November Workplace Insights: Burnout, Budget Shifts, and the Protein Power Plays

This month’s workplace signals are impossible to ignore: burnout is costing employers millions, grocery inflation is reshaping how people find value, and protein has gone from gym fuel to a daily staple. Together, they reveal a workforce recalibrating around energy, balance, and care. From nutrient-rich snacks to smarter spend strategies, the pantry has once again become the clearest window into what employees need most right now.

The Snack-Sized Solution to Burnout’s $5M+ Price Tag

Burnout is costing employers over $5M each year and driving 42% of voluntary turnover.

Five years after the pandemic, burnout remains one of the workplace’s most expensive and misunderstood problems. According to new Dayforce research, workplace stress is now the fifth leading cause of death in the US, ahead of both Alzheimer’s and kidney disease (YIKES!). Fatigue is only part of it; chronic stress is reshaping how employees experience their jobs and their lives.

Gen Z workers are entering their careers already depleted, drained by structural and financial stressors that stack up fast.

• Rising financial pressure: High rent and inflation outpacing entry-level paychecks.
• Student debt drag: Many start their careers already thousands in the red.
• Uncertain security: Homeownership and retirement feel increasingly out of reach.
• Emotional fatigue: Constant comparison and instability blur boundaries between work and rest.

At the same time, nutrition experts are calling out how food, down to even one skipped snack or meal, can quietly feed that exhaustion. Functional burnout doesn’t always look like collapse; it often looks like living on coffee, skipping lunch, and pushing through one more spreadsheet before you allow yourself to get up and grab a snack or a glass of water. These patterns destabilize blood sugar and elevate cortisol, the same hormone that fuels the stress response. Over time, they drain energy, blunt focus, and amplify anxiety.

The tea: At Crafty, we’ve seen that the companies competing hardest for top talent, like fintech, financial services, and SaaS, are investing in pantry programs designed to break that cycle. With food making up nearly 10% of the average American’s budget, access to thoughtful, nutrient-rich options at work not only fuels performance; it eases financial pressure and serves as a real, daily antidote to burnout.

Let’s look at the San Francisco Bay Area as an example. After years of remote-first culture, Bay Area organizations aren’t just returning to the office, but they’re returning to experience. Food is at the center of that shift, anchoring how people reconnect, refuel, and rebuild their daily rhythms.

The Bay Area at the industry level:

• Fintech firms are leading the investment, averaging $56,345 per month per office, more than double the Bay Area average. Their programs prioritize high-protein, macro-friendly staples that sustain long, analytical workdays.
• Financial services companies follow at $22,460 per month per office, centering on reliability and routine with premium coffee, balanced snacks, and daily refueling options that anchor hybrid schedules.
• SaaS organizations average $18,650 per month per office, blending grab-and-go convenience with high-performance nutrition, including bars, yogurts, and fresh fruit that support short, focused office days.

The Bay Area product trends:

• Fueling snacks like bars, nuts, and yogurt are seeing the fastest growth, driven by employees seeking protein and fiber for sustained energy. Think! Bars, Barebells, and Fage Greek Yogurt are consistent top performers in Bay Area offices.
• Functional sips from sparkling water to electrolyte mixes are replacing high-sugar options, aligning with the Bay’s wellness-first mindset. Spindrift Lemon and Olipop stand out as favorites for hydration and enjoyment.
• Fresh finds such as fruit, deli items, and breads are on the rise as employees turn the pantry into a light-meal station, mixing simple, nourishing options like Olli Prosciutto & Mozzarella Snack Packs, Wholly Guacamole, and seasonal produce.

These shifts in the Bay Area point to something deeper happening across the workplace: employers are starting to treat food as both a wellness intervention and a form of economic empathy. Consistent access to nourishing choices lightens two burdens at once: the physiological stress that drives burnout and the financial pressure that amplifies it. The smartest companies aren’t just feeding their teams; they’re quietly redesigning the conditions that make it worth it to commute into the office while sustaining performance across their teams.

Turn Grocery Cuts into Pantry Wins

Consumers are cutting back, but that doesn’t mean they want less.

In October, grocery inflation quietly picked up again. Prices are rising across the board, and shoppers are adapting fast:

• Coffee: Up 20% year-over-year, hitting an average of $8.87 per pound.
• Ground beef: Up 13%, reaching a record $6.32 per pound.
• Bananas: Up 6%, even as one of the most affordable grocery staples.

