beverage choices. For a break room to be an appealing potential new employee benefit and an effective retention tool for current employees, the physical space and refreshment products available must meet both current and up-and-coming and expanding trends.

The trend of snacking while at work is growing, and it will keep spreading as younger generations represent an even bigger part of the workforce. For example, recent studies from Euromonitor, a market research firm, found that Millennials eat 3.05 snacks per day while GenXers consume 2.26 snacks. 

If a Millennial employee works eight hours per day, that means they are likely eating a snack almost every 2.5 hours (without considering lunch). Another way to look at it is how often do those individuals have to go off-site during their workday to find the healthy snack that they are looking for. 

Peapod also performed a study and found that (1) healthy snacks at work boost satisfaction and happiness; (2) 66 percent of employees enjoyed free snacks and were either very happy or extremely happy at work; and (3) almost 83 percent of employees surveyed preferred “having healthy and fresh snack options (e.g., fruit, vegetables, yogurt, low-calorie snacks) provided in the workplace.”

Subsidized Vending in Warren and the Detroit Area

Combine the results of those two studies, and it’s easy to see why offering subsidized vending or reduced cost healthy snacks, beverages and fresh food is an easy decision. Subsidized vending is also a great tool to use to combat mid-afternoon munchies and energy slumps as well as a cost-effective employee benefit especially when compared to other types of employee benefits.

As with other company objectives, choosing a break room refreshment menu should also be a strategic business decision. Take the time to determine the best combination of products for your organization. The results might be surprising. Boost company morale and see an increase in employee interaction, bonding and overall productivity by offering subsidized or free vending in your Warren and Detroit area break room. 

American Vending can help customize the perfect refreshment menu and create a welcoming environment for your employees. For more information or to start the collaboration process, please contact us at (248) 895.2606.  

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Social Awareness Finds a Place in Warren and Detroit Area Break Rooms

break rooms in warren and the detroit area

Will consumer awareness of food-related topics impact future refreshment menus in Warren and Detroit area break rooms? The answer is yes; they already have, and they will continue to do so moving forward. All one has to do is look around to see snack and beverage options that are made without genetically modified organisms (GMOs), are low in added sugar or are locally sourced.

A recent Nielsen study, which asked two important questions, confirmed what many Warren and Detroit area consumers already knew. Awareness of social issues related to the food and grocery industry plays a role in shopping patterns and will continue to influence shopping behaviors as consumers, especially Millennials and Gen Xers, learn more about different issues.

As of the end of the study, the social issues that ranked the highest in current consumer awareness were buy local (46 percent), GMOs in foods (35 percent) and no added sugar/sugar reduction (33 percent). A quick trip to Warren and Detroit area break rooms will highlight that snack and beverage manufacturers are already aware that these issues are important to their customers.

The second part of the study, which food/grocery companies need to pay attention to, asked participants, who were currently aware of a topic, how interested were they in learning more about that issue. Topics that ranked the highest were pesticide/herbicide use in food production (66 percent), food waste in grocery stores (58 percent) and at home (57 percent) and products free from artificial ingredients (57 percent).

When combining current issues with potential new issues, three areas emerge: 

  • which (chemicals, antibiotics, GMOs, artificial ingredients, etc.) are used to grow crops, raise animals and/or make/cook/bake snacks, food and beverages
  • buy local
  • combat all types of food waste
break rooms in warren and the detroit area

Taking these three areas back to Warren and Detroit area break rooms, employers need to be aware of which issues are most important to their employees. If snacks, cold beverages, coffee or fresh food do not meet employees’ needs, those employees will go off-site to find what they need. And that is a loss for Warren and Detroit area companies. 

Employees who visit on-site break rooms for snacks or meals are likely to be more productive and have more opportunities to have spontaneous interactions with coworkers which can lead to less stress and increased creativity. Now that sounds like a win for everyone.

American Vending excels at customizing break room menus that employees are excited about and works to ensure that menus change as employees’ preferences change. For more information about updating your current vending or micro-market break room menu or customizing a new one, contact American Vending at 248.895.2606. 

