MADISON, Wis., May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- With smart phones, flex
hours and mobile hot spots, it's no secret that people spend more time
working. In fact, the eight-hour day is a virtual memory. Americans now
face, on average, a nine-and-a-half hour workday(1). Oscar Mayer Deli
Creations, which helps make the most of the lunch break, recently set out to
gauge the impact of the increasingly heated-up workplace.
The Deli Creations Office Heats Up Survey(2) found that employees are
having a tough time carving out personal time for themselves during the day to
get a break and eat lunch, as well as after work to meet that special someone.
While more than one-third of respondents would like to use their lunch break
to find some "me" time, it looks like there is precious little time available;
70 percent of survey respondents say they take 10 minutes or less for
lunch(2).
And if there's not even time to grab a quick bite, then finding time to
meet a special someone outside the office is almost impossible. Nearly seven
out of 10 singles (67 percent) (2) have had a relationship with a co-worker at
some point in their careers.
"The office has become the new spot for meeting someone who melts your
heart," says actress Melora Hardin, who is familiar with office romance; her
character, Dunder Mifflin's rigid former corporate boss Jan Levenson on NBC's
"The Office," dates Regional Manager Michael Scott. "With longer workdays,
singles are more likely to find someone to date at work than take a break for
lunch."
Where Workplace Relationships Heat Up
Oscar Mayer Deli Creations, which is introducing new hot and melty
flatbread sandwiches, took a close look to find out in what cities single
employees are most likely to have their hearts melted by a colleague. The
ranking of select U.S. cities(3) where singles are most likely to have dated a
co-worker is:
1. New York 6. Minneapolis
2. Tampa, Fla. 7. Los Angeles
3. Richmond, Va. 8. Charlotte, N.C.
4. Cincinnati 9. Boston
5. San Francisco 10. Chicago
The survey also found that power doesn't necessarily make someone
desirable. In fact, 63 percent(2) of Americans report they've never been
attracted to their boss.
Making the Most of the Lunch "Hour"
The majority(2) of Americans think the hot lunch has gone the way of the
typewriter. In fact, more than 75 percent(2) think a hot lunch is impossible
due to cost, inconvenience and lack of time. But that doesn't mean they can't
make the most of the little time they do have for a lunch break. Oscar Mayer
just introduced Deli Creations Flatbread Sandwiches, a great choice for those
looking for ways to heat up their lunch. Each Oscar Mayer Deli Creations
Flatbread Sandwich is a build-your-own lunch option that is easy to assemble
and heats in the microwave in just a minute, giving Americans the hot and
melty moment they deserve. They include items from the Kraft family of
great-tasting products such as high quality deli meats, specialty sauces and
natural cheeses, and also include a soft flatbread. Now couples can enjoy a
hot and melty lunch break (albeit quick) without having to go out.
In five delicious, sandwich shop-inspired varieties -- Buffalo-Style Ranch
Chicken, Chicken & Bacon Ranch, Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken, Fajita Beef & Salsa
and Steakhouse Beef with Garlic Parmesan sauce -- Oscar Mayer Deli Creations
Flatbread Sandwiches make it easier than ever to enjoy a deliciously hot lunch
that's ready in 60 seconds. Available nationwide in May 2008, Oscar Mayer
Deli Creations Flatbread Sandwiches can be found in your grocer's refrigerated
meat case section and have a suggested retail price of $2.99. For more
information, please visit http//www.deli-creations.com.
Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) is one of the world's largest food and beverage
companies, with 2007 revenues of more than $37 billion. For more than 100
years, Kraft has offered consumers delicious and wholesome foods that fit the
way they live. Kraft markets a broad portfolio of iconic brands in more than
150 countries, including nine brands with revenues exceeding $1 billion: Kraft
cheeses, dinners and dressings; Oscar Mayer meats; Philadelphia cream cheese;
Maxwell House coffee; Nabisco cookies and crackers and its Oreo brand; Jacobs
coffees, Milka chocolates and LU biscuits. Kraft is listed in the Standard &
Poor's 100 and 500 indexes. The company is a member of the Dow Jones
Sustainability Index and the Ethibel Sustainability Index. For more
information, visit the company's web site at http://www.kraft.com.
1 The National Sleep Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated
to improving public health and safety by achieving understanding of
sleep and sleep disorders, conducted a telephone survey on work and
sleep habits with a targeted random sample of 1,000 people (age 18
and up) nationwide. All results are representative of the American
population. Telephone interviews were conducted between September 25
and November 19, 2007.
2 Impulse Research Corporation, a full-service market research firm,
conducted online surveys with 1,046 single people (age 18 and up)
nationwide. Results were collected from a random sample of 1,046 men
and women, 18 and over, representing a cross-section of the United
States. All participants are members of the CyberPulseTM Advisory
Panel. All results are representative of the American population.
All online surveys were conducted in March 2007 and March 2008.
Impulse Research is headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif.
3 Rankings based on selected 10 U.S. cities including: New York City,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Tampa, San Francisco, Boston,
Cincinnati, Richmond/Norfolk, and Charlotte.