As prices climb, shoppers are changing how they buy. They’re sticking to lists, choosing smaller package sizes, and using more coupons to keep costs in check. Even middle-income households are getting strategic and making more frequent trips with fewer items per basket, swapping stores, and trading brands to stretch budgets further.

The latest data shows this isn’t a temporary adjustment but a deeper shift in grocery behavior. Inflation, tariffs, and rising commodity costs are pushing companies to raise prices across everyday categories. As a result, consumers are making trade-offs that prioritize function.

What was once a routine errand has become a small act of calculation: what to skip, what to stretch, and what’s still worth paying for. Even those who can afford to spend more are showing restraint, waiting for deals, and redefining what counts as a “treat.” It’s a quiet recalibration of comfort and control; one that also bleeds into how employees value the workplace pantry.

The tea: With grocery prices rising across every aisle, the workplace pantry has become one of the few places where employees still feel a sense of stability.

If you want to make your office worth coming to, you have to give employees items worth coming for. When someone loves their protein-packed chips or that functional spin on root beer but can’t justify buying it at the grocery store, giving it to them at work turns it into a small, daily reward for coming into the office.

The key is being smart about it. Use reporting to shift spend from low-impact items to the ones that matter. Crafty’s AI-powered Pantry Improvements flag easy swaps so you can bring in seasonal, budget-friendly, or just exciting new picks. It’s a simple way to make the office feel more rewarding without spending more.

Here’s what that can look like in practice:

• Maybe you’re stocking a bunch of chips that aren’t moving, but breakfast items are flying off the shelves because employees are trying to save by eating at work. Shift that chip budget into more breakfast options or higher-end picks like protein-packed yogurt.
• Maybe you’ve got too many sparkling water varieties, but only two flavors actually get consumed. Scale back to those favorites and add a coconut water or hydration-focused drink to bring in electrolytes and freshness.
• Maybe bar spend is running high, and budgets are tight. Try mini variety packs that still give employees what they love without overspending.

The key to a successful pantry isn’t how much you offer; it’s what you offer in relation to what your employees find valuable. When every item is chosen with intention, the pantry becomes both a form of financial relief and a meaningful benefit that drives engagement and retention.

PepsiCo Bets Big on Protein

PepsiCo is putting protein at the center of its beverage playbook.

PepsiCo is expanding its portfolio with a wave of new protein-enhanced drinks designed to meet how people actually fuel their day:

• Propel Clear Protein combines electrolytes and fiber to help GLP-1 users stay hydrated and satisfied.
• Muscle Milk is being reformulated to remove artificial sweeteners and colors while offering a smoother texture for everyday consumption.
• Starbucks Protein Coffee, developed in partnership with PepsiCo, blends caffeine, protein, and vitamins into one balanced, functional sip.

This surge in protein innovation is about meeting a growing demand for sustainable energy and smarter nutrition. Protein plays a key role in balancing blood sugar, supporting focus, and preventing the peaks and crashes that drain productivity. As more people use GLP-1 medications or adopt mindful eating habits, they’re seeking food and drinks that deliver steady fuel.

The tea: We’ve seen this trend take over workplace pantries, too. Protein-specific snacks and drinks are up 88% year-over-year across Crafty-powered programs. Here are a few of the most popular protein-forward brands fueling this shift:

• Barebells: Smooth, dessert-style bars with 20g of protein and just 1–2g of sugar.
• Quest: Functional favorites that pack 16–21g of protein per bar or serving of chips, offering a “better-for-you” twist on comfort flavors.
• fairlife: Ultra-filtered milk and ready-to-drink shakes with 26–42g of protein and 50% less sugar than traditional options.
• Think!: Portable bars that deliver 20g of protein with 0g of sugar, offering quick, satisfying fuel that doesn’t feel overly processed.
• OWYN: Plant-based shakes offering 20g of protein from pea, pumpkin, and flax seeds and free from top allergens.

This trend isn’t slowing down. With protein continuing to be the star ingredient, we expect even more high-protein snacks and functional beverages to hit shelves in 2026. The end of the year is the perfect time to test what resonates while office traffic and consumption slow down during the holiday season. Add a few protein-rich options now, gather feedback, and be ready to scale when wellness goals and New Year’s resolutions kick in this January.

Conclusion

The workplace continues to evolve from a place of presence to a place of purpose. As burnout, inflation, and wellness priorities converge, food is emerging as one of the most tangible ways companies show care and strategy. Heading into 2026, the smartest workplaces aren’t just stocking shelves; they’re curating experiences that sustain focus, ease financial pressure, and make every in-office day feel worth it.