Nestlé Coffee Partners launches productivity podcast to help maximise workplace potential

Nestlé Coffee Partners has shared research* revealing that 7 out of 10 employees feel more productive and have better work ideas after a cup of coffee. More than a third of respondents (39%) came back and cracked a problem, 12% won a contract or new piece of work, and 17% spotted new business ideas.

The research is unveiled as the UK workforce return to their offices and Nestlé Coffee Partners has launched ‘Smart Coffee Break – The Productivity Podcast’, that talks about how we work, what makes us productive, and how we can better concentrate, collaborate and communicate.

With each podcast episode featuring a different world-leading academic or business expert, Smart Coffee Break aims to help access and release untapped potential, through providing advice and insight on productivity.

According to the research, 77% of consumers said they come up with better ideas when they brainstorm and work with colleagues, rather than on their own. And nearly a third (30%) said that access to refreshments, like coffee or tea, made internal work meetings with colleagues more productive. This echoes the findings from Nestlé Professional’s recent ‘Thinking Smart About Productivity’ research, which showed that hot drinks can encourage more productive teamwork. And collaborations over coffee, or in a more casual ‘café’ area, could help drive productivity.

Smart Coffee Break is a six-part series, with each 15-minute episode coming with an accompanying article, that will bring to life four key behavioural needs that can support optimising productivity through Individual Flow & Focus; Optimised Teamwork; Team-to-Team & in-team Collaboration; and Planned & Unplanned interaction. These episodes are sandwiched between Intro to Productivity and Summing up the Series episodes. The resulting series will provide a potent brew, giving guidance on creating workspaces that not only stimulate innovation; but could also help boost productivity and collaboration.

David Basson, Head of Beverages at Nestlé Professional said: “We’re excited to welcome such an eminent line-up of speakers. And we’ve designed each episode to provide actionable insight and ideas – some of which could be incorporated straight away.

“Now we’re moving back into the workplace, teams will be seeking opportunities to reconnect with their co-workers. Providing spaces that revive these connections and drive collaboration will not only help to boost morale; it could spark new ideas. These workplaces could be the real winners in the long-term, supporting teams to ‘build back better’ with increased momentum and energy.”

Delivered in collaboration with world-class business leaders, academics and influencers, the podcast is split into six episodes covering:

· Intro to Productivity: Despina Katsikakis, Global Lead at Total Workplace, Cushman & Wakefield. Involved in landmark studies of workplace productivity, Despina has been leading the implementation of transformative business environments for the last 35 years. She’ll be talking about the history of productivity, its changing parameters and what needs to happen today with the post-pandemic return to the office.

· Individual Flow & Focus: Dr Fiona Kerr, Founder & CEO, the NeuroTech Institute. With more than 30 years studying the science and power of human connectivity, Fiona advises companies – from technologists, to governments, to Cirque du Soleil – on maximising human and technological capacity to achieve desired outcomes. She’ll be explaining how individual flow and concentration can be supported in the hybrid world of work through changes in office design and workplace protocols.

· Optimised Teamwork: Patrick Marsh and Simon French – both Directors at Glaxo SmithKline’s Worldwide Real Estate business units. Patrick specialises in designing neurodivergent and human-centric workplaces, and the role of buildings for enhancing health, performance and experience. And Simon has been instrumental in the evolution of GSK’s workplace with his focus on user-centric design and the frictionless workplace.

· Team-to-team & in-team Collaboration: Primo Orpilla, Principal at San Francisco design firm, Studio O+A. Responsible for groundbreaking offices for high profile clients including Facebook, Microsoft, Uber and Slack, Primo has been highly influential, creating authentic spaces reflecting the values, history and aspirations of the people within. He’ll be sharing his experiences designing for large team interaction in Silicon Valley.

· Planned & Unplanned Interaction: Kristi Woolsey, Associate Director at Boston Consulting Group, New York. After researching the influence of physical space on behaviour, Kristi left academia to launch a successful business advising organisations on workplace architecture. Going on to specialise in the merging of digital and physical space, Kristi has supported BCG’s digital and agile transformation work with some of the world’s biggest companies. She’ll be explaining how higher-value social interactions, including unplanned encounters, help to shape patterns of productivity.

· Summing up the Series: Bruce Daisley, Ex-Twitter VP – widely regarded as one of the most respected thought leaders on workplace culture and the future of work. His book, The Joy of Work, was the Sunday Times number one business bestseller in 2019. He was nominated “Fantasy Hire” in 2020 by a prestigious survey of CEOs and MDs – his fourth time winning this accolade.

To listen to the Smart Coffee Break podcast, go to: https://www.nestleprofessional.co.uk/the-origins-of-work-productivity-Despina-Katsikakis

*A survey of 1,000 UK consumers, conducted by 3Gem, September 2021

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