Really, I don’t think I could write a series of posts about unsung heroes of the office environment without mentioning one of the most important. Forget conference call software, printers/photocopiers, telephones, and any of those other big, impressive, and expensive office essentials; the unsung hero I am going to be speaking about in this post is a good old cup of tea.
You start the day with one (unless you are a coffee fan, coffee is also great before anyone starts arguing), you have one with some biscuits at break time and during the day you may well down at least 4 or 5 cups of the stuff. Tea is definitely an unsung hero. I have worked in offices where the staff didn’t have a kettle close by and compared to the places I have worked where there was access to a kettle – the difference between the two sets of employees was staggering.
We all have a cup of tea that’s fine-tuned to our own specific taste, but it works the same way for everyone. It keeps us going, especially when things get a bit hectic and we have major deadlines to meet or are planning that make or break a presentation. Having a kettle and a teapot in your office also provides times and opportunities for the staff to converse with each other, getting to know each other better. I always enjoy the fact that within an office you either have one or two people that make all the drinks for everyone, or you all take turns.
Another reason I love cups of tea during my working day is the fact that it gives me a good excuse to have a biscuit or 3 while I tap away at the keyboard. It may not be the healthiest way to snack, but it sure is a tasty way!