We all know that the pandemic has fundamentally changed the work force and how we do business. Many employees are hesitant to return to the office, and CEOS either mandating or trying to entice staff back to their desks has been met with resistance – especially with younger workers now being more mobile and moving away from urban centers.

In the face of these challenges, companies need to find innovative new ways to engage employees in a post-pandemic world, and the answer may be simpler than you think.

Engage Your Employees with their Daily Coffee

It’s no secret that many workers rely on that morning cup of coffee to start their day off right. Coffee equals happiness, boosts productivity, and provides that jolt of motivation we all need. What if you could engage your employees through the simple act of thoughtfully selecting the coffee you keep stocked in the break room?

As businesses look for ways to meet their corporate social responsibility goals, there are plenty of options to support vendors whose values align with your company’s. Using coffee as a tool to demonstrate what you stand for is one small but tangible way to remind employees of your shared values every single day.

Here are just a couple of companies that are serving up coffee for a cause:

BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages

If race equity and DEI is a priority for your company, check out the offerings from BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages. Co-founders Pernell and Rod established the business with the goal of uniting coffee and tea lovers through the common goal of investing in community and youth. The co-founders believe that children are the future and should be equipped with resources to manifest their potential.

With that philosophy, BLK & Bold pledges a portion of its proceeds to nonprofit organizations across America that give children the confidence, exposure, and guidance for them to be the best version of themselves. The company is 100% Black-owned.

BLK & Bold offers a variety of coffees in light to dark roasts and Keurig K-Cup pods.

&BACK Coffee

With International Women’s Day being such an important day in the calendar, if your workforce cares about empowering women around the world, &BACK has the perfect coffee for you. &BACK Coffee is a premium Fairtrade coffee made from 100% Arabica beans. The beans are sourced from hand-selected co-ops in East Africa and Latin America committed to providing support and creating opportunities for women farmers.

&BACK works with women coffee farmers to ensure they have the tools they need to earn a sustainable income for their skilled work. They also work to promote biodiversity and secure the future of coffee farming through environmental initiatives. In Nicaragua, women receive agricultural training through &BACK’s partnership with Fairtrade, while in Ecuador and Kenya, they work with partners on initiatives that train farmers to run thriving businesses. &BACK provides on going content for your social channels and employee engagement opportunities. &BACK works in partnership with Van Houtte Coffee Services, which is a part of Keurig in Canada, which, together, is making a clear commitment to social responsibility and the empowerment of women coffee producers.

The &BACK website makes it easy to get started – fill in a quick questionnaire to determine the best option for your office’s coffee needs, take advantage of their free trial, and feel good about empowering women with every sip.

Reinforce Your Company Values in a Tangible Way

The bottom line is that the coffee you serve in your office can be a valuable tool to inspire your employees and demonstrate your company’s values in a simple but meaningful way. There are even opportunities to take things a step further and create content that your employees can engage with, such as sharing stories around the impact being created through their daily cup of coffee. The possibilities are endless!