Latest news with #ezCater
Business Wire
an hour ago
- Business
- Business Wire
ezCater Adds New Self-Serve Features to its Employee Meal Program Solution for Modern Workplaces
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ezCater, the #1 food tech platform for workplaces in the US, today announced enhancements to its employee meal program solution, Relish by ezCater. The new self-serve features offer organizations greater control and flexibility to manage their workplace meal programs, catering to the evolving needs of the modern workforce. 'Relish has helped Stax simplify the in-office experience while making it easier to get people excited about coming in,' says Natalie Rosenthal, Executive Assistant, Stax. 'Our people are happy to sit together, share a meal, and discover a new restaurant." Share Relish enables workplaces to create a recurring program that brings individually packaged meals from local restaurants right to their teams. It can scale up or down for fluctuating headcounts, giving workplaces a degree of flexibility that corporate cafeterias can't provide. Organizations set a meal subsidy and schedule, employees order their own meals online or through the Relish app from a rotating list of restaurants, and ezCater handles all the logistics. The latest updates to Relish allow office and facility managers in charge of food to further customize their organization's meal programs, saving them time. New features include: Customize meal plans: Create, modify, and delete recurring employee meal plans, including adjusting company meal subsidies to align with evolving budgets and employee needs. Request new restaurant options: Easily request changes to the featured restaurants for upcoming meals, keeping options fresh and appealing to employees. Schedule ad-hoc meals: Arrange extra, one-off meals outside the regular schedule for special occasions or team gatherings. Manage holiday closures: Indicate upcoming holiday closures in the portal to automatically cancel unnecessary scheduled meals and prevent extra costs. Easily cancel scheduled meals: Cancel upcoming meals for the workplace two business days in advance directly in the portal. 'Today's workplaces require adaptable solutions, especially with the rise of hybrid work models,' said Cindy Klein Roche, Chief Growth Officer, ezCater. 'Our new Relish features are about giving organizations the power to create a flexible meal program that truly works for them. Workplaces looking to boost employee engagement can feed their people without worrying about logistics, overhead costs, or fluctuating headcounts.' The new features come at a time when meal programs for employees are on the rise: a recent ezCater survey revealed that 43% of companies now have a recurring meal program, a 17% increase from 2024. In fact, companies like NorthPoint Development, Stax, and SeatGeek have incorporated an employee meal program into their benefits package to help drive on-site attendance and employee engagement. 'Relish has helped Stax simplify the in-office experience while making it easier to get people excited about coming in,' says Natalie Rosenthal, Executive Assistant, Stax. 'Our people are happy to sit together, share a meal, and discover a new restaurant. When lunch is over, they leave feeling good about the experience and that spills over into the afternoon.' For workplaces looking to learn more about employee meal programs, please visit About ezCater ezCater is the #1 food tech platform for workplaces in the US. The company makes it easy for any organization to manage its food needs and order from over 100,000 restaurants nationwide. For workplaces, ezCater provides flexible and scalable solutions for everything from recurring employee meals to one-off meetings, all backed by beyond helpful 24/7 service and business-grade reliability. For restaurant partners, ezCater helps grow their business by bringing them more orders and new high-value customers. To learn more, visit
Fast Company
6 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
Work friends may motivate people to return to the office
Working from home allows for the flexibility and work-life balance that many modern employees require in order to feel content in their jobs. Therefore, being asked to return to the office can be a very tough sell. But a new report found one factor to be majorly motivating when it comes to in-office work. And, surprisingly, it doesn't have to do with benefits, pay, or even flexibility. It's having a work bestie. A newly released report from ezCater surveyed 1,000 U.S. employees who work in an office setting and remotely. It found that 80% of employees feel more engaged at work when they have friends at the office. According to experts, gabbing it up at the office isn't only good for mental health and longevity, but it's also good for cognitive function, meaning it's tougher for workers to mentally check out. 'Social activities cause us to use our brains more than almost any other activity,' Dr. Andrew Budson, a neurologist and chief of cognitive and behavioral neurology at VA Boston Healthcare System, says per Harvard Health. In recent years, the ability to work remotely has become the most desirable perk of a job, with some reports finding it to be even more important than income, despite the fact that it can be isolating. However, according to the report, remote work hampers employees' ability to build relationships. Only 43% of remote employees reported having close work friends, while 69% of office and hybrid workers did. With a loneliness epidemic in full bloom, more workers may now crave socialization. That's especially true for the youngest workers: 85% of Gen Z respondents said having a work bestie would make them more engaged. Gen Z also expects socialization to be ingrained in their workplace culture. More than half (56%) expect their company to help foster that socialization by creating a sense of community at work. Robert Kaskel, VP of people at ezCater, said in a press release that companies should pay attention to the need for socialization—especially when it comes to Gen Z. 'Employees with friends at work are considerably more engaged, so it's in companies' best interest to create an environment that fosters socialization.'
