Does your office coffee taste terrible or not as good as you’d like? Find out the mistakes you’re making and how to make better coffee at your office.

Let’s face it, office coffee is never the best coffee.

It’s bleak, it’s bland and for whatever reason, it just never tastes as good as the coffee shop down the street. Despite its bad reputation, we find ourselves drinking cup-after-cup and depending on it to power us through tiresome afternoons.

But, what if office coffee didn’t have to be so bad after all? In fact, what if office coffee could somehow transition into an enjoyable drinking experience?

As it turns out, office coffee doesn’t always have to resemble a sad cup of Joe. If you’re interested in learning how to make better coffee at your office, you’ve come to the right place. We’re showcasing five simple tips and tricks for turning your office coffee experience into a pleasant one.

Let’s get started!

1. Opt for Fresh Ground Beans 

Is your office stuck in the sixties with instant coffee?

You know, the ground coffee beans that dissolve when placed in hot water? Sure, it’s utterly convenient and it can be made anywhere with hot water. Perhaps this is why 34 percent of retail brewed coffee around the world is instant.

Regardless of convenience, we all know that fresh ground coffee produces superior coffee. So, if you have the time and the budget, why not spring for the better option?

With this, you can either ground your coffee beans yourself or simply buy freshly ground coffee beans. While this does involve using a coffee machine or a device such as a french press, it’s always going to make for a more enjoyable experience.

2. Buy a French Press 

A french press is one of the most simple and effective means of making great coffee.

Unlike a coffee machine, it doesn’t have to be plugged in, use energy or take up prime counter space. Instead, you can simply store it in the office cabinet without the fear that it’s going to take up too much space.

A French press works through steeping coarse ground coffee inside of a beaker. Once the coffee has steeped, a mesh filter will be pushed to the bottom of the beaker and separate the grounds from the liquid coffee. It takes about 4 minutes to brew, but is worth the wait.

Of course, it’s your decision whether you opt for a single-use french press or a large, group-size french press.

3. Use Filtered Water 

It’s time to up your water game!

Who knew that filtered water could make such a difference in your day-to-day coffee routine? This is especially the case for those locales in which simple tap water doesn’t taste the best.

Sure, filtering your water for your coffee but sound silly at first. But, remember, coffee is 98.75 percent 98.75 percent water. When we consider this fact, it’s easier to see why the quality of your water matters so much.

At the end of the day, water is not supposed to have a distinct taste. In a way, water is supposed to taste like nothing. This means that you’re going to be enjoying the pure taste of coffee rather than the lake down the street.

4. B.Y.O.M.

Let’s be honest, the mug in which we drink can make or break our coffee experience.

Do you find yourself drinking out of a sad, uninspiring styrofoam cup at work? Or, what about a red plastic cup that was leftover from the work party last Thursday? Not only do disposable cups make for a bad drinking experience, but they’re also incredibly harmful to the planet.

If you don’t think a reusable mug is going to make a difference, it’s time to think again. Let’s consider that just one disposable coffee cup contains 0.24 pounds of carbon greenhouse gas emissions. It’s easy to see how utilizing even one disposable cup per day will get out of hand.

Instead, make a point in bringing your own mug from home every single day. You can opt to leave it at work throughout the week to make this easier.

Of course, there’s no denying that this is way better for the planet. But, it’s also sure to elevate your coffee drinking experience! With such a simple transition, you’re going to feel more relaxed and enjoy your cup of Joe all the more.

5. Start a Workplace Coffee Rotation 

It’s officially time for all coffee lovers to unite!

If you seriously want to make a point in bettering your office coffee, why not start a coffee club or coffee rotation with your co-workers. This could entail each person bringing in different types of coffee beans each week.

One month could feature all local roasteries and serve as a way to get to know the coffee roasters in your neighborhood. The next month could feature coffee beans from one specific coffee-producing country such as Costa Rica.

This will be a fun way to try different types of coffee and to encourage a better coffee atmosphere amongst your work environment!

How to Make Better Coffee 

If there’s one thing the majority of co-workers can ususally agree on it’s this: The coffee machine at work sucks.

As a result, this coffee machine often sits in the corner of the office seemingly untouched. To get their daily caffeine fix, employees jaunt down the street to the local cafe. Here, they spend their hard-earned money on overpriced and underdelivered coffee.

So, what can be done about sad office coffee, you ask?

It’s time to make office coffee great again.

If you’re wondering how to make better coffee, be sure to use this guide to lead the way. Not only will you have the privilege of good quality office coffee, but your co-workers are going to be eternally grateful.

All hail the coffee Gods.

 

Small businesses officially have more options for health insurance than ever before. In the past, health insurance has been costly for small businesses especially. This led to many businesses choosing to opt out of health insurance coverage altogether, leaving employees unprotected.

The good news is that times are changing. Health care is becoming easier for small businesses to navigate, and this is a benefit for both employees and companies. Employees today value health insurance over a lot of other benefits.

Today, 88% of employees consider the quality of health benefits important when choosing a job. If you want to stay competitive and attract top candidates, you need health benefits. In this guide, we’ll discuss the best health insurance plans for your employees and your business.

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Small Business Health Insurance Program

The first option is to get coverage through the Small Business Health Insurance Program (SHOP) marketplace. This is a marketplace for businesses that have under 50 full-time employees, and at least 70% of your employees need to enroll in the chosen plan.

Any small business that chooses this option has to pay a fixed premium for the policy, though a portion of these costs can be passed along to employees. Like most employer-sponsored plans, the employee will be responsible for copays and deductibles when seeking services.

Reimbursement Arrangement

A reimbursement arrangement is just what it sounds like. This option was created in 2016, and it’s officially known as the Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement (QSEHRA). With this program, businesses with under 50 employees can offer a monthly allowance of tax-free money.

Employees can use this money in a number of ways. They can purchase their own health insurance through a private insurer or the federal marketplace. They can pay out-of-pocket for health expenses. Basically, it allows a lot of employee and employer flexibility.

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Self-Funded Insurance

Sometimes it doesn’t make sense to go through a third-party insurance provider. In these instances, the small business itself acts as the insurance provider. This means the small business pays for any health care claims with money that’s kept in a secure trust.

This might sound risky, but there are a lot of limitations in place to make this a much more formal, secure arrangement. Most businesses pair the fund with a stop-loss policy to ensure there’s not too much risk when paying employee claims.

Association Health Plans

A recent option that just became available for small businesses is access to association health plans (AHP). WIth an association health plan, small businesses can band together to purchase large-group coverage or self-insure. Generally, small businesses group by profession, geographic region, or industry.

These plans work similarly to a normal group policy, and they’re much more affordable. However, it’s important to note that these AHPs don’t need to cover the essential health benefits like Affordable Care Act compliant policies need to.

Supplemental Health Insurance

Finally, consider offering supplemental health insurance to your employees. Many people don’t realize that most traditional plans don’t offer coverage for “extras” like dental, vision, and so on. These are must-have services, so a bit of supplemental coverage goes a long way.

You can find supplemental health plans from most private insurance providers, and they’re very low in cost compared to traditional medical coverage. This is a great perk to offer employees that won’t break your budget. Find out more about vision insurance fast quotes at HealthMarkets.

How to Choose the Best Coverage

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to healthcare. As a small business, it’s up to you to understand your budget and employees’ needs. The right coverage is one that takes all of these things into account and makes you a competitive employer in your area.

It’s easy to overlook the importance of health insurance, but now’s the time to find the best option for your business. Are you ready to take this step to bring your business to the next level?