I have to cut costs. The biscuits or the fruit?

Dear Aunty B,

I have a little office with five staff and I have just had the accountant in telling me I have to cut back on my costs. We get a big basket of fruit delivered every week which always causes a great occasion in the office as we gather around our local fruit man and talk about the fruit he has chosen. We also have lots of biscuits as most of my staff are young and seem to exist on the things. And we have a water cooler which we really need because our local water is disgusting.

So Aunty, here is my dilemma. I would like to cut back on the bikkies as they are not good for anyone’s health and I always eat them when I shouldn’t anyway. But I am sure if I ask my staff they will cut out the fruit.

What do you think? The bikkies or the fruit? Or the water??

Health or happiness,
Brisbane

Dear Health or happiness,

Are you nuts? Dump the bikkies. You have this lovely community activity with the local fruit man. Fruit also looks great in an office and it’s healthy. If staff don’t have biscuits on tap, then they will eat better or bring in their own.

While we love to consult our staff on everything from strategy to diet tips, I think this is a situation where you make an executive decision and announce to staff that the bikkies are gone. Make it a bit humorous, have a bit of fun and let them know the nice water and fruit stays. Staff can be very enterprising, you know. The next thing you know, your office will be holding bake-offs to see who can cook the best biscuits. And they may well organise a bikkie roster which is what some colleagues at one of my old workplaces did when the budgets were cut.

Be smart,
Your Aunty B

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