Goldman Sachs knows the way to a banker’s heart is a free meal

Companies are treading a fine line, allowing flexibility while trying to fill expensive office space and reinvigorate their business culture

'With more businesses returning to the office, our cafes are becoming increasingly important.'

Companies from Goldman Sachs Group to Havas are hoping the way to their employees’ hearts is through their stomachs as they try to lure staff back to the office.

At Goldman Sachs, free breakfast, lunch and ice cream are part of the pitch to convince UK employees to leave the comfort of their homes, where some have worked since March 2020 when the pandemic took hold. One of the most vocal proponents of bringing everyone back even allows those meals to be enjoyed on Plumtree Court’s landscaped roof garden — once reserved for clients and visiting royalty.