A typical candy jar. Image Source.
You see them when you’re trying to get a loan for a home or a car. You see them when you have a chat with your child’s school principal. And if you work in Corporate America, you might even have one of these yourself. They’re the office candy jar. And they’re the source of an ongoing debate.
A candy jar sitting atop a desk in an office setting. Image Source.
Some say these office candy jars are a source of unwanted weight gain for those easily tempted to grab more than their fair share. Others say it’s a great way for fellow officemates to converse and get to know one another. Some debates don’t even concern the good vs. the bad of having one; rather they are concerned with whether or not one given type of candy sends a different message about an individual than another type of candy. There has even been a debate regarding the etiquette of approaching the candy jar in an office setting.
Regardless of what debates you may have heard of regarding the mysterious appeal of the office candy jar, there’s no debate about its ability to foster connections between two individuals in an office setting, whether it be between an employer and an employee, between two fellow office mates, or between a client and a business owner.
A family approaches a desk with a candy jar. Image Source.
In many cases, these connections may not have even occurred if the candy jar was never there to begin with. Ever walk past your boss’ office, spot the candy jar sitting atop their desk in all its glory, and get the strongest urge to ask them if you could help yourself to a piece? Or maybe YOU’RE the head honcho with the candy jar and you’ve got dozens of employees, clients, and other visitors dropping by your office each day.
Regardless of the scenario, both of these cases resemble perfect stepping stones to successful networking. A simple conversation attributed to the presence of the candy jar, even a conversation starting off with a simple “These are great! Where did you get these [candies] from?”, could eventually lead to an individual getting a sale, closing a contract, or creating a connection that could later benefit them in other ways. It may also facilitate engaging conversations between employees who would not otherwise have any social interaction with each other outside of business matters, such as two employees working for two different departments.
Image by Britt Erlanson via Getty.
Best of all, the candy jar has no boundaries with regards to what connections may stem from it. Is your desk the front desk of a place of business? Leave a welcoming jar of candy in front and you’ll have everyone from clients in the waiting room to the random people asking for directions, walking over to your desk. They may have otherwise been compelled to simply ask others closer in proximity to them had the candy jar not been present to lure them. You never know, you may find yourself leaving the front desk job for a supervisory position elsewhere when you come to the realization that the older gentleman asking for directions is your future employer for your dream job!
Want something even better than run-of-the-mill candy to build your network? Contact us about our custom branding services that feature your company logo and color scheme on candies that your clients and customers will be sure to enjoy!
