A new University of South Florida study finds that frontline workers are more motivated by free meals and social events than traditional health perks like gym memberships, leading to better service and increased sales.
Free meals and social events significantly boost the motivation and performance of frontline workers, such as cashiers and retail clerks, according to a new study by the University of South Florida.
Published in the Journal of Marketing Research, the study examined how different company-sponsored wellness benefits impact customer-facing employees. Categories included food, social, mindfulness, physical and health benefits.
The research team discovered that perks involving food and social interaction made employees feel more valued and loyal. These workers then repaid their employers with improved service quality and customer assistance, leading to increased sales.
“The recommendations for any business, small or large, is when you’re having these wellness programs, the ones that foster nourishment and connection have stronger downstream effects on customer-related positive effect,” co-author Dipayan Biswas, the USF Frank Harvey endowed professor of marketing in the Muma College of Business, said in a news release.
The research showed food had the most substantial impact, followed closely by social gatherings. Mindfulness activities, such as a meditation room, also proved beneficial.
In contrast, physical and health perks like gym memberships or flu-shot drives had the least effect on frontline worker motivation.
The findings are based on five separate studies across various settings, including a significant sales study at a European supermarket chain, where wellness benefits related to food, social interactions and mindfulness noticeably boosted annual sales.
The idea for the research emanated from the growing popularity of wellness programs, now offered by more than 90% of companies worldwide, with global spending projected to exceed $90 billion annually.
Source: University of Southern Florida