High-quality food is an important aspect of patient satisfaction in hospitals and other healthcare settings. But it’s a factor for another important audience that dining services can’t afford to overlook: staff. Offering higher-quality foodservice choices goes far beyond being simply a recruiting and retention tool. It’s also a strategy to encourage staff and visitors to stay on campus rather than packing a lunch or visiting off-site restaurants and coffeehouses. Healthcare staffers are facing extremely stressful times right now. By offering high-quality foods, including craveable comfort foods that can be picked up quick or ordered in advance, operators can ensure staff aren’t only being nourished with great-tasting and nutritious food, but that they’re also getting a moment of comfort in their busy days through that very same food.
Successfully feeding staff in a healthcare environment requires attention to more than just the food, however. Hospitals, senior living and continuing care facilities are 24/7 operations. Employees often have limited break and meal times, so they need to make the most of each minute. They don’t have time to linger over lunch, and often they’re looking for something quick to tide them over through their shift. Some strategies can help overcome these challenges.
Get creative with speed scratch. Convenience is arguably the most important consideration for healthcare team members. But making food available around the clock doesn’t mean skimping on flavor, craveability or quality. Speed scratch—customizing recipe-ready prepared items with fresh additions—can give even a less skilled cafe staff the flexibility to offer upscale versions of popular dishes. Stouffer’s® White Cheddar Mac and Cheese, for example, can be combined with wild mushrooms, onions, garlic and scallions for a delicious upscale spin based on a simple preparation. Promoting daily specials and seasonal or holiday-themed limited-time offers on social media is another way to stir up interest.
Offer order-ahead and delivery options. Being able to save steps and time is a welcome amenity for healthcare workers, especially in very large facilities. Set up an advance ordering system a la Chipotle and Starbucks that allows staff members to prepay and collect their meals and drinks without having to wait in line. Or offer the option of having orders delivered to break rooms or other central locations in patient care settings.Stouffer’s®Chicken Pot Pie, for instance, is a perfect option for ordering ahead—it can be prepared according to when pickup time is so it’s hot and ready to go at just the right moment. Ordering ahead also helps with speeding up transactions—staff won’t have to linger around waiting for their meal to be ready. And since the meal has already been paid for ahead of time, there’s no need to deal with cards or cash, making the whole transaction more sanitary—ideal in today’s climate of dealing with a pandemic.
Don’t forget breakfast and snacks. Demand for breakfast is a growing source of revenue for many restaurants, and much of that demand is for takeout. A hospital that sells breakfast sandwiches, pastries, high-quality coffee, breakfast parfaits and other grab-and-go items can hold its own with any outside source; nursing facilities that make basic breakfast items and snacks available for staff are sure to win points. Staff and residents alike may be looking for comfort foods at breakfast now—consumers in general may be looking for things that feel comforting in an uncertain time—so it can be beneficial to offer comfort foods at breakfast as well.
Consider underwriting the cost of meals. Staff dining discounts and loyalty programs are a way to encourage repeat business for hospital dining. Many skilled nursing, senior and assisted living and other care facilities provide at least one meal a day as a standard benefit. Employees at The Boulevard Senior Living, which offers memory care, assisted living and independent living communities, can enjoy a free meal with every shift as part of their compensation package. Similarly, staff at Agemark Senior Living are entitled to chef-created meals that they can share with fellow team members and residents. It gives them something to look forward to and a way to stay engaged.
Engagement, in the end, is a compelling argument for making higher-quality meals, drinks and snacks available to staff. Engagement, according to Gallup, also leads to higher productivity—something that can benefit any workplace.
This post is sponsored by STOUFFER’S®