LSU Research Bites: A common myth about food insecurity is disproved

November 03, 2025

A common understanding about food insecurity is that it “isn’t a workplace concern.” But LSU researchers weren’t convinced. In a study published in Personnel Psychology, they put this understanding to the test.

The researchers, including Michael Johnson from the Rucks Department of Management in the E. J. Ourso College of Business and PhD alumnus Francisco Moreno, surveyed hundreds of employees across various industries about their workplace and food insecurity experiences. They also asked these employees' co-workers to rate their performance.

PROBLEM: Food insecurity is a rising problem in the U.S. and globally, but is it really “not a workplace concern”?

Solution: Michael Johnson in the Rucks Department of Management and PhD alumnus Francisco Moreno surveyed hundreds of employees in various industries. They asked co-workers to rate employees' performance.

Findings: Food insecurity triggered rumination and lowered work performance. Free meals at work only made things worse, increasing anxiety. What helped? Having a supportive supervisor.

Impact: Employees who feel supported are more likely to turn to supervisors to discuss their situation and ways to ease concerns.

They found that food insecurity has real costs to businesses because it affects employees’ work performance. Food insecurity causes people to ruminate at work (e.g. “I can’t stop thinking about my food situation”), which directly impacts their work performance and outcomes.

“Management scholars have largely overlooked the effect food insecurity has on employees,” the researchers write.

Michael Johnson, left, from the Rucks Department of Management in the E. J. Ourso College of Business and PhD alumnus Francisco Moreno.

These workplace food benefits were ineffective and seemed to exacerbate employees' concerns about their food insecurity, rather than alleviating the issue. In contrast, having a supportive supervisor was most effective.

“Having a supervisor who offers a ‘listening ear’ is much more impactful than offering free snacks or meal discounts,” Johnson said. “The good news is that training supportive supervisors has been shown to have widespread beneficial impacts across work issues (e.g., turnover, workplace morale, performance).”

While public and economic policy are crucial in addressing food insecurity, businesses can implement concrete changes (e.g., training better and more supportive leaders) to help mitigate the negative effects of food insecurity in the workplace.

Read the study: Moreno, F. J., Bigelow, B., & Johnson, M. A. (2025). Working on an Empty Stomach: How Food Insecurity Impacts Job Performance Through Rumination. Personnel Psychology.

The lead author on this study, Francisco Moreno, recently graduated from LSU’s management PhD program and is now an assistant professor at Michigan State University.

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