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Coffee and Blueberries are a Pair in Warren and the Detroit Area

coffee in warren and detroit area break rooms

Coffee and blueberries in the same mug aren’t usually thought of as a delicious combination enjoyed during a morning or afternoon break at work. However, in honor of National Blueberry Month, let’s explore how Warren and Detroit area employees can enjoy the flavor of blueberries with their favorite coffee or espresso-based beverage.

There are two ways to enjoy a cup of coffee with hints of blueberry. The first is to add blueberry flavoring or syrup, and the second is to enjoy a beverage made from Harrar beans.

Blueberry Flavoring can be added at one of two different stages during the coffee creation process. The first options occur immediately after the beans have been roasted. While the beans are still hot, blueberry flavoring is added as a coating to the outside of the beans to create a layer of flavor. The beans are then sold to consumers. After the beans are ground and later brewed, the blueberry flavor, which was on the outside of the beans, mixes with the ground coffee and creates a blueberry-flavored beverage.

The second way to add blueberry flavor is to purchase or prepare blueberry syrup and add it to a freshly brewed cup of Joe. With this option, Warren and Detroit area consumers can decide how little or much they want to add. If making the syrup from scratch, only three ingredients – fresh blueberries, water and sugar – and sometime are needed. 

coffee options in the warren and detroit  area

Harrar coffee beans, the other option, are from the Oromia region of Ethiopia and are one of the oldest types of bean still in production. Grown on small farms at elevations between 4600 feet and 6500 feet, the beans are dry processed, which means they are harvested and processed by hand and then dried in the sun. The result is a bold and complex coffee with notes of blueberries as well as apricots and a hint of jasmine. 

If the traditionally flavored types are preferred by your Warren and Detroit area employees, there are a lot of options available from French-vanilla and hazelnut to different roasting processes and types of beans. And that doesn’t include the all of the espresso-based beverages that can be made with those beans. Make it easier on your employees to find their favorite beverage during the workday with office coffee service (OCS).

OCS lets your Warren and Detroit area employees know that you value them. In return, energized and hydrated employees are more creative and productive. It’s a win for everyone. For more information about our OCS options, please call American Vending at (248) 895.2606. We look forward to customizing a solution that fits your organization’s specific needs.

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Snacks Meet Warren and Detroit Area Employees Where They Are

Snacks in Warren and the Detroit Area

Snacks. They’re everywhere. In fact, in 2018 Americans enjoyed almost 386 billion ready-to-eat snacks. Whether they are eaten on their own, as part of a meal, or as a meal replacement, snacks need to continue to evolve so they can meet the needs of future Warren and Detroit Area consumers. David Portalatin, NPD Group’s food industry advisor, explained it best when he said, “snack food rolls [are] is changing in different ways in reaction to Americans’ desire for balance, portable snack foods, and holistic wellness.”

Warren and Detroit Area employees are no different. They are also looking for snacks that offer balance, portability and wellness. But what do those three things mean?

Balance

The concepts of healthy and great tasting no longer exist on opposite sides of the aisle. Today’s snacks and beverages meet in the middle. It’s all about balancing enjoyable flavors, textures, and healthy ingredients with a reasonable amount of something sweet over the course of a day or week to help create a balanced diet. Manufacturers are working to meet consumers in the middle by offering thinner versions of their most popular cookies. 


Wellness

For a snack or beverage to fall into the wellness category, it must offer more than just healthy ingredients. It needs to have a purpose or be considered functional. Snack or beverage choices that are high in protein, offer weight management benefits, or include immune-boosting or pro-digestive health ingredients all fall into the functional category. Ingredients such as fiber, prebiotics, probiotics, and alternative protein sources all help a snack or beverage to perform a specific purpose.

Snacks in Warren and the Detroit Area

Portable

Single-serve, on-the-go, and functional are three attributes that Warren and Detroit Area employees look for when choosing portable snacks. With 86 percent of Americans eating a snack instead of a meal and 20 percent of Millennials eating snacks while running errands, there are a lot of people eating on-the-go. Successful snack manufacturers take that into account and create options that can be enjoyed anywhere.

Do your Warren and Detroit Area employees have access in their break room vending machine or micro-market to snacks that are balanced, wellness-focused, and portable? American Vending can make sure that those who don’t eat a traditional lunch also have a variety of choices to help meet their dietary needs. For more information or to schedule a product sampling, please call American Vending at (248) 895.2606.

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