UK firms coax staff back to the office with food

London’s employers are using subsidised food to coax workers back into the office, according to the CEO of catering company Compass Group.

“There’s a lot of comfort food” alongside a focus on health and wellness, Dominic Blakemore said in an interview this week. “We still have fish and chips on Fridays, and chicken katsu curry is becoming one of the most popular items on the menus.”

Cheap meals at work can be a way for office employees to offset costs as soaring inflation and higher interest rates put a dent in their wallets.

UK mortgage costs jumped to their highest since 2008 in October, and borrowing costs are set to stay close to 5% until at least the first quarter of 2028, according to the treasury’s office for budget responsibility.

Fears about job security are also encouraging the return of workers as the economy slows. While some offices were effectively closed during the early days of the pandemic after government guidance to work from home, Blakemore said the average occupancy in the office for Compass’s clients is now above three days. It was about four days before the pandemic.

Recent research by LinkedIn found that remote working may have peaked in the UK, while some companies are already curtailing flexible work for existing employees.

“Every month we’re seeing it tick up,” Blakemore said of office attendance. “I suspect in a difficult economic environment, we may see a bit more presenteeism.”