Not all employee benefits carry the same weight. Some sound great in a job offer but hardly get used, while others, far simpler, are felt every day and build a real bond. The difference isn’t the budget, but choosing the ones that genuinely improve the team’s life.

In this guide you’ll see what makes a benefit work, examples organized by type, how to choose the right ones for your company, and why small everyday details tend to pay off more than big promises.

In short

• A good benefit gets used, is felt day to day, and signals that the company cares about its people.
• Benefits influence talent attraction and retention, climate, and engagement.
• They fall into health and wellbeing, work-life balance, development, financial, and atmosphere.
• Non-monetary rewards (everything that adds value beyond pay) are increasingly decisive.
• Big budgets aren’t required: consistency matters more than spectacle.

What makes an employee benefit work?

A benefit makes a difference when it meets three conditions: the team actually uses it, it’s felt day to day, and it sends a clear message that the company cares about its people. Insurance no one understands, or fruit that shows up once and never returns, meets none of the three. A small but consistent detail does. So before adding benefits, it’s worth asking whether they fit what the team actually needs, which ties in with our guide to employee wellbeing.

Why employee benefits matter

Benefits have gone from a nice extra to a deciding factor. They influence several fronts that matter to the company:

• Talent attraction: they’re part of the value proposition and the employer brand.
• Retention: people stay where they feel cared for, which lowers turnover.
• Engagement and climate: a team that feels valued gets more involved.
• Health and fewer absences: health benefits help reduce absenteeism.

Types of employee benefits, with examples

These are the main groups, with concrete examples you can combine based on your team.

Health and wellbeing

Among the most valued, because they hit daily life directly: health insurance, psychological support, gym or physical activity, and healthy habits at the office like having fresh fruit for offices available to the team. Nutrition is a simple, highly visible lever, as we cover in healthy eating at work.

Work-life balance and time

Increasingly decisive: flexible hours, remote work, shorter summer schedules, or extra days off. They help balance work and personal life, one of the factors that weighs most today.

Professional development

Training, career plans, mentoring, or a budget for courses. They signal that the company invests in people’s future, not just their present.

Financial

Flexible compensation (meal, transit, or childcare benefits), bonuses, or specific allowances. Done well, they improve real purchasing power without sending the company’s costs soaring.

Atmosphere and everyday details

A good workspace, quality coffee, team celebrations, or healthy snacks on hand. They seem minor, but they’re the ones most lived day to day and the ones that create a sense of being cared for.

Non-monetary rewards: beyond pay

Non-monetary rewards are everything that adds value to the experience of working at a company beyond the paycheck: recognition, a good atmosphere, flexibility, purpose, and details that make the day better. They don’t replace fair pay, but they make the difference when two offers look alike. And the interesting part is that much of it is built with low-cost gestures and plenty of consistency.

Benefits that look good vs. benefits that are lived

Area	Sounds good but rarely used	Felt every day
Health	Benefits no one understands or uses	Fresh fruit and healthy habits on hand
Time	Rigid policies with fine print	Real flexibility and remote work
Recognition	One annual award and little else	Ongoing feedback and recognition
Atmosphere	Occasional big events	Everyday details and a good climate

How to choose the right benefits for your team

It’s not about piling up benefits, but about getting them right. These steps help:

• Ask your team: a short survey keeps you from investing in what no one values.
• Prioritize what’s used daily: a few well-used benefits beat many forgotten ones.
• Aim for consistency, not splashy gestures: a sustained detail beats one big one-off.
• Measure and adjust: track what’s used and its impact on climate and retention.

As an external reference, the WHO underscores the importance of caring for mental health at work, and the U.S. CDC offers Workplace Health Promotion resources with good practices to guide health benefits.

Fruit at the office, a small benefit with a big impact

Among health benefits, having fruit in the office is one of the best at meeting all three conditions: it gets used (everyone snacks on something), it’s felt (every day), and it signals care. It also helps the team get closer to the five daily servings of fruit and vegetables the WHO recommends in its fact sheet on healthy diet. An office fruit service, with seasonal office fruit delivery, turns a good intention into an effortless habit.

Frutality tip

Frequently asked questions

What are employee benefits?

They’re the perks a company offers its team beyond base pay: health, work-life balance, development, financial perks, and everyday details. They aim to improve the experience of working and to care for people.

What are the most valued employee benefits?

Flexibility and remote work, health and wellbeing benefits, professional development, and everyday details like healthy habits at the office tend to stand out. What’s most valued is what gets used daily.

What are non-monetary rewards?

