The 35% of employees at small businesses who do not participate in tea rounds could be responsible for wasting millions of pounds, recent research has shown.
The data, reported by energy company EON, says a total of £38.1 million could be saved if solo-brewers change their habits and join in with tea rounds.
It also shows 22% of employees waste energy by completely filling the kettle, even if they are only making one cup.
Anthony Ainsworth, Sales and Marketing Director at EON, called upon businesses to increase “tea-break efficiency”. He said: “Putting the kettle on for a round of drinks is more efficient than making a single cup of tea from a full kettle, especially if your colleagues will simply have to re-boil the water moments later.”
Money-saving tips for tea making include reducing the frequency of kettle-boiling, as well as cutting down the volume of water used. Additionally, switching to a more efficient eco-kettle could benefit the 64% of businesses who are yet to do so.
These measures could make a big difference, as the British love affair with tea remains strong. 40 million cups of tea are made across UK offices every day, at an average of three cups per person. 12% of respondents said they are increasing the amount of tea they drink.
Saving a few pounds is not the only benefit of a more communal approach to tea making. 40% of respondents also said they were happy to join in with tea rounds as they are a great opportunity to socialise.
Mr Ainsworth said: “We understand the pressures of the workplace but by encouraging more people to participate in joint rounds with colleagues we hope to show one way that SME workers can help drive efficiency and cost savings in a simple and enjoyable way.”