The Power of Working Lunches & the Hidden Benefits

Recently, I got the following (anonymous) feedback - “Preeti seems more interested in organizing and having work lunches than actually working!” This comment didn’t make me angry or defensive, it actually made sense. I do like organizing events and activities, both for my personal & professional circles. Additionally, since I am active on social media and a tad bit of an oversharer, I do post photos frequently. For me, they serve as a memory bank of my social life. For others, they serve as visual clues of my activity, which seems to be a LOT. 

However, I see immense value in working lunches and believe that they’re GOOD for business. The real value of such engagement might be overlooked because of the traditional perception “If you aren’t slogging off at the office on your laptop, are you even working?”. Hence, I’m showcasing my views in the best way I know how - through my writing. Some of the tangible benefits I have experienced are as follows:-

? INTERNAL

• Create a safe bonding space for team members

I love celebrating personal & professional milestones for/with my team and have managed to create ‘safe zones’ when we head out for lunch. This means there is no hierarchy and everyone can feel free to share what they FEEL. This has enabled open dialogue where we are able to discuss personal problems, work frustration and everything else in between. These unfiltered work lunches have helped me know my team members as individuals and become a better manager. Lunches are also great to bond with people from other departments on a human level and LIVE a culture of shared interests & collaboration (not just talk about it).

• Spark creativity & clarity

Inspiration can strike anywhere - the odds get higher when you step outside your office. Whether it’s brainstorming for a cool experiment on LinkedIn, better ways to engage employees in different geographic locations or coming up with creative content ideas, it has helped me immensely when I head out of my normal environment, even if it’s just for a short walk to pick up food. Marketing for a startup needs to be fresh to cut through the noise and that’s why working lunches can infuse the much-required dose of creative spark and clear thinking. Sitting in front of a computer can occasionally promote groupthink and finding easy (but not necessarily the best) solutions to hard problems. 

? EXTERNAL

• Network effectively

Networking 1.0 is going into a room full of people, exchanging business cards as if it’s a race and hoping something comes out of it. Networking 2.0 is having real conversations and building relationships. It’s about taking online acquaintances to the next level and focusing on the quality not the quantity of your network. My lunch meetings have been about everything from nuances of different industries, choosing career paths, Artificial Intelligence (of course!) and branding strategies. Each conversation has enriched my professional growth through tips, lifehacks, advice and I have also earned a few friends along the way.

In conclusion, when done in moderate frequency and positive intent, working lunches can help create happier, engaged teams, improve collaboration and even lead to external partnerships. My experience of such “occasion-based meetings” has been positive so far and the benefits have been real, even when it cannot be monetized or tracked on a spreadsheet. Set up a working lunch and try it for yourself! [Disclaimer: I am definitely not proposing you take longer lunches every day!]