They’re everything that adds value to the work experience beyond pay: recognition, a good atmosphere, flexibility, purpose, and small details. They don’t replace fair pay, but they’re increasingly decisive for retaining talent.

Can you offer good benefits without a big budget?

Yes. Many of the benefits that are felt most are low-cost: flexibility, recognition, a good atmosphere, or fresh fruit on hand. The key is consistency, not spending.

Why is fruit at the office a good benefit?

Because it gets used, it’s felt every day, and it signals care. It also encourages healthy habits and can help reduce absenteeism, with very little hassle for the company.

The cost of absenteeism is almost always higher than it looks. On top of the obvious bill for hours not worked come other, less visible costs (coverage, lost productivity, strain on the team) that rarely get counted. Knowing the real cost is the first step to justifying any investment in prevention.

In this guide you’ll see how much absenteeism costs, what direct and indirect costs it includes, how to calculate it at your company step by step with an example, and how to reduce it by acting on the causes.

In short

• The cost of absenteeism goes well beyond the wages of hours not worked.
• It includes direct costs (wages) and indirect ones (coverage, productivity, climate).
• In the U.S., productivity losses from absenteeism cost employers around $225.8 billion a year.
• It’s calculated from the absenteeism rate, translating lost hours into money.
• Prevention, by caring for health and wellbeing, is far cheaper than absorbing the cost of absences.

How much does absenteeism cost?

Absenteeism carries a heavy price tag. In the U.S., the CDC reports that productivity losses linked to absenteeism cost employers around $225.8 billion a year, or about $1,685 per employee. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average absence rate for U.S. workers hovers around 3% of scheduled work time.

Furthermore, those national figures are useful as context, but what really matters to each company is its own cost. And to calculate it, you have to look beyond the obvious.

The costs of absenteeism: direct and indirect

Analyzing the cost of absenteeism requires looking at both sides, as the visible impact is merely the tip of the iceberg.

Direct costs

These are the easiest to identify: the wages (and related payroll costs) for the hours not worked, and the share of benefits the company covers during leave. It’s the figure almost everyone has in mind when they talk about absenteeism.

Indirect costs (the ones you don’t see)

Here’s where most of the real cost sits, and it usually goes uncounted:

• Coverage: hiring temporary staff or paying overtime to cover the absence.
• Lost productivity: work that doesn’t get done or gets done more slowly.
• Strain on the team: everyone else takes on more, with a risk of burnout.
• Hidden costs: more mistakes, a worse climate, and, over time, more turnover.

How to calculate the cost of absenteeism at your company

Calculating the cost of absenteeism is simpler than it looks if you do it step by step.

Step 1: calculate the absenteeism rate

The formula relates lost hours to scheduled ones:

Absenteeism rate (%) = (hours not worked ÷ scheduled hours) × 100

Step 2: translate lost hours into money

Multiply the hours not worked by the average cost of each work hour (wages plus related costs). To that figure, which is the direct cost, it’s worth adding an estimate of the indirect costs.

Direct cost ≈ hours not worked × average cost per hour

Practical example

Let’s look at an illustrative example. Imagine a company of 50 people, with an annual schedule of about 1,900 hours per person: 95,000 scheduled hours a year in total. With an absenteeism rate of 3%, about 2,850 hours would be lost. If we assume an average cost of $30 per hour, the direct cost would be around $85,500 a year, before even counting indirect costs. The real figure, adding coverage and lost productivity, would be considerably higher. This calculation makes it clear why prevention pays off.

How to reduce the cost of absenteeism

The most effective way to reduce the cost isn’t to control absences more, but to prevent their causes. And a large share of those causes are tied to health and wellbeing, so making the healthy choice easy is one of the most cost-efficient investments.

Measures like caring for ergonomics, encouraging breaks, investing in employee wellbeing, or supporting good nutrition reduce health-related sick days. Something as simple as having fresh fruit for offices available to the team brings people closer to healthier habits and is part of that prevention. We develop this in the role of nutrition and wellbeing in absenteeism. The key is consistency: it’s the small, sustained gestures, not the one-off actions, that truly prevent.

The costs of absenteeism, at a glance

Type of cost	What it includes
Wages for hours not worked	Wages and payroll costs for the hours of absence
Coverage	Temporary staff and overtime to cover
Lost productivity	Work that doesn’t get done or gets done more slowly
Strain on the team	More load on everyone else and a risk of burnout
Hidden costs	Mistakes, a worse climate, and more turnover

Prevention is the best investment

When you weigh the cost of absences against the cost of preventing them, prevention almost always wins. Investing in health and wellbeing isn’t an expense but a way to reduce a bill many companies never even calculate. For guidance, the U.S. CDC offers Workplace Health Promotion resources with good practices for promoting health at work.