Newsweek
22-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Map Shows States Where People Are the Most Anti-Social at Work
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new study found that where you live may have an impact when it comes to getting along with your co-workers, with some U.S. states reporting a higher number of people without friends in the workplace than others. Why It Matters Friendships at work can play a major role in how satisfied you are in your job and career. It can also reduce turnover and help employees earn promotions or mentorship opportunities. A recent report from ezCater found that 80 percent of surveyed employees said having friends at work makes them feel more engaged. However, only 43 percent of remote employees had a close work friend. What To Know A survey of 2,000 U.S. workers by Bingo Card Creator has found that one in four Americans report having no friends at work. Where you live could play a role in that. Wyoming was found to be the state with the highest percentage of anti-social workers, with 67 percent of residents reporting having no friends at work. In second place, Utah residents reported having no friends at work, and 50 percent of those in the third state, Maine, said the same. "In places like Wyoming, Utah, and Maine, geography and culture may both play a role," HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek. "There are often rural or sparsely populated areas where the workforce may be more distributed, with fewer in-person touchpoints to organically build workplace friendships. Workplace culture in some of these states may lean more traditional or transactional - folks may simply go to work to get the job done, not to socialize," Driscoll said. Also in the top 10 states with the most anti-social workers were Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Vermont, North Carolina, Nevada and Oklahoma, which all saw 35 percent or more of respondents with no friends in the workplace. "While no one is likely shocked by Wyoming ranking higher given its sparse terrain and fewer jobs because of it, places like Utah and North Carolina may come as more of a surprise, as they've been hot destinations in recent years for new residents moving for better employment opportunities," Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek. Some states were filled with social butterflies, though. Only 6 percent of Nebraska residents had no friends at work. In Kansas, this percentage was just 10 percent, while West Virginia residents reported 15 percent. File photo of an employee working alone on a computer in Tokyo, Japan. File photo of an employee working alone on a computer in Tokyo, NEC Corporation What People Are Saying Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "'Anti-social' is not always a bad thing, necessarily, especially in an era of more remote and hybrid roles where there's less in-person interaction and more secluded working environments. The issue is more anti-social workspaces are tied to less collaboration and innovation. Ultimately, it's about personality types, and for some, states being more anti-social at work will prove alluring, and for others, not so much." HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek: "Being anti-social at work doesn't mean people are unfriendly. It may reflect shifting priorities, burnout, or simply a desire to separate professional and personal life more sharply." Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: "It likely comes down to a mix of population size and homeownership logistics. In many of the lower-ranking states, people may live far from their co-workers, making it harder to build relationships outside of work. Proximity matters when it comes to developing deeper connections." What Happens Next While there are many reasons employees might have few or no friends at work, the less social a workplace is, the greater the potential for turnover, experts say. "The implications are real, though," Driscoll said. "Employees with no close friends at work tend to be less engaged and more likely to leave. For employers, it's a reminder that connection still matters, even if the watercooler is virtual."
