Food brings people together when it matters most

Food is a special type of fuel, because what you eat is only part of the story. The ‘when’, ‘how’ and ‘who with’ of it matters just as much to wellbeing. Getting all of this right in the workplace can be hard, but the result is stronger, happier and high-functioning teams. And in the high-stress world of the emergency services, this matters more than ever.

Armies march on their stomachs

It might be a 100-year-old phrase, but it still holds water. No one works well when they’re hungry. But then no one works well when they’re stressed, lonely or overwhelmed either. So when you’ve only got a lunch break to turn all that around, it’s got to be a good one.

Sodexo has been serving food to emergency response teams for years, supporting everyone from trainees to senior leaders in policing, fire and rescue and defence. In that time, everyone from our servers to our chefs to our facilities managers made it their business to understand people’s needs and learn what works.

Knowing what people need

We’ve learnt how trainees in intensive learning environments value well-known recipes and a friendly chat. For many on the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s initial training course, for example, it’s the longest time they’ve spent away from home. That’s why we design recipes and spaces that feel warm and supportive, helping networks to form and creating a sense of inclusion.

We’ve seen how officers in heavy gear after a physically demanding shift need a spot to change and some head space too. They want food, self-cook facilities or click-and-collect to be ready when they are. In big and small spaces, we know where to put TVs, how to encourage conversation and when the jokes might need to wait. Our servers know how to read the room.

Above all, we’ve learnt the overwhelming responsibility of the job itself. Emergencies can be routine, come out of the blue or require meticulous planning to avoid – it’s all critical work and it deserves the right support.

Staying ready for anything

As a food-led business, we’re used to designing catering solutions to suit different ways of working and different locations, including rural fire stations, police headquarters and all kinds of mobile sites.

And we’re used to supporting complex, multi-service operations, where priorities (and the facilities that support them) have to shift at a moment’s notice. Like for Operation Unicorn/Operation London Bridge (the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II), when two of our chefs at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service volunteered to spend their weekend cooking for the control room and making packed lunches for the crews on the Royal Mile. Many of our staff work as retained firefighters too, so we understand the demands the job more than most.

Going above and beyond

Every day, officers and civilian staff all over the UK are going that extra mile to keep us safe and well. To perform at their best, they need environments that reflect their contribution and offer the right support in return.

The Ministry of Defence, for example, wanted to improve morale and satisfaction among new recruits by creating the right environment to boost social interaction. They knew that increasing the amount of time people spent together in mess halls would improve wellbeing, forge closer bonds and strengthen retention. We commissioned research on wants and needs and created a unique new dining concept, with the right mix of food, tech, games and quieter spaces to tackle isolation and create a sense of belonging.

Our contracts might cover catering, facilities management or both. But when we design the solution and train our staff we keep our eye on a broader goal, which is doing what we can to enable healthy, happy and thriving teams. It’s something the Scottish Ambulance Service noticed at their sites where we work – that we know everyone by name and know how to meet their operational needs.

Supporting health and wellbeing

Being well-fed means getting the right food for body and mind. It’s about fuel and nutrition, of course, with a little nudge towards better choices. But it’s also about pressure release, a moment of calm and some time to connect with others. Thinking about this broader picture is particularly important to the next generation of emergency response workers, whose expectations both of food and of work itself are different.

Younger people make a stronger connection between food and emotional wellbeing. They expect healthy options but don’t want a lecture on ‘5 a day’. They seek out supportive environments and are clued up on sustainability. They understand the relationship between food and carbon emissions too, and that a short distance between farm and fork is better.

Here at Sodexo, we’ve spent years understanding and working to reduce our carbon footprint, with a commitment to social value and clear plan for net zero by 2035. It’s why we campaign to reduce food waste, source locally where can and use food as a learning tool. Our ‘Grow it, Eat it’ programme is currently donating planters, seeds and compost to primary schools close to customers sites, including Avon and Somerset Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.

Serving delicious food

At the heart of what we deliver is great-tasting, modern and flavourful food. Whether it was ordered on an app, grabbed on the run or chosen at leisure to match how people feel in the moment, it was thoughtfully prepared to offer balance and taste without costing the earth.

How do we know? Because we’ve used the latest tech to get as much feedback as we can, more than doubling the number of responses we get and making changes when we need to.

Food can’t fix everything, but it's what your army marches on. So here at Sodexo, we make it work as hard as it can.

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