Frutality tip

Frequently asked questions

How much does absenteeism cost a company?

It depends on its size and its rate, but in the U.S. productivity losses from absenteeism cost employers around $225.8 billion a year in total, or about $1,685 per employee. At each company, the real cost includes the wages of the hours lost plus the indirect costs.

How is the cost of absenteeism calculated?

First you calculate the absenteeism rate (hours not worked divided by scheduled hours, times one hundred). Then you multiply the lost hours by the average cost of a work hour and add the indirect costs.

What’s the difference between the direct and indirect cost of absenteeism?

The direct cost is the wages and payroll costs for the hours not worked. The indirect cost includes coverage, lost productivity, strain on the team, and other hidden costs, and it’s usually larger than the direct one.

What is the absenteeism rate in the U.S.?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average absence rate for U.S. workers is around 3% of scheduled work time.

How can the cost of absenteeism be reduced?

By preventing its causes: caring for the team’s health and wellbeing, improving the climate and working conditions, and measuring to act on what really drives the absences.

When companies look for ways to reduce absenteeism, attention usually turns to control policies. But there’s a quieter, highly effective lever: the team’s nutrition and wellbeing. A large share of absences are tied to health, and health is largely shaped by everyday habits.

In this guide you’ll see the relationship between nutrition, wellbeing, and absenteeism, how they affect sick days and performance, and what the company can do to prevent it starting with the simplest steps.

In short

• Much of absenteeism is tied to health, and health depends heavily on daily habits.
• Good nutrition and hydration reduce illness and energy crashes that end in absences.
• Overall wellbeing, including mental health, is a major driver of absenteeism.
• The WHO recommends at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables a day to prevent disease.
• Making healthy options easy at the office is pure prevention, and cheaper than covering sick days.

What’s the relationship between nutrition, wellbeing, and absenteeism?

Absenteeism doesn’t come out of nowhere: behind it there are usually physical or mental health problems, accumulated fatigue, or low motivation. And those factors are strongly shaped by habits and by the work environment. Caring for nutrition and wellbeing acts on the root of the problem, not the symptom. That’s why it’s one of the most effective (and most cost-efficient) measures to prevent absences, as we cover in our guide on absenteeism and how to reduce it.

How nutrition affects absenteeism

Nutrition has a direct impact on health and, therefore, on sick days. A balanced diet strengthens the immune system, helps maintain a healthy weight, and prevents chronic diseases, which are a major cause of long-term absenteeism.

Nutrition, physical health, and sick days

The WHO recommends eating at least 400 grams (about five portions) of fruit and vegetables a day, because insufficient intake is a risk factor for noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease or certain cancers. You can explore its recommendations in the WHO fact sheet on healthy diet. Making fresh fruit easy to reach at the office is a simple way to bring the team closer to that recommendation.

Nutrition, energy, and focus

Beyond sick days, nutrition shapes the day-to-day. Skipping meals, overdoing sugar, or reaching for ultra-processed foods causes energy swings and poor concentration, a form of presenteeism (being at your desk without performing) that also takes a toll. Healthy eating at work and good hydration help keep energy steady throughout the day.

How overall wellbeing affects absenteeism

Wellbeing goes beyond food. People’s physical, mental, and emotional state largely determines how much they miss work.

Mental health and absenteeism

Mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, are among the leading causes of sick leave. Caring for workload, respecting downtime, and preventing mental fatigue is key to reducing these absences. The WHO offers useful guidance in its fact sheet on mental health at work.

Climate, motivation, and absences

People miss work less where they feel good and valued. A good climate, recognition, and a culture that cares for people reduce unjustified absenteeism. All of this is part of a broader employee wellbeing strategy.

What the company can do: nutrition and wellbeing as prevention

The good news is that many of these levers are within the company’s reach, and don’t require big budgets. It’s about making the healthy option the easy one.

Make healthy options easy

Having fresh fruit and healthy snacks on hand makes the healthy choice also the most convenient one. It’s a small gesture with a double effect: it cares for the team’s health and shows that the company looks after its people.

Promote habits and a healthy culture

Encouraging breaks, movement, hydration, and a good atmosphere creates a culture where taking care of yourself is the norm. That culture is one of the best defenses against absenteeism, and it also helps improve team productivity.

