Top trends in employee engagement

By: Jackie Thompson

• Published April 16, 2026

Workplace perks have entered a new era of accountability, where they’re expected to deliver real, measurable impact. For HR leaders, that means finding perks that help boost onsite attendance, rebuild connections across hybrid teams and strengthen culture while budgets face increasing scrutiny. That kind of pressure raises a practical question: Which perks actually influence behavior and performance?

ezCater research points to one clear answer: food. In a recent survey, 44% of employees surveyed by ezCater named free food as the perk they want most, yet only 19% report their employer currently offers it. And when it is offered, the impact is hard to ignore: 37% of workplace leaders say free or subsidized meals deliver some of the strongest ROI of any benefit, while 29% describe food as a low-cost perk with high return value.

That rare alignment — something employees genuinely want and leaders can defend in a tight budget — is promoting more organizations to rethink food’s role in the workplace. Instead of treating meals as occasional perks, many HR teams are beginning to view them as a strategic part of the employee experience.

What today’s employees really value in perks

If the past few years have taught HR leaders anything, it’s that return-to-office plans and onsite participation rarely succeed on policy alone. Employees need a tangible reason to show up — something that makes the commute worthwhile. And more than any policy or mandate, food is what gets people in the door.

According to ezCater research, 75% of hybrid employees say they would work onsite more often if lunch were provided. When asked to name the one perk that would encourage them to come in more often, employees most often selected food ahead of education benefits, commuter stipends and even additional vacation time.

The value is especially high for younger employees. Among remote or hybrid Gen Z workers, 28% say food would be the single biggest reason to come in more frequently. For HR leaders trying to “earn the commute,” the message is simple: food changes employee behavior, not just moods.

How food impacts productivity and performance

Getting employees back into the workplace is only half the equation — helping them do their best work once they’re there is just as critical.  

Lunch breaks, in particular, are closely tied to how employees function throughout the day, with 94% of workers saying a lunch break improves their performance and 85% reporting stronger afternoon productivity after eating.

The benefits extend beyond output, too. Employees report feeling happier, less burned out and more creative after stepping away to eat. But when employees push through the day hungry, the opposite effect can take hold — the productivity-killing combination known as “hanger.” The majority of employees (88%) say feeling hangry at work negatively impacts their performance, leading to:

• 43% longer task completion times
• 39% more mistakes
• 31% lower-quality work

For HR leaders focused on productivity, quality and burnout risk, these aren’t soft metrics. They’re direct inputs into performance.

Turning workplace meals into a strategic benefit

If food consistently influences attendance and performance, it can’t be treated like an occasional pizza party. Like any effective HR initiative, workplace meal programs work best when they’re intentional, inclusive and measurable. Here’s how to do just that.

1. Make food part of key in-person moments

At a time when 60% of employees see the office as a place for collaboration and connection, food helps bring people together. Reinforce that sense of connection by offering meals during the moments that naturally gather teams, such as

• Collaboration days
• Onboarding groups
• Trainings and all-hands
• Manager-led team meetings

When food consistently shows up in these in-person moments, it reinforces that coming into the workplace is worth the trip.

2. Design for equity

A meal program that only works for some employees can quickly undermine trust and morale. To support culture, food has to feel fair and accessible across roles, locations and preferences. That means building equity into the program from the start:

• Account for all dietary and cultural needs
• Rotate cuisines so options continue to feel fresh
• Extend access beyond headquarters through meal stipends or coordinated remote options
• Consider different schedules and shifts so frontline and non-traditional hours aren’t left out

3. Measure what matters

Treat meals like a strategic program, not just a perk, by tracking the signals that show whether they’re working:

• Usage: Who’s participating, how often and in which locations
• Attendance: Differences in in-office headcount on food days versus non-food days
• Culture: Employee sentiment around connection, belonging and the overall workplace experience

Rethinking food in the modern workplace

Employees are clear about what they value: practical perks that support their daily workflow, help them feel connected,and make office days worth the commute. ezCater data shows that food does all three. As you calculate which benefits truly “move the needle,” consider treating meals less like a nice-to-have and more like a core part of the workplace experience.