The working lunch

On any given weekday in Sydney's CBD Miss Chu motorbikes zip around the city, delivering the company's famous rice paper rolls to hungry workers all over town. Bought in quantities of 15 or more, these lunches aren't for the lazy solo worker with a sudden lust for fresh Vietnamese cooking delivered to his or her desk, instead the Miss Chu bikes bring boxes of rolls to boardrooms and staff kitchens, enabling workers to share a meal without having to leave the office. And although some staff will co-ordinate and pay for delivery among themselves, more often than not, it's the boss who's paying.

That there's value to be had in either taking staff to lunch or having it brought to them isn't a new idea, especially in the creative industries, where hospitality is often an accepted part of doing business. Director of Harvey Publicity, Clemence Harvey, regularly brings in lunch for her staff at the company's South Melbourne offices and will take them out for a big lunch at a great restaurant a couple of times a year. These lunches can start at midday and go on until the evening. "Boundaries are broken down, and having a glass of wine is like a truth serum," she jokes.

"We have the conversations you don't have during a 9-5 working day. Everyone cares about each other and the business. It's better than getting in an HR person with a whiteboard and a chart, plus it gives everyone something lovely to look forward to," she adds.

Harvey might be surprised to find that the Chairman of the Australian Human Resources Institute Peter Wilson agrees with her. He says there's a real benefit to buying staff lunch. "There's higher morale and employee engagement, as well as lower staff turnover and higher productivity because workers feel valued and respected as people." Wilson agrees it's a practice that is gaining ground as a way to motivate and engage staff.

At The Grand Hotel in Richmond, general manager Barney Bouchaud has been surprised by the interest in the upmarket pub's new private rooms, which were intended for private dinners and Christmas parties. Instead he's found much of the new business they've generated has been from local businesses keen to use the spaces for working lunches. Some local businesses have used the private rooms for all-day conferences then come into the main dining room for lunch. "We're doing a lot of this kind of business now. We're surrounded by local businesses who already know the pub, this has just given them a way to come here and be able to work at the same time."

The new working lunch doesn't always have to be around a table either. Nahji Chu says she's even made deliveries to Hyde Park for staff lunches on the lawns.

While legal firms and banks are known for buying the staff lunch Chu says internet and computer companies such as Facebook, Google and Apple are also pretty keen customers. Other customers include airlines, global fashion brands and companies where the staff is often required to work late. Lunch and or dinner keep them happy, fed and motivated to keep working without losing momentum.

Its surprisingly difficult to get big firms to talk about whether they do or don't do lunch and one Melbourne-based marketing executive was very keen I didn't mention her name. She says the working lunch has evolved and is now a more low-key part of business practice.

"If you'd asked me 10 years ago I would have said Friday afternoon was a writeoff – a long lunch on the company's dime. But now everyone is much more responsible and much more concerned about the company brand – they don't want staff rolling drunk. A staff lunch now might be a midweek lunch at the pub or a local café then back to work."

Even in industries where the working lunch is the norm it isn't always taken for granted. "It's something you look forward to, and it's a privilege," says the marketing executive. "I know in my husband's office it would simply never happen."

When the boss is paying for lunch it's a sign that the business is going well but even when times are tight, buying some takeaway coffees and sandwiches or a platter of sushi to share with your staff is a gesture that usually doesn't go unnoticed: a small acknowledgment that people who work together should occasionally break bread together too.