Habits that raise and that reduce absenteeism

Area	What adds absences	What reduces them
Nutrition	Ultra-processed foods and skipping meals	Balanced diet, fruit and vegetables daily
Hydration	Drinking too little during the day	Water and high-water fruit
Energy	Sugar spikes and too much coffee	Steady energy with healthy snacks
Mental health	Sustained stress and no disconnection	Realistic workloads, downtime, and support
Environment	Neglected space and poor climate	Healthy environment and good atmosphere

Prevention is cheaper than a cure

Every sick day has a direct cost and an indirect one: covering the absence, lost productivity, and the added strain on the rest of the team. Investing in nutrition and wellbeing is prevention, and prevention is almost always far cheaper than managing absences once they appear. For guidance, the U.S. CDC offers Workplace Health Promotion resources with good practices for promoting health at work.

Frutality tip

Frequently asked questions

How does nutrition affect absenteeism?

Good nutrition strengthens health and prevents illnesses that cause sick days, and it keeps energy and focus steady during the workday. Poor nutrition raises the risk of illness and dips in performance.

Can fruit at the office help reduce absenteeism?

On its own it isn’t a magic fix, but making fresh fruit available is a simple prevention measure: it brings the team closer to healthier eating and is part of a culture of care that does reduce absences.

What’s the relationship between wellbeing and absenteeism?

Physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing largely determines how much a person misses work. Caring for mental health, climate, and conditions reduces both sick days and unjustified absences.

How much fruit and vegetables does the WHO recommend per day?

The WHO recommends eating at least 400 grams, about five portions, of fruit and vegetables a day to reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases and ensure enough dietary fiber.

What can the company do to reduce absenteeism with healthy habits?

Make healthy options like fresh fruit available, promote hydration, breaks, and movement, care for mental health, and build a good climate. Making the healthy choice easy is the best prevention.

Employee wellbeing is no longer a “nice-to-have”—it has become a strategic business lever. A team that feels cared for performs better, takes fewer sick days, and stays longer. That’s why more and more HR departments put it at the center of their strategy, rather than treating it as a one-off action.

This complete guide is written for Human Resources leaders who want to understand what employee wellbeing is, what its dimensions are, how to design a plan step by step, and how to measure its impact. With practical examples you can apply right away.

In short

• Employee wellbeing is the physical, mental, and social state of people in their work environment; it goes beyond the absence of illness.
• It pays off for the company: it improves productivity, reduces absenteeism, and helps retain talent.
• It’s organized into several dimensions (physical, mental, social, professional, and financial) that should be cared for together.
• An effective employee wellbeing plan starts with a diagnosis, defines actions by dimension, and is measured with indicators.
• It’s not about big budgets, but about consistency in the everyday details.
• HR leads, but wellbeing depends on the whole organization, starting with managers.

What is employee wellbeing?

Employee wellbeing is the set of physical, mental, and social conditions that allow a person to feel good and thrive in their work environment. It isn’t limited to the absence of illness or risks: it includes feeling energized, motivated, valued, and able to balance work with personal life.

This broad view aligns with leading organizations. The World Health Organization understands mental health as a state of wellbeing that lets people cope with stress, develop their abilities, and work productively—something you can explore further in its fact sheet on mental health at work. In other words, employee wellbeing is as much about health as it is about performance.

Why is employee wellbeing important for the company?

Caring for your team’s wellbeing has a tangible return, not just a human one. The cost of not doing so is enormous: according to the International Labour Organization, some 12 billion working days are lost each year to depression and anxiety. These are the main benefits of getting it right:

• More productivity: a team with energy and focus performs better. We develop this in our guide on how to improve your team’s productivity at the office.
• Less absenteeism: healthier habits and environments reduce sick days. We look at it in our article on workplace absenteeism.
• Talent retention: people stay where they feel cared for, which lowers costly turnover.
• Employer brand: wellbeing is now a key argument for attracting talent and for the company’s reputation.
• Better climate and engagement: a good atmosphere translates into more committed teams.

