Living that on-the-go life as a working professional means having little time dedicated to making sure that your body’s physical needs are met. Lots of hardworking professionals might even skip meals without realizing it just to meet their end-of-day goals. This isn’t sustainable at all, especially for workers working on their own schedule in coworking spaces. These spaces are great for self-employed people looking for a change in scenery and space where they can work at their own pace, but do these spaces look kindly on eating food out in the open?
Actually, there are tons of coworking spaces that offer amenities structured around food. Even though they may have kitchens and snack bars available to you and your team, you will still need to abide by the general coworking space rules set by the management to keep everyone around you content and undisturbed.
What to do and Things to Avoid
Now that we established eating isn’t a punishable offense in the working world, let’s go over general etiquette for eating at the office. Etiquette tends to be pretty standard across most office spaces and holds up in most scenarios that you’re likely to come across. They’re not set in stone by any means, but the people around you will thank you for being considerate.
Bring food that isn’t offensive
Most workers like to bring food from home when they go to work, but no one likes when their desk mate brings a bag of boiled eggs. Offensive foods, in this case, means food with a strong odor. Most food items, especially when heated up, will create some sort of smell, just try to avoid the ones that linger. This means avoiding seafood, fish, overripe fruits, eggs, curry, and some fast food, to name a few.
Clean up after yourself
No one likes a messy eater, especially one that leaves behind crumbs and spills. Many coworking spaces have microwaves and kitchens that you can use to heat up and prepare your meal, but this is more of an exception than a rule. If management sees that people aren’t taking care of the equipment, it will often be removed. A basic rule of thumb is to leave an area better than when you found it. So if you heat up a bowl of soup in the microwave, wipe up any splatter that occurs. It’s that simple.
Don’t be distracting
Hand-in-hand with smelly food, try to avoid bringing food that would be a distraction to others. This means eating politely and discreetly, so avoiding things like chips, carrots, and crunchy meals. These and more can be an unwelcome distraction in the workspace. When you can, avoid eating in the designated workspace and try to eat in the rooms and areas designated for eating. Some spaces may even have an outdoor patio where you can enjoy your meal, smelly or not.
Bon Appétit!
Whatever your eating habits are or whatever industry you work in, Work in Progress in Las Vegas is happy to give you the space you need to eat and work according to your schedule. We offer incredible amenities such as coffee, tea, water, and kitchen space complete with a fridge and microwave. So if you’re looking for a swanky place to get your work done and enjoy your lunch break, contact our team to learn how you can become a member.
