Workplace & Coffee is a pop-up mobile office and a community space that addresses certain questions related to the rise of flexible and healthy workspaces and the role of food culture in the new ways of working and networking.
We have launched Workplace & Coffee [see the case study here] during Milan Design Week 2018 at La Marzocco Temporary Cafe, the new Milanese ‘salotto’ of the renowned Italian espresso machine brand.
“I want to host a space that gathers all people, architects, company CFOs, innovators, designers, architects, human resources representatives, interior designers, workplace wellness or benefit staff, and work and food culture enthusiasts who are interested in some of the big questions around the future of workplace culture design, food, and community,” I said to my team when La Marzocco approached us to collaborate on this project.
Granted we wanted to go where people seek new trends, and what better place is there than Milan Design Week?
Workplace & Coffee at La Marzocco Temporary Cafe, April, 18-19th.
Besides being a physical office space where our team kept working on projects, at Workplace & Coffee, we provided visitors the chance to conduct a one-on-one session and test live the Workplace Food Check. The Workplace Food Check is our new tool designed to help organizations understand what their food culture looks like (update: now as a service here). Our process looks at the workspace, the type of food on offer, and the quality of interactions. Eventually, we provide suggestions on transforming it with a holistic perspective in mind.
We wrapped up the two-day pop-up office with ‘Brewing Strong Work Culture’—a conversation moderated by Veronica with Alexander Gable, the Coffee Educator at Accademia La Marzocco (update: read my interview with Alex here as part of the ongoing series Workplace Wisdom). Coffee is the second most consumed workplace drink after tea. Especially when observing rituals in workplaces in western cultures, it facilitates the creation of intangible social spaces for coworkers to take a break, refuel, and connect. We asked the guests to reflect on what coffee can inform about a workplace and its culture. And while Alexander showed how to brew a great espresso on a Linea Mini, we discussed personal and work experiences related to drinking coffee.
A new proposition for work culture
I believe that there is a big shift in the way we work. Instead of thinking of the workplace getting techier, we can—and should—focus on designing new forms of interactions for teams that support a sustainable, collaborative, and flexible work culture. That should start with what and how we eat at work. Not only this is going to be a more fun way of working but also create healthier work environments.
As the team WE Factory, we believe that food has an immense power to connect teams. At the same time, businesses have the responsibility to support small food ventures and healthy eating in general. Will you join the conversation?
STAY TUNED
For those who missed Workplace Food Check at Milan Design Week, it will soon become an online service, which allows online booking through our website. UPDATE: Visit Workplace Food Check to learn more about this service and book it online.
Want to bring Workplace & Coffee into your company?
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