The coffee machine can be the most important part
of a business, according to an international expert.
Air and Travel Business News quoted Jacques
Attali as making the point at the Association of Corporate Travel
Executives' Global Education Conference in Paris.
Mr Attali, an economist and former advisor to
French president Francois Mitterand, explained meetings at the
coffee machine can allow employees to discuss ideas freely.
He told delegates at the event in Paris these
conversations are "outside hierarchy" and can be a key source of
innovation for firms, so face-to-face meetings should always be
encouraged.
"I understand that a lot of things can be done
on videoconferencing," said Mr Attali, but he added "quality
events, where people will learn something" are valuable.
The importance of having a coffee machine in the workplace was this week
highlighted by an Officebroker.com survey that revealed nearly 60
per cent of workers would rather their company scrap green
initiatives than take away their coffee.