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Regularly ‘breaking bread’ together is a great team bonder. This experiment is about mixing things up and making those weekly team meals a real occasion.
THE EXPERIMENT
1/ Theme each team meal
You could take inspiration from cultural or historical events (Chinese New Year or Elvis’s birthday?) At TCX we’re loving the weird and wonderful. Today (21st Jan) is Happy Penguin Day – what a great excuse to slap our flippers together and head down the local sushi bar!
2/ Serve Shareables
We’re bringing in dishes – or picking places – that scream, “dig in together”. Anything that gets us trying new stuff and passing plates; swapping recipes or dancing round the dumplings.
WHY TRY IT
Eating = Bonding:
- Sharing meals doesn’t just fill your belly—it builds trust and camaraderie. Research shows teams who eat together perform better and collaborate more effectively. Meals mimic family rituals, turning food into fuel for togetherness.
Culture Club:
- Themed meals ‘up’ the connectivity. Sharing food from diverse traditions, or quirky celebrations encourages curiosity and conversation – the ingredients for empathy. Inclusivity served on a platter, no side-dish of awkwardness required.
Joy = Productivity:
- Themed meals don’t just taste good—they feel good too. Research from Oxford University shows shared activities like eating together increase feelings of well-being and community, directly translating into better teamwork and productivity.
- Plus, who can resist the playful buzz of Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day or the silliness of National Hug Day? Novelty keeps the energy high, and your team engaged.
MAKE IT STICK
We’re putting team meals into our OFFICIAL schedule, taking turns to plan our weekly feast.
No more ‘meh’ with the mayonnaise: pick a theme, pass the curry (resist your inner Smithy), and connect. Turn a team meal into the tentpole for your working week!