Newsweek
16-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Gen Z Is the Loneliest Generation at Work, Study Finds
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. While it continues facing workplace stereotypes of laziness, Generation Z has emerged as the loneliest age demographic on the job, a new study finds. Roughly 38 percent of Gen Zers reported feeling lonely on the job, higher than any other age demographic, according to a report from food tech workplace platform ezCater. Why It Matters Gen Z has dealt with its fair share of challenges in the workforce. A recent report from found companies were rapidly firing Gen Z employees just months after hiring them. One in six businesses said they were hesitant to hire recent college graduates, and six in 10 employers had already fired college graduates who were hired that year. A mismatch between Gen Z and workplace culture and expectations may be leading to higher rates of loneliness at work, prompting high turnover and reduced productivity. Illustration of a woman who works from home, in Paris on May 15. Illustration of a woman who works from home, in Paris on May 15. RICCARDO MILANI/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images What To Know While 80 percent of surveyed employees said having friends at work makes them feel more engaged, only 43 percent of remote employees had a close work friend, according to the ezCater survey of 1,000 employees. That marked a substantial difference to the 69 percent of on-site and hybrid workers who had a close friend at work. This was heightened among Gen Z employees, of which 38 percent reported being lonely at work. "With remote work and empty offices becoming more common, it's no surprise that many young professionals feel isolated," Kevin Thompson, CEO of 9i Capital Group and host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. "The modern workforce is still adjusting to hybrid and remote models, and with frequent job-hopping, it's harder to build lasting relationships. Gen Z in particular has more mobility—both professionally and geographically—often without the traditional anchors of family or long-term commitments." HR consultant Bryan Driscoll said the workplace reality Gen Z faces looks significantly different from that of previous generations. "Older generations had real mentorship, face time, after-work drinks. Gen Z got calendar invites and 'per my last email,'" Driscoll told Newsweek. "We told them to hustle, compete, and keep it professional and now we're surprised they feel isolated?" "This isn't a Gen Z problem. It's a workplace and societal design failure." Across the Gen Z cohort, which includes adults age 18 to 28, 56 percent expected their company to provide opportunities for socializing, and 85 percent said having friends at work makes them feel more engaged. "The narrative shouldn't be about forcing people back to their desks, but about building a destination where they want to be," Robert Kaskel, vice president of people at ezCater, said in the report. "For example, offering a food program does more than just ensure folks eat. It encourages collaboration, strengthens team bonds, and shows employees they are valued. For companies struggling with engagement, it's the most direct path to building a vibrant workplace experience." What People Are Saying Kaskel added in the report: "Companies are telling employees to come back, but they're missing the 'why.' Our data clearly shows that today's office is an opportunity for connection, not just independent work. The younger generation of workers crave better perks and friendship. Employees with friends at work are considerably more engaged, so it's in companies' best interest to create an environment that fosters socialization." Thompson also told Newsweek: "Longer-term, this could reshape how companies think about workplace culture. How this impacts mental health, retention and productivity is still to be seen. Companies will need to create an environment where people want to stay versus having such high turnover, possibly with more competitive wages or compensation packages." Alex Beene, financial literacy instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "When you consider all of the economic pressures Gen Z is facing, it's easy to see why loneliness is weighing on them. Entry level jobs have been subject to layoffs, and the labor market is at a difficult time for most younger Americans. When your professional opportunities are dim, you're dealing with rising costs, and social media exposes you to many who aren't facing those concerns, you can easily fall into feelings of loneliness." Driscoll also told Newsweek: "Of course Gen Z is the loneliest generation at work. They were thrown into the workforce during a pandemic, onboarded over Zoom, and told that Slack threads count as culture. It's not that they don't want connection, it's that employers never gave them the tools or space to build it." What Happens Next Heightened feelings of loneliness among Gen Zers could have significant mental health consequences, Beene said, but the younger generation has also shown more interest in seeking out therapy. "We're already seeing the ramifications of this, as more demand for mental health services is common nationwide," he said. "The good news is while Gen Z may be lonelier, they are more likely to reach for help than prior generations. The hope is as they receive help, and their personal and financial outlooks improve, they'll struggle less."
Boston Globe
22-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Novo offers Wegovy at $199 for first month as copycats end