The dimensions of employee wellbeing

One of the most common mistakes is reducing wellbeing to a single aspect (for example, the physical one). In reality, employee wellbeing is multidimensional, and each dimension needs attention. Mental health is one of the most important: the WHO estimates that 15% of working-age adults live with a mental disorder. Here’s a practical way to organize the dimensions:

Dimension	What it includes	Example actions
Physical	Health, ergonomics, nutrition, and rest	Ergonomic workstations, fresh fruit, active breaks
Mental and emotional	Stress management, mental health, and workload	Digital disconnection, psychological support, realistic workloads
Social	Relationships, belonging, and recognition	Team activities, a culture of recognition
Professional	Development, autonomy, and purpose	Training, career plans, ongoing feedback
Financial	Stability and perceived compensation	Fair pay, benefits, non-monetary rewards

How to improve employee wellbeing: build a plan step by step

An employee wellbeing plan doesn’t have to be complex. The key is that it’s consistent and sustained over time, not a bunch of scattered actions. Here’s a five-step roadmap:

1. Run a diagnosis

Before acting, listen. A climate survey, interviews, or focus groups will tell you how the team really is and which dimensions need the most attention. It’s also the baseline for measuring later.

2. Define goals and priorities

You can’t tackle everything at once. Choose the priority dimensions based on your diagnosis and set concrete, measurable goals (for example, reducing absenteeism or improving your climate score).

3. Design actions by dimension

Turn goals into concrete initiatives for each dimension (you’ll see them in the next section). Combining several dimensions at once multiplies the effect.

4. Communicate and involve managers

A wellbeing plan only works if it’s known and if the culture supports it. Middle managers are key: their example and the way they manage make the difference. If you’re looking for a reference framework, the U.S. CDC offers Workplace Health Promotion resources with good practices.

5. Measure and adjust

Regularly review the indicators and the team’s feedback, and adjust the plan based on what works. Wellbeing is a living process, not a project with an end date.

Concrete employee wellbeing actions

Here are applicable ideas, organized by dimension, many of them low-cost:

• Physical wellbeing: ergonomic workstations, active breaks, healthy eating with fresh fruit on hand, and good hydration.
• Mental wellbeing: respecting downtime, realistic workloads, and preventing mental fatigue; plus psychological support where possible.
• Social wellbeing: team activities, spaces to connect, and a culture of genuine recognition.
• Professional wellbeing: training, autonomy, feedback, and development plans.
• Financial wellbeing: fair compensation, benefits, and non-monetary rewards. Also discover which employee benefits truly make a difference.

How to measure employee wellbeing

What isn’t measured can’t be improved. These are the most useful indicators to track wellbeing over time:

• Absenteeism rate: sick days and absences tend to drop as wellbeing improves.
• Turnover: fewer voluntary departures indicate greater satisfaction.
• Climate surveys and eNPS: they directly measure how the team feels and whether they’d recommend the company.
• Participation: how many people sign up for wellbeing initiatives.

HR’s role (and one mistake to avoid)

HR leads the strategy, but employee wellbeing is the whole organization’s job. The most common mistake is treating it as a series of one-off, disconnected actions: fruit one day, a talk another. Everyday details (including fresh fruit at the office) add up enormously, but only when they’re part of a coherent, sustained strategy that cares for all the dimensions. Consistency matters more than spectacle.

Frutality tip

Frequently asked questions

What is employee wellbeing?

It’s the set of physical, mental, and social conditions that allow a person to feel good and thrive in their work environment. It goes beyond the absence of illness: it includes energy, motivation, recognition, and work-life balance.

Why is employee wellbeing important?

Because it has a direct impact on the company: it improves productivity, reduces absenteeism and turnover, strengthens the employer brand, and improves the climate. Caring for people is also a profitable decision.

What are the dimensions of employee wellbeing?

They’re usually broken down into physical, mental or emotional, social, professional, and financial. A good plan cares for all of them together, not just one.

How can you improve employee wellbeing at the company?

With a plan based on a diagnosis, clear goals, concrete actions by dimension, good communication, manager involvement, and continuous measurement to keep adjusting.

What is an employee wellbeing plan?

It’s the structured strategy a company uses to organize its wellbeing actions: it starts with a diagnosis, defines goals and initiatives by dimension, and sets indicators to measure impact.

How is employee wellbeing measured?

With indicators like the absenteeism rate, turnover, climate surveys and eNPS, and participation in initiatives. Compared over time, they show whether wellbeing is improving.

Healthy eating at work is the set of habits and decisions that help your team eat better during the workday: from what’s available in the office to the culture surrounding meals. Taking care of it isn’t a cosmetic detail—it directly affects people’s focus, energy, and well-being.

In this practical guide you’ll see why it matters, the most common mistakes in offices, and, above all, how to roll out a healthy-eating strategy at your company step by step, without big budgets.

In short

• Healthy eating at work improves focus, reduces fatigue, and contributes to a better workplace atmosphere.
• The main obstacles are unhealthy snacking, too much coffee, and the lack of accessible options in the office.
• Implementing it is a matter of environment and culture: keep healthy options within reach, communicate it, and measure its impact.
• Fresh fruit is the simplest and most affordable way to get started.

