The Case for Eating Lunch With Your Coworkers

Lara here, Girlboss’ contributing writer! 👋

Did you know that eating lunch with your coworkers can be good for your career?

And before you roll your eyes about eating your sad desk salad with Karen from accounting, hear us out: a recent study found that employees are more likely to ask someone for a work favor if they've shared a meal with them… TLDR? That sad desk salad with Karen could be the difference in getting ahead at work.

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The Case For Eating Lunch with Your Coworkers 🥗

As tempting as it is to eat your work lunch alone in your car, a recent study from ezCater found that a whopping 60% of employees are more likely to ask someone for a work favor if they’ve shared a meal with them than someone they’ve only ever met online. 🥪

Translation? What happens in the lunchroom doesn’t stay in the lunchroom: it’s a major opportunity for relationship-building with coworkers, and those relationships can make a significant difference when it comes to asking for anything, from pulling together urgent reports to securing a glowing recommendation for that promotion you’ve been coveting.

If you’re gonna haul ass all the way into the office, there might as well be some benefits, right?! Here’s how to break the ice:

🗣️ Skip the work talk

The same report found that 74% of employees agree that being productive all the time leads to burnout, and 52% feel pressured to be "on" and responsive at all times during the workday. Considering your lunch break is unpaid time, use it as an opportunity to get to know your coworker’s lives outside of the office (it’ll make for an even better conversation starter when you’re asking for that work favor, too 😉).

🍪 Bring in something shareable

We’re taking it back to kindergarten essentials here, but sharing is caring, and 69% of workers say that socializing with coworkers during the workday makes them more productive. 🫂 Even if the coworker you’re trying to get to know didn’t pack a lunch of their own, offering a treat to share together in the breakroom can accomplish the same goal. 💪

🥙 Set yourself up for easy conversation

If you're easing into eating lunch with coworkers, it might help to bring something that doesn't require your full concentration (like, say, a big saucy bowl of pasta). It's not about changing what you eat—just a small logistical tip to help the transition feel a little less awkward. Bonus points if part of your meal is easy to share, like hummus and crackers or veggies!

POLL: Do you eat lunch with your coworkers?

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