Lounge break

 

 Lounge break 

By Kumar Anshuman

Story Dated: Monday, September 10, 2012 10:47 hrs IST 

 It's lunchtime at Google's Gurgaon office. A lavish buffet has been arranged in the sprawling cafeteria. On one side is Chinese, on the other Italian. There is an array of other food as well, from Andhra-style mutton to Punjabi rajma. The menu and the food easily match those of any five-star hotel.
Welcome to the new-age ‘canteens'. Gone are the days when an office cafeteria was a place to eat the food you brought from home or the subsidised thali provided by your employer. They now reflect the identity and work culture of an organisation. In fact, the human resources departments of many companies have special strategies for cafeterias.

“The cafeteria at our office was not just thought about as a place where employees could have their meals,” says Manoj Garg, head of HR (consumer business and central functions), Bharti Airtel. “It was planned as a place where employees could bond together in their free time, have informal meetings, brainstorm, or have a chit-chat over coffee.” Airtel took special care in designing the cafeteria while building its office in Gurgaon. Ace architect Hafeez Contractor designed the building as well as the cafeteria. The sprawling space is surrounded by glass facades, letting natural light pour in.
“The cafeteria should be a place where the employees feel detached from their work,” says Sharad Goyal, human resource head of Google India. “If you make the workplace convenient, you can expect the best out of people. Here, cafeteria plays a vital role.” A mix of colours makes the cafeteria in Google's Gurgaon office vibrant. Even the chairs and tables are designed to match the ambience.
British banking giant Standard Chartered's India headquarters in Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai has a 400-seater cafeteria. In compliance with the group's global standards, its capacity is in the ratio of one seat per five employees. The cafeteria design is inspired by the Liverpool Football Club, of which Standard Chartered is a sponsor. “This not only complements our sponsorship of Liverpool Football Club but also resonates with our staff, many of whom are passionate about football,” says a Standard Chartered spokesperson.
mjunction, a joint venture between Steel Authority of India Ltd and Tata Group, has a city theme cafeteria in its Kolkata office. The walls of the café are painted by a graffiti artist from Mumbai. “Being an outsourcing company, we have people working in different shifts. The objective of the cafeteria is to provide them a non-office environment,” says Viresh Oberoi, chief executive officer and managing director of mjunction.
Food gets as much attention as the ambience in these cafes. “At Airtel, we champion diversity by both bringing together and serving people from various geographies,” says Garg. “Our cafeteria culture, too, is reflective of our belief in inclusivity and diversity.” It is visible at the food counters—there's something for everyone, from south Indian to continental. While soups, salads, pickles and desserts are staple, there are dedicated days every week for special street food. Seasonal specials are also included in the menu.
At Google's office in Gurgaon, juices, carbonated drinks and coconut water are available 24x7. For the health conscious, calorie content per 100 gram of the food is mentioned at the counter. mjunction has a food committee which decides the weekly menu and circulates it on the internal network. “A regular audit of the food is done to check the quality and healthiness,” says Oberoi.
Havells India, which makes lights and electrical appliances, does not emphasise much on the ambience but gives great food to its employees. “This is something Havells has always been proud of,” says Rajesh Gupta, group chief financial officer and director of finance. There is only one buffet counter at Havells' Noida office, which serves “homely food”. The employees are discouraged to bring food from home. “If someone has been advised to have something, he is free to do so, but otherwise we all have lunch here,” says Gupta.
The company runs the cafeteria on its own. There is a catering team which takes care of purchase, and quality of every item used is ensured. “We don't outsource anything,” says Gupta. There are three different rates for the employees of different levels. 110 for the lower level, 125 for mid-level executives and 160 for managers. “From security guard to the top management, everybody has lunch in the cafeteria,” says Gupta.
Today's jobs demand extended working hours, and employees often spend more time at workplaces than at homes. “It becomes very important for them to enjoy the work and the workplace,” says Goyal. “Cafeteria helps them in unwinding and having fun in the office.” Moreover, an office cafeteria is a bridge that connects employees with the company's culture.