What is healthy eating at work?

We talk about healthy eating at work when the company makes it easy for its employees to maintain a balanced diet during the workday: nutritious options within reach, suitable spaces to eat, and a culture that doesn’t penalize self-care. It’s not about imposing diets, but about making the easy option also the healthy option.

The World Health Organization recommends eating at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables a day, the equivalent of about five servings. A good part of that intake happens, or should happen, during the hours we spend working.

Why does it matter for your company?

Taking care of your team’s nutrition delivers a tangible return for the organization, not just for the individual:

• More focus and energy. A balanced diet helps keep energy levels stable and prevents the mid-morning or afternoon slumps.
• Less absenteeism. Healthier habits are associated with better overall health. We dig into this in our guide on how to reduce workplace absenteeism.
• Better atmosphere and talent retention. Small gestures of care strengthen the sense of belonging and the team’s commitment.
• The image of a company that cares. Well-being is now an employer-branding asset in the eyes of candidates and clients.

If you want to dig deeper into the link between nutrition and performance, you’ll find our article on how to boost your team’s productivity in the office helpful.

Common eating mistakes in the office

Before building good habits, it’s worth identifying the ones that drag you down. These are the most frequent:

• Unhealthy snacking: cookies, pastries, and salty snacks on hand when fatigue or stress sets in.
• Too much coffee: useful in moderation, but overdoing it causes jitters and energy swings.
• Skipping meals or eating quickly in front of the screen, without a real break.
• Lack of healthy alternatives: if the only thing within reach is the vending machine, the less healthy option will win.
• Poor hydration: a point we tend to overlook that fully affects performance. We cover it in detail in hydration in the office and summer fruit.

How to implement healthy eating at your company, step by step

You don’t need a big program to get started. Here’s a simple, realistic roadmap:

1. Run a quick assessment

Observe what people eat in the office today and ask your team. A short survey about habits and preferences will give you a starting point and, along the way, make people feel heard.

2. Improve the environment (the most effective step)

People eat what’s within reach. Make the healthy choice easy: accessible fresh fruit, water available at all times, and healthy options in the break area. Changing the environment is more effective than asking for willpower.

3. Communicate and educate

Pair the changes with light internal communication: reminders, snack ideas, small health tips. The goal is to inform without lecturing.

4. Nurture the culture and lead by example

Make self-care something that’s looked upon favorably. Respecting meal breaks and having leadership set the example is worth more than any poster.

5. Measure and adjust

Review what works every so often: fruit consumption, participation, team feedback. Adjust based on what you see, not on what you assume.

The role of fresh fruit in the office

If we had to pick a single first step, it would be this: fresh fruit available to the team. It’s accessible, requires no preparation, covers part of the recommended five daily servings, and is a natural alternative to snacking. On top of that, in summer it provides hydration, a key factor we explore in our article on summer fruit and performance.

Healthy snacks vs. options to avoid

Instead of…	Offer…	Why
Pastries and cookies	Fresh seasonal fruit	Sustained energy without sugar spikes
Salty vending-machine snacks	Plain nuts	Filling and with healthy fats
Sugary sodas	Water and water-rich fruit	Hydrating without added sugars
A fourth or fifth coffee	Herbal teas or a piece of fruit	Avoids jitters and energy swings

Frequently asked questions

Where should a company that wants to take care of its team’s nutrition start?

With the environment. The most effective and affordable step is to keep healthy options within reach, starting with accessible fresh fruit and water available throughout the day.

How much fruit should an office offer?

As a reference, the WHO recommends at least 400 g of fruit and vegetables per person per day. In the office, it’s enough to ensure at least one piece available per employee per day and adjust based on actual consumption.

Does healthy eating at work affect productivity?

Yes. A balanced diet and good hydration help maintain focus and prevent energy slumps, which translates into better performance throughout the day.

Is it expensive to implement these habits?

Not necessarily. Many measures (improving the environment, communicating, looking after breaks) cost very little, and services like office fruit delivery adapt to the size and budget of each company.

Every two years, RRHH Digital magazine holds an awards ceremony for “The Most Influential People in HR,” recognizing professionals, leaders, and experts who set trends and inspire others in this sector, which is a fundamental pillar of companies.

Once again, Frutality did not want to miss this gala and accompanied not only the 10 winners of this edition, but also those who received a special mention for their work.

Each of them will receive a fruit basket from Frutality, which we hope they will enjoy as much as their award.

