Company treated employees with better coffee. Result: Breaks got longer, chaos in pantry and finally...machines are gone
In a recent revelation shared on the 'Indian Workplace' subreddit, an agitated employee shed light on the unfortunate misuse of a thoughtful workplace upgrade. The company in question had long been criticized for its outdated and poorly functioning coffee machines, which churned out subpar beverages that employees jokingly referred to as undrinkable.
In an effort to enhance
employee satisfaction
, the management partnered with
Nestlé
starting April 1, 2025, to replace the old machines with premium alternatives. These new machines were capable of dispensing a wide range of high-quality beverages. From refreshing cold coffee, iced tea, and chilled chocolate drinks to comforting options like tomato soup and hot chocolate, the facility was designed to offer a luxurious refreshment experience throughout the day.
However, what was meant to be a generous gesture soon spiraled into a logistical nightmare. The upgraded amenities triggered a frenzy among the staff, many of whom began crowding around the machines and treating them as an all-you-can-drink buffet. Instead of enjoying an occasional drink, individuals consumed multiple servings in one go, monopolizing the pantry area and creating disorder.
The situation worsened when small groups began to take control of the space, preventing others from accessing the machines. As a result, tempers flared, and arguments broke out over beverage access. The constant usage led to the machines running out of premixes within hours each day, far exceeding anticipated consumption rates.
Morning coffee breaks began stretching far beyond reasonable limits, with many employees absent from workstations during peak hours. Managers became increasingly frustrated as the absenteeism disrupted meeting schedules and overall productivity.
Complaints began pouring in during afternoon and evening hours, as employees arriving later found no beverages left. To address the issue, the company increased the frequency of refills from three times a week to three times a day. Even this proved insufficient.
Within just two months, the stock of beverage premixes meant to last half a year was completely depleted. The workplace administration, initially enthusiastic about the upgrade, found itself exasperated and disappointed.
Faced with such excessive misuse and operational disruption, the management ultimately decided to discontinue the premium service. The office is now reverting to its former, substandard coffee solution—a move that many saw coming.
For some employees who tried to use the service responsibly, the entire episode is a frustrating reminder that collective discipline is essential. In the end, what was meant to be a positive step turned into a cautionary tale about how privilege, when taken for granted, can quickly be lost.
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Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Indian office upgrades to free premium coffee to make employees happy, but it backfired hilariously-- Here's what happened
With discussions on topics of work-life balance and office culture becoming common these days, a recent post on the 'Indian Workplace' subreddit has caught much attention online. Why? In the post the person, who works in an Indian company, shared how after serving poor quality coffee to employees, in a delightful move their company treated the employees with a premium coffee machine. The employees loved this change so much that many started visiting the pantry more frequently. But, alas, what happened next was simply amusing. It all started when a company, tired of being roasted for its terrible coffee (more like burnt bean water), decided to level up. On April 1, 2025— no joke— they teamed up with Nestlé to bring in fancy new machines that could whip up everything from cold coffee and hot chocolate to tomato soup and iced tea. Sounds dreamy, right? Well, the dream didn't last long. The new beverage setup turned the office pantry into a mini buffet— and everyone showed up hungry. Instead of using the coffee machine responsibly and judiciously, employees started having it as meals. Some even grouped near the machines, to hog everything. If you showed up late? Too bad. The chocolate drink and soup were all over. Soon, managers began noticing that employees started stretching their coffee breaks and most work desks became empty, while the pantry buzzed with excited people. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pensando em viajar? Azul Linhas Aéreas Compre já Undo Not just this, the company too started refilling supplies in the pantry from three times a week to three times a day and it was still not sufficient. The six-month stockpile of premixes vanished in two months flat. With costs increasing and productivity dipping, the management eventually decided to scrap the fancy machines and bring back the old coffee makers that brewed more disappointment than coffee. And those who were responsibly using the coffee machines were devastated. The moral of the story? When given premium perks, maybe don't treat them like a 2 a.m. hostel buffet. Otherwise, it's back to bad coffee and broken dreams. Anupam Kher's mantra for survival in Bollywood: 'I see myself in new people' One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Economic Times
2 days ago
- Economic Times
Company treated employees with better coffee. Result: Breaks got longer, chaos in pantry and finally...machines are gone
