Beyond the Plate: How One Survey Reveals the Human Blueprint of Your Workplace

In fact, CaterSurvey insights have been used to help organisations redesign office spaces, prepare change-management initiatives, develop more effective employee communications and create workplace experiences that better reflect the people using them.

Because when you understand your employees, you can make better decisions far beyond the plate.

One audience, many needs

Every workplace is made up of people with different habits, motivations and expectations.

Some employees are Grazers. They may eat their main meal at home in the evening and want light meals, snacks or convenient food they can take to their desk. For them, takeaway options, extended opening hours and a strong snack selection may matter more than a traditional lunch service.

Others are Budgeteers, for whom price is the deciding factor. They are looking for filling meals, good value, promotions and affordable combinations. If the restaurant does not feel accessible to them, they may choose to bring food from home or eat elsewhere.

At the same time, Traditionalists value familiar flavours, homemade recipes and dependable routines, while Explorers are motivated by variety, international cuisine and new culinary experiences.

These profiles are clearly useful when designing a catering offer. But they also reveal something broader: employees do not all make decisions in the same way. Some value certainty; others seek novelty. Some want convenience; others prioritise experience, social connection or value.

This knowledge can inform how an organisation develops its services, benefits and employee experience—not through assumptions, but through a better understanding of its real audience.

Communication is not one-size-fits-all

A new menu, a price adjustment or a change in opening hours can be a positive move—and still create resistance if it is communicated in the wrong way.

CaterSurvey’s Communication Profiles help organisations understand how employees prefer to receive information. Some respond best to appealing visuals, emotion and social energy. Others need clear details, logical reasoning and time to process a message before making a decision.

This is relevant far beyond restaurant communication.

When launching a new workplace policy, wellness initiative, employee benefit, sustainability programme or office service, internal communications teams can use these insights to shape the message:

• Use striking visuals, shared experiences and social proof when the audience is motivated by emotion and connection.

• Provide clear facts, practical explanations and transparent details for employees who make more analytical decisions.

• Announce changes early for people who prefer to plan ahead.

• Keep information structured and easy to navigate for people who can be overwhelmed by too many options or unclear messages.

The same announcement does not need to be communicated in exactly the same way to everyone. Understanding the profile mix across an organisation helps communications become more relevant, better understood and more likely to inspire action.

A better way to manage change

Change is part of every organisation. Companies may introduce a new digital tool, move to another location, redesign the office, update policies, restructure teams or change the restaurant offer.

The question is not simply whether the change is necessary. It is whether people are ready for it—and whether the organisation has chosen the right way to bring them along.

CaterSurvey’s Change Profiles reveal how different groups are likely to react.

Strategists want facts, evidence and a clear vision. They are more likely to support a change when they understand the business case, the data behind it and the wider benefits.

Doers respond to practical action. They want to know what is changing, how it works and how they can benefit immediately.

Adapters may initially need reassurance, but can become engaged supporters once they understand the advantages and receive the right support.

And Traditionalists value stability, familiarity and proven ways of working. They are not necessarily against change, but sudden overhauls without explanation can create uncertainty and resistance. A gradual introduction, clear guidance and the reassurance that valued elements will remain can make a major difference.

This makes CaterSurvey a valuable input for change-management planning. If an organisation knows that a large share of its employees value stability, a phased rollout may be more effective than a dramatic “big bang” launch. If there is a strong group of Strategists, they can become informed advocates when provided with the facts. If Doers are prominent, hands-on demonstrations and simple tutorials may be the fastest way to build momentum.

The insight helps leaders move from reactive communication to proactive change design.

Designing office spaces around the people who use them

How people work shapes how they eat. But it also shapes how they experience the office itself.

CaterSurvey’s Office Profiles identify different workplace behaviours: people who need quiet and focus, employees who thrive on social interaction, those who want personal space and structure, and those who gain energy from collaboration, creativity and movement.

These insights can be especially valuable when an organisation is:

• Moving to a new office or campus

• Renovating an existing workplace

• Introducing hot desking or flexible workstations

• Designing a new restaurant or social area

• Creating quiet zones, meeting spaces or collaboration hubs

• Reviewing how employees use workplace services and facilities

For example, a workplace with many Analysts, Conservers and Visionaries may require more quiet areas, individual work settings and spaces that support concentration. A layout built entirely around noise, movement and constant interaction may work against their productivity.

On the other hand, a strong mix of Activists, Nurturers and Explorers may signal the importance of informal meeting areas, social spaces, collaborative zones and environments where employees can connect and exchange ideas.

The goal is not to design separate offices for every profile. It is to create a balanced environment that recognises different working styles and gives people the choice of spaces that support them best.

This is where catering and workplace design meet. The restaurant can be a social hub, a quiet retreat, a place for a quick takeaway or a destination for team connection. Understanding employee profiles helps organisations make these choices intentionally.

Looking beyond the people who already participate

Traditional sales data only reflects people who already use the restaurant. It does not show employees who bring lunch from home, eat elsewhere, skip meals or have simply decided that the restaurant is not for them.

These Non-users are often invisible in day-to-day reporting—but they may be one of the most important groups to understand.

Why do they stay away? The reason may be price, menu variety, opening times, queues, dietary needs, atmosphere, location or a lack of information. Without direct insight, it is easy to invest in solutions that do not solve the real problem.

This perspective can also be applied beyond catering.

The same question is relevant to employee benefits, workplace services and internal initiatives: Who is not participating, and why?

If employees are not using a company gym, attending wellbeing sessions, engaging with a new digital platform or making use of shared workplace spaces, the issue may not be lack of interest. There may be practical, emotional or communication barriers preventing them from taking part.

CaterSurvey helps organisations look beyond the visible users and better understand the people who may be disengaged, overlooked or not yet convinced.

New employees: A critical opportunity

New employees have not yet formed habits. Their first experience of the workplace restaurant—and the workplace more broadly—can shape their perception of the organisation from the start.

A clear welcome, accessible information and a positive first experience can turn a new employee into a regular restaurant user and an engaged member of the workplace community. Conversely, a confusing experience, an unclear offer or a service that does not match their needs can quickly push them into the non-user group.

The same principle applies to onboarding more generally. Profile insights can help organisations make new starters feel informed, comfortable and included by offering the right balance of clarity, guidance, independence and connection.

One survey, practical value across the organisation

CaterSurvey begins with food, but its value does not end there. The profile insights can support multiple teams and business decisions:

• Catering teams can develop a more relevant menu, pricing strategy, service format and restaurant experience.

• Internal Communications teams can tailor messages, channels, timing and levels of detail to the workforce.

• HR and People teams can better understand employee expectations, onboarding needs and engagement barriers.

• Change leaders can plan rollouts that match the organisation’s readiness for change.

• Facilities and Real Estate teams can design offices, dining spaces and services around real workplace behaviours.

• Leadership teams can make people-centred decisions with a more complete understanding of the audience they serve.

Know your people, not just their purchases

A POS system can tell you what was bought. A standard satisfaction survey can tell you whether people are happy. But neither fully explains the people behind the decision: their routines, preferences, working styles, communication needs and likely reaction to change.

CaterSurvey delivers that broader understanding through one complete survey.

It helps organisations improve their food offer, certainly. But it can also provide valuable direction when communicating with employees, moving to a new location, redesigning a workplace, launching a new initiative or leading change.

Because you are not only serving meals. You are serving people.

And the better you know them, the better every part of the workplace experience can become.