Wait. Let me explain.

The workplace coffee station says A LOT about the company you work for. I mean, that’s one of the spots employees frequent for a quick fix when the deadlines are looming, when catching up on the latest office gossip, for the coffee addicts (that’s a topic for another day), or when Mondays are just… Mondays.

Coffee is an indicator of what a company thinks about its employees. You walk into the kitchen and the kettle looks like it survived World War II. The milk options don’t consider lactose-intolerant Bob sitting quietly in the corner. The brown sugar is mixed with the white.

The display? Not giving.

Oh, and don’t get me started on the quality of the actual coffee (please don’t think we won’t notice the coffee has been given a little “rebrand” by being poured into a branded container. We know.)

My point is: it’s not just about coffee. It’s about the experience. We spend a substantial amount of our lives in the workplace. The question is. Is the company intentional about the environment its employees actually spend their eight hours?

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Does the company culture inspire the out-of-the-box thinking and solution-driven mindset it demands? Or does it feel like another cost that must be minimized?

Let’s be honest. Yes, employees are happy to pack their laptops at 16:59 and go de-stress. However, maybe the workplace can do its part to at least meet employees halfway by ensuring the “little things” – like coffee – are considered.

Don’t get me wrong.

Bad coffee doesn’t automatically mean the workplace is terrible. There are always bigger priorities and, well, some people genuinely don’t care about coffee. And no, I’m not saying companies should serve single-origin beans imported from Uganda with dark chocolate on the side (although that would be nice).

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What I’m saying is that companies should take their employees seriously and create an environment that is appreciative of the value they bring. The big culture statements on the wall may tell you what a company considers its values to be. But sometimes, it’s the coffee that tells you what it actually values.

So, as I write this (while taking a sip from my coffee), I want you to think about this:

Is your workplace coffee a red flag?

Or is it simply just a bad cup of coffee? Maybe the answer isn’t in the coffee itself. Maybe it’s in what the coffee represents. Because culture isn’t only built in boardrooms, strategy documents and big employee engagement campaigns.

Sometimes, it’s built in the little things people experience every day.

Dineo Mathebula is a writer, content strategist and producer with over 11 years’ experience across radio, television and digital media. Her work explores culture, work, lifestyle and the conversations shaping how we live and connect. She is passionate about turning ideas and conversations into thoughtful, engaging stories that make people stop, think and talk.