More than a third (35 per cent) of employees feel as though their company isn’t doing enough to improve wellbeing in the workplace.
This is according to Cracker Barrel’s the Facts on Snacks report, in which almost three quarters (74 per cent) of employees responded that get-togethers over snacks made them feel happier and more connected at work.
Despite this, only 29 per cent of employees responded that their company regularly organised Friday afternoon snacks.
The report also found that almost half (46 per cent) of Australian workers feel that reliance on emails for communication at work was impacting their ability to form meaningful relationships with colleagues, with pressures to meet business targets and lack of time to talk socially also deemed as significant barriers to connecting at work.
To counter this, Cracker Barrel is launching #Snacktivism, its movement to bring Friday snacks to Australian offices.
The Happiness Institute founder doctor Tim Sharp said the simple ritual of sharing snacks between colleagues did more than just enhance happiness at work.
“The benefits of spending time with colleagues over snacks are often overlooked,” Sharp said.
“It can drive stronger collaboration between teams and encourages employees to connect with other co-workers you might not normally engage with on a daily basis.
“The Snacktivisim campaign is a fantastic chance for employees to organise snacks for their office and for all to reap the rewards.”
For a limited time, Melbourne and Sydney employees can register at snacktivisim.com.au to receive free snack packs to share with their offices on Fridays between November 29 and December 13.