At Frutality, we always strive for detail and constant improvement so that every employee feels like a winner.

 

 

Meet Sergio, founder and CEO of Frutality

 

• What is your favorite fruit? – Bananas, I love them. I find them very convenient to eat and they always taste good. That said, I prefer them green; I don’t like ripe bananas as much.
• And your favorite food? – Gosh, that’s a tough one, I really like to eat, hehehe. Any Italian dish, pasta, pizza… Not to mention desserts, tiramisu, panettone, etc.
• What do you like most about your job? – As CEO of Frutality, what I like most is coming up with new projects and launching them.
• What is your superpower? – I don’t know if it can be considered a superpower, but I think my best quality is that I’m quite business-minded.
• What is your favorite movie/series? – Movie: Inglourious Basterds. Series: From, it’s the last one I’ve seen, I really liked it.
• What advice would you give to someone starting out in your industry? – I would tell them that there is only one way forward: QUALITY fruit.
• If you could travel through time, when would you go? – I’d prefer to travel to the future. I’d love to see what the world is like in 100 years, to meet my children’s grandchildren.
• Do you play any sports? – Yes, I’ve always liked sports.
• What sport? – Right now, I’m crazy about paddle tennis. I also go to the gym, although less than I should.
• What is your favorite hobby in the world? – Having a beer or a soft drink with a group of friends.
• What is your favorite place? – My home, that’s where I feel most comfortable.

Although stress is a defense mechanism that keeps us alert to potentially dangerous situations, leaving the office
every day
with a lot of accumulated stress can have many negative consequences.

Our working day lasts on average between 8 and 9 hours, but most of the time we carry the “office with us,” staying connected to our work cell phone from home or wherever we are, extending the working day to 10 or 11 hours a day. This situation occurs every day, for weeks and months, and accumulates over years.

Excessive workloads, both inside and outside the office (because we have to add family obligations, household chores, etc. to work stress), cause us to live in a constant state of stress or nervousness.

According to the National Statistics Institute, 30% of sick leave in Spain is due to stress, and almost half of Spaniards admit to experiencing work-related stress.

 

What are the symptoms of stress?

• Physical fatigue
• Lack of energy
• Difficulty concentrating
• Sadness, which can lead to depression
• Insomnia and nightmares
• Anxiety
• Irritability: also affecting people in our personal and work environments

These symptoms can lead to physical disorders such as:

• Stomach disorders
• Low immunity
• Skin conditions and hair loss
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Dizziness
• Psychological disorders
• Muscle tension

 

All these problems stem from what we know as negative stress. Does that mean there is such a thing as good stress? Yes, it’s called positive stress.

 

  

What is positive stress?

Positive stress is what has made us evolve, as it is what drives us to face problems and overcome them. If we turn all that negative stress into positive stress, we can reap many benefits in our day-to-day work.

To do this, it is a good idea to leave personal stress behind. The morning rush, family arguments, traffic jams, etc. This will allow us to focus and direct our “stress” towards office tasks. It is important to learn to prioritize, be more assertive, and accept our mistakes.

By channeling our stress to a positive point in the work environment, we achieve the following:

• Stay more active and energetic
• Solve problems in a more creative way
• Be more proactive and reactive
• Stay alert
• Help us keep our emotions more controlled and stable

 

 

How can we reduce negative stress?

Keeping negative stress at bay is key to leading an emotionally stable life and avoiding many health problems and sick leave. Therefore, it is important that we pay more attention to:

• Learning to relax
• Resting properly and trying to sleep 7-8 hours a day
• Listening to music
• Understanding that asking for help from time to time is not a bad thing, whether from our coworkers or professionals who can help us manage our problems
• Maintaining a positive attitude
• Laugh more
• Have a hobby that helps us distract ourselves and focus on something we enjoy
• Exercise regularly
• Maintain a healthy diet

 

Changing our habits or our way of thinking and working is not easy. So we have to start slowly. A good place to start is with our diet, as it is the foundation of who we are. If you eat well, you will feel good. Eating fruit is an excellent way to stay hydrated and full of energy to face busy days at the office.

 

We spend many hours at the office, consciously more than anywhere else. That’s why coworkers are, or should be, our second family, as we share a large part of our lives and experiences with them.

Caring for workers has become a priority in companies, but no longer only in terms of employee health, well-being, or happiness; the way we hire is now different, more humane.

The most forward-thinking companies know that attitude is the most important thing, which is why, among the requirements for each job, they look for people with values, who are positive, enthusiastic… in short, good people who believe in and foster a good atmosphere in the company.

