According to UK charity, The Royal Voluntary Service, the humble office tea run could soon be a thing of the past. In the frantic world of the office worker, most would say that they simply haven’t the time to make a cuppa for a colleague.
To coincide with the charity’s Great Brew Break event, the research reveals that the decline of the communal cuppa is at odds with evidence that us Brits down an average of five cups of tea or coffee during the working day, with 44% managing in excess of five cups a day.
It appears that the demise of the tea run comes from the top with 40% of workers claiming their boss has never made them a cuppa.
A third of workers own up to preferring to make themselves a drink so they can get back to work as quickly as possible. Some admit to using underhand tactics to get out of tea duty with common excuses including waiting for people to be away from their desks, making bad-tasting teas and coffees to get out of being asked again and offering to make a round when someone has only just made themselves a drink.
The Great Brew Break (28 April – 4 May) is an opportunity to catch up with friends, family, colleagues or neighbours to fundraise to support lonely elderly people. The Royal Voluntary Service is challenging bosses to take the lead in the crusade to save the tea run by pledging to make tea for their colleagues in aid of the Great Brew Break. The charity will host an online roll call of all bosses who make the tea for their colleagues and as part of the campaign, and charity is writing directly to FTSE 100 bosses, appealing to them to put the kettle on to raise funds.
Research shows that putting the kettle on could benefit bosses and workers alike with 37% of respondents saying that regular communication with work colleagues is important while 41% believe that taking short breaks throughout the working day is essential for maintaining concentration.
Great Brew Break supporter, Stephen Fry commented: “A cup of tea is so collectively comforting to people in Britain, that its power can never be underestimated. For older people that don’t see anyone from one day to the next a cup of tea and a chat means everything. My tea intake has increased considerably while writing my book and I will certainly be raising a mug to Great Brew Break in April. No matter who you are, a good brew break helps keep you going.”
Royal Voluntary Service is one of the largest volunteering charities in Britain powered by more than 40,000 volunteers who regularly provide practical help to over 100,000 older people in their homes, communities, hospitals and during emergencies.
To host your own Great Brew Break visit www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/brewbreak for everything you’ll need to get for the perfect Brew Break. You can also call on 0845 608 0122.