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up LEADERSHIP Advertisement Boston firm ezCater has a new CEO, but he's staying in New York New ezCater CEO Nihad Rahman will remain in New York, with frequent visits to Boston. Photo courtesy of ezCater The tryout apparently paid off for Nihad Rahman, who has served as interim chief executive at Boston-based online catering marketplace ezCater since his predecessor abruptly left about five months ago. The company announced this week that Rahman can strip the 'interim' off his title: The board appointed Rahman, who left JPMorgan Chase to join ezCater as its chief financial officer in 2022, as the new CEO. However, he won't be moving to Boston for the gig. Rahman took over after Ashwin Raj left the company in January. Now that Rahman is no longer CFO, the company promoted vice president Sean Stanton to take over that job. Rahman lives in New York, and will continue to work remotely, though a spokesperson said he visits ezCater's downtown Boston headquarters frequently. He'll lead a team of more than 850 employees; the spokesperson said ezCater is a 'remote-hybrid company' and has workers spread throughout the country. The company gives employers access to a marketplace of more than 100,000 restaurants nationwide for meals as well as catering for meetings and events. Its investors include a mix of venture capital and private equity firms such as Insight Partners, Iconiq, Lightspeed, GIC, SoftBank, Quadrille, and TPG. — JON CHESTO Advertisement AVIATION Southwest Airlines to tighten restrictions on portable batteries on flights A Southwest Airlines plane pulled into a gate at Pittsburgh International Airport on March 27. Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press Southwest Airlines will prohibit passengers from using portable batteries to charge devices while they are inside bags because of the fire risk, the airline said Wednesday. Southwest is the first of the four biggest US airlines to tell passengers that they are not permitted to use portable lithium batteries while they are in a bag. Air carriers in Asia have been tightening restrictions on the batteries in recent months. The new rule requires passengers to keep the batteries visible while in use and will take effect on Southwest flights Wednesday. The rule will help flight attendants act more quickly if a battery overheats or catches fire, Southwest said in a statement. The airline said that it was responding to 'multiple incident reports' involving batteries on flights across carriers. In March, crew members on a Southwest flight reported a battery fire after landing at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Nevada, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which was investigating the episode. The FAA has reported 22 incidents of lithium batteries catching fire, emitting smoke or overheating on aircraft this year. — NEW YORK TIMES Advertisement HOUSING Trump floats a public offering for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Freddie Mac headquarters in McLean, Va. Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg President Trump said that he's giving 'very serious consideration to bringing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public' after more than a decade of government control. 'Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are doing very well, throwing off a lot of CASH, and the time would seem to be right,' Trump wrote late Wednesday on his Truth Social platform. 'Stay tuned!' He added that he would consult with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent along with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees Freddie and Fannie. Shares of Fannie soared 51 percent for their strongest performance since August 2009, while Freddie jumped 42 percent for its best day since September 2019. The companies, which play a crucial role in the market for mortgage-backed securities, have been under government conservatorship since the 2008 financial crisis. Fannie and Freddie have both returned to steady profitability, with earnings being retained. — BLOOMBERG NEWS CURRENCY End of the penny grows near Freshly made pennies in a bin at the US Mint in Denver. David Zalubowski/Associated Press The Treasury Department is winding down the production of pennies, after ordering a last batch of the blanks used to print the coins this month. The end of penny production, reported earlier by The Wall Street Journal, comes a few months after President Trump ordered the Treasury Department to stop producing them as a cost-saving measure, pointing out that pennies have long been more expensive to manufacture than they are worth. Pennies, which are made up of 97.5 percent zinc and 2.5 percent copper plating, cost about 3.69 cents to make, according to Treasury Department statistics, which show the price of production skyrocketed over the last decade. Ten years ago, it cost 1.3 cents to manufacture each penny. In the 2024 fiscal year alone, the cost of production rose by over 20 percent. The US Mint will keep manufacturing pennies until its supply of blanks runs out, a Treasury spokesperson said Thursday. The Mint has estimated that ceasing production of the penny will save the taxpayers an annual $56 million in reduced material costs. The Treasury forecasts that there will be additional savings once the facilities used to produce pennies are converted for other purposes. The penny had been falling out of favor for years, and as it became less popular, the Mint scaled down its production. Penny production has fallen fairly steadily in the past decade, from over 9.36 billion coins made in 2015 to just over 3.22 billion last year. There are still about 114 billion pennies in circulation, according to the Treasury. But eventually, once production ceases, there will not be enough of them in circulation to facilitate day-to-day transactions, meaning businesses that deal in cash may have to round prices to the nearest nickel. — NEW YORK TIMES Advertisement TECH Microsoft fires employee who interrupted CEO's speech to protest AI tech for Israeli military Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Wash. JOVELLE TAMAYO/NYT Microsoft has fired an employee who interrupted a speech by CEO Satya Nadella to protest the company's work supplying the Israeli military with technology used for the war in Gaza. Software engineer Joe Lopez could be heard shouting at Nadella in the opening minutes Monday of the tech giant's annual Build developer conference in Seattle before getting escorted out of the room. Lopez later sent a mass email to colleagues disputing the company's claims about how its Azure cloud computing platform is used in Gaza. Lopez's outburst was the first of several pro-Palestinian disruptions at the event that drew thousands of software developers to the Seattle Convention Center. At least three talks by executives were disrupted, the company even briefly cut the audio of one livestreamed event. Protesters also gathered outside the venue. Microsoft has previously fired employees who protested company events over its work in Israel, including at its 50th anniversary party in April. Microsoft acknowledged last week that it provided AI services to the Israeli military for the war in Gaza but said it had found no evidence to date that its Azure platform and AI technologies were used to target or harm people in Gaza. — ASSOCIATED PRESS Advertisement