Toxic employees who achieve their goals regardless of who they leave behind are becoming endangered. There is no need for bosses who impose their will and instill fear; leaders are sought, people who guide a team and inspire confidence and harmony. The kind of bosses who even make your day!

 

 

What is a good person?

 

Good people are good in the office, they are good to their friends, their families, strangers… a good person does not stop being good just because they are in one environment or another.

Good people are not those who use diminutives and happy phrases, but are on the warpath whenever they get the chance.

You recognize them because they make you feel good and they go around the office being who they really are: kind, respectful, attentive, flexible, cordial, honest, smiling, understanding, responsible… It’s not very often that you see them angry.

Good people are good even when they’re in a hurry!

 

How do I recognize a good person when hiring?

 

To begin with, the person conducting the job interview must be a good person, because empathy is essential. It seems that like-minded people recognize each other. Vibes are transmitted.

And of course, everyone can have bad days and bad interviews, even good people. That’s why it’s not enough to just ask the typical questions related to the job. You have to delve deeper into the candidate’s personality, experiences, and practical cases on a more personal level, not just a professional one.

 

Why bother bringing good people into companies?

 

Good people can contribute much more than knowledge and results at work:

• They create a good atmosphere in the office: less stress, better relationships, and therefore better results.
• They are eager to work: they don’t like to waste time and are easily motivated
• They know how to accept mistakes and therefore learn from them
• They know how to work as a team: they like to do their bit without taking all the credit or taking it away from other colleagues
• They contribute values and honesty
• They help their coworkers

 

 

We can say that good people spread good energy and make time in the office better for their colleagues, which also leads to higher performance and productivity.

In addition to good people, having the best seasonal fruit in the office also creates a great atmosphere among employees, creating colorful spaces that are ideal for taking a break with colleagues.

 

 

The long-awaited and well-deserved vacation is finally here, a time to recharge our batteries, enjoy ourselves, eat, try new experiences, relax… It’s the perfect time to disconnect from work, stress, work worries, forget about coworkers, and even computer passwords. Great!

It’s time to relax in every way, but without throwing away all the efforts and achievements we’ve made during the year, and without obsessing, of course, because that’s what vacations are for. Although maintaining our healthy habits is more difficult when we’re away from home, there are always certain things we can do or avoid.

 

Eating healthily and enjoying your vacation? Yes, it’s possible! Here are some tips for eating well and enjoying your vacation:

 

 

Water

If you always have your water bottle handy at the office, do the same on vacation. Having a few beers is fine, but whenever you can, choose water and avoid spirits and sugary drinks as much as possible.

 

Schedules

Whenever possible, maintain a stable schedule that is not as rigid as the office, but does not lead you to eat poorly.

 

Enjoy

Treat yourself. Have those breakfasts you dream about the rest of the year, order that dessert you’ve been craving all meal, try that local sweet treat… enjoy, but be mindful.

 

Healthy Eating

Don’t skip vegetables at mealtimes
and choose lighter side dishes, but above all, try to avoid fried foods.

 

Opt for local food

Meat, fish, seafood, vegetables… grilled, baked, or even barbecued.

 

Try to eat the right portions

There’s no need to fill yourself up until it hurts. The size of your stomach is still the same as when you eat at the office.

Enjoy every bite

Try to focus all your attention on it. This way, in addition to enjoying the taste, you’ll be more aware of what you’re eating. Leave the rush and distractions for another time.

Try all kinds of new dishes

It will be a memory you’ll take away from every place you travel to and will stay with you during the months of office lunches.

Get moving

Get up off your towel, do some exercise in the water, take a walk on the beach, go on excursions. You’ve managed to get out of your office chair, now it’s time to make the most of it.

Eat fruit

Of course, don’t forget to eat fruit. Especially between meals. It’s easy to take with you and find at any vacation destination. And if you visit an exotic place, be sure to try new fruits.

 

Taking care of yourself, eating real food, being aware of how important food is in your daily life, whether at the office or on vacation, is becoming increasingly important due to all the unnecessary ingredients added to processed foods. It’s not about trying every diet out there or starving yourself, it’s simply about eating well, as naturally as possible, as we have always done. That’s why, even when we’re away from home, we should try to eat sensibly, choosing foods that we know are as natural as possible.

 

During the rest of the year, at the office, we at Frutality bring the best fruit to your workplace to take care of you. On vacation, look for the best local fruit wherever you go so you can eat healthy while on vacation. We’ll be waiting for you at your workplace when you return, full of energy!