iStock An exasperated employee recently revealed how their co-workers misused an office facility.(Representational image) In a recent revelation shared on the 'Indian Workplace' subreddit, an agitated employee shed light on the unfortunate misuse of a thoughtful workplace upgrade. The company in question had long been criticized for its outdated and poorly functioning coffee machines, which churned out subpar beverages that employees jokingly referred to as undrinkable. In an effort to enhance employee satisfaction, the management partnered with Nestlé starting April 1, 2025, to replace the old machines with premium alternatives. These new machines were capable of dispensing a wide range of high-quality beverages. From refreshing cold coffee, iced tea, and chilled chocolate drinks to comforting options like tomato soup and hot chocolate, the facility was designed to offer a luxurious refreshment experience throughout the day. However, what was meant to be a generous gesture soon spiraled into a logistical nightmare. The upgraded amenities triggered a frenzy among the staff, many of whom began crowding around the machines and treating them as an all-you-can-drink buffet. Instead of enjoying an occasional drink, individuals consumed multiple servings in one go, monopolizing the pantry area and creating situation worsened when small groups began to take control of the space, preventing others from accessing the machines. As a result, tempers flared, and arguments broke out over beverage access. The constant usage led to the machines running out of premixes within hours each day, far exceeding anticipated consumption coffee breaks began stretching far beyond reasonable limits, with many employees absent from workstations during peak hours. Managers became increasingly frustrated as the absenteeism disrupted meeting schedules and overall began pouring in during afternoon and evening hours, as employees arriving later found no beverages left. To address the issue, the company increased the frequency of refills from three times a week to three times a day. Even this proved just two months, the stock of beverage premixes meant to last half a year was completely depleted. The workplace administration, initially enthusiastic about the upgrade, found itself exasperated and with such excessive misuse and operational disruption, the management ultimately decided to discontinue the premium service. The office is now reverting to its former, substandard coffee solution—a move that many saw some employees who tried to use the service responsibly, the entire episode is a frustrating reminder that collective discipline is essential. In the end, what was meant to be a positive step turned into a cautionary tale about how privilege, when taken for granted, can quickly be lost.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Company treated employees with better coffee. Result: Breaks got longer, chaos in pantry and finally...machines are gone
In a recent revelation shared on the 'Indian Workplace' subreddit, an agitated employee shed light on the unfortunate misuse of a thoughtful workplace upgrade. The company in question had long been criticized for its outdated and poorly functioning coffee machines, which churned out subpar beverages that employees jokingly referred to as undrinkable. In an effort to enhance employee satisfaction , the management partnered with Nestlé starting April 1, 2025, to replace the old machines with premium alternatives. These new machines were capable of dispensing a wide range of high-quality beverages. From refreshing cold coffee, iced tea, and chilled chocolate drinks to comforting options like tomato soup and hot chocolate, the facility was designed to offer a luxurious refreshment experience throughout the day. However, what was meant to be a generous gesture soon spiraled into a logistical nightmare. The upgraded amenities triggered a frenzy among the staff, many of whom began crowding around the machines and treating them as an all-you-can-drink buffet. Instead of enjoying an occasional drink, individuals consumed multiple servings in one go, monopolizing the pantry area and creating disorder. The situation worsened when small groups began to take control of the space, preventing others from accessing the machines. As a result, tempers flared, and arguments broke out over beverage access. The constant usage led to the machines running out of premixes within hours each day, far exceeding anticipated consumption rates. Morning coffee breaks began stretching far beyond reasonable limits, with many employees absent from workstations during peak hours. Managers became increasingly frustrated as the absenteeism disrupted meeting schedules and overall productivity. Complaints began pouring in during afternoon and evening hours, as employees arriving later found no beverages left. To address the issue, the company increased the frequency of refills from three times a week to three times a day. Even this proved insufficient. Within just two months, the stock of beverage premixes meant to last half a year was completely depleted. The workplace administration, initially enthusiastic about the upgrade, found itself exasperated and disappointed. Faced with such excessive misuse and operational disruption, the management ultimately decided to discontinue the premium service. The office is now reverting to its former, substandard coffee solution—a move that many saw coming. For some employees who tried to use the service responsibly, the entire episode is a frustrating reminder that collective discipline is essential. In the end, what was meant to be a positive step turned into a cautionary tale about how privilege, when taken for granted, can quickly be lost.
