Chile: 5 p.m. Team Teatime ‘Once’ with Avocado Toast

5 p.m. Team Teatime 'Once' with Avocado Toast, Chile

Context: Chile’s Once Tradition

Many households in Chile pause for la once (OHN‑seh)—a ritualistic teatime—although timing and frequency vary by region, class, and schedule. Born in the 19th-century Atacama Desert when British mine operators introduced an elevenses-style tea break, once quickly took on a life of its own *. Legend has it that saltpeter miners used once as code (Spanish for “eleven”) to slip a dash of aguardiente (firewater) into their cups during brutal workdays *. Boozy tea might have faded with the old boomtowns, but the habit of gathering at day’s end endured, shifting to the twilight hours (5–7 p.m.) when modern Brits might have happy hour *.

Unlike a dainty English high tea, Chile’s once is hearty and egalitarian, though some Chileans debate its nutritional profile and how it fits alongside dinner and childcare. Slices of crusty marraqueta (mah‑rah‑KEH‑tah) bread, slathered in butter, jam, or the country’s beloved palta (avocado), anchor the table *. A strong cup of té or café and maybe a dulce (sweet) complete the spread. Across income levels and regions, many people enjoy bread, tea, and simple accompaniments at once, but menus and habits vary by household, age, and location *. For many, it serves as a daily pause to break bread (often literally) and catch up on life, while others treat once as dinner or skip it depending on routine and region. A 2014 documentary La Once even follows a circle of elderly friends who maintained 60 years of monthly tea gatherings, their lifelong bond brewed over countless cups *. In Chile and in diaspora communities, once isn’t just a snack – it’s a social glue, even as timing and menus evolve.

Meet Codelco

Chile’s largest company, Codelco, runs mammoth copper mines perched in remote deserts and Andes mountains *. Founded in 1976 after Chile nationalized its “salary of the nation” copper reserves *, the state-owned firm today employs nearly 18,000 people from drill operators to geologists. Shifts are long and often far from home – a typical rotation might mean 7–10 days living on a high-altitude work camp. In such extreme conditions and within a unionized context, crews have forged a proud minero camaraderie, with break policies often defined by collective agreements. The world saw a glimpse of this spirit in 2010, when 33 Chilean miners (at a private mine) survived 69 days underground through sheer unity and faith *. In the years that followed, leaders across the industry looked for ways to strengthen everyday bonds above ground.

In the early 2010s, some crews at large Chilean mines piloted a structured once‑style break to weave family‑like trust into the daily routine. At the end of the workday, a simple announcement signals that tools can be set aside for a voluntary break. From veteran foremen to new haul‑truck drivers, employees make their way to the casino (canteen), and contractors or service staff join when policy or union agreements permit. There, jumbo steel urns dispense hot tea and coffee, and platters overflow with local bread, cheese, and palta (avocado). A simple norm applies: this 30‑minute pause occurs within paid time and is voluntary, with no pressure to attend, no production discussions, and no negative consequences for opting out. Similar practices have been adopted by some teams at various sites and offices, with formats adapted to local contexts and schedules. In city offices, comparable breaks sometimes take place in break rooms decorated with mining memorabilia, without using diminutives or fixed times. Participants describe the once break as an important element of internal culture and a point of pride, even in a high‑tech, high‑pressure industry.

Once Ritual — Step-by-Step

Minute	Scene	Purpose
0–5	Whistle & wander – Shift leads sound a bell; crews wash up and stroll to the canteen, grabbing tin mugs.	Physical cue to pause work; transition out of “task mode.”
5–15	Tea & talk – Colleagues queue for tea or coffee and split up loaves of marraqueta (mah‑rah‑KEH‑tah). Small groups form at tables, chatting about family news, last night’s fútbol match, or light work anecdotes. Managers and mechanics sit shoulder-to-shoulder.	Unscripted socializing across hierarchy; builds trust and personal connection.
15–25	The sobremesa – As people finish eating, a brief sobremesa (post‑meal chat) forms, and a crew supervisor or viejo (respected old‑timer) may invite opt‑in micro‑recognition or a brief safety tip, avoiding surprise call‑outs or evaluations. Everyone chimes in with jokes or applause.	Micro-recognition and knowledge-sharing in a relaxed format; reinforces team identity.
25–30	Clean-up & return – Mugs get rinsed, crumbs brushed aside. Colleagues exchange one last handshake or pat on the back before heading out. The night-shift crew trickling in knows to give a friendly “buen provecho” (enjoy) to those finishing up.	Ritual closure, signaling a respectful end to break and smooth hand-off between shifts.

(Some offices shift this ritual to earlier hours to accommodate schedules, but the spirit remains: a communal coffee/tea break where colleagues can connect across roles.)

Why It Works — Bread, Bonding, and Brain Breaks

From an etic research perspective, sitting down to share food engages humans on a primal level. “Eating together is a more intimate act than looking over an Excel spreadsheet together. That intimacy spills back over into work,” notes Cornell researcher Kevin Kniffin *. From an evolutionary perspective, communal meals have always been “social glue” – our brains release bonding hormones and wellbeing chemicals when we break bread in a trusted group * *. Codelco’s once ritual taps into this deep wiring. The simple act of a supervisor pouring tea for a haul‑truck driver or everyone passing around an overflowing plate of bread with palta (avocado) reduces hierarchical distance. In the cozy informality of the casino, hierarchical distance is reduced and compañeros (mates) connect as people.

There’s also a neurological bonus: stepping away from the job’s demands for a brief period lets the brain’s focused circuits rest while the “default mode network” hums to life in the background. Creative insights often surface during these idle moments. It’s no coincidence that Chileans affectionately say some of the best ideas (and plenty of good-natured gossip) “se cuecen a la hora de once” – “brew at tea time.” By carving out a protected pause, teams can reduce mental fatigue and foster the kind of cross‑department chatter that supports innovation. In essence, the once ritual provides a workplace mental break: colleagues often return to tasks with renewed energy, a lighter mood, and a greater sense of togetherness.

Outcomes & Impact

The once tradition at Codelco is reported to have benefits, but rigorous evaluation is needed to establish magnitude and causality. If you measure it, compare teams that regularly partake in the once break to a matched comparison group using short, validated scales of belonging and psychological safety, rather than relying solely on anecdote. Mechanism: shared tea time with opt‑in micro‑recognition can increase belonging and psychological safety, which supports smoother shift handoffs; track this via handoff defects per shift and proxies such as cross‑team response rates or balanced speaking in meetings. (A media report noted that many firms perceived morale and loyalty benefits from bonding events, though methods and sample details were not specified *.)

On the ground, supervisors cite the once as a factor in improved safety and knowledge transfer. For example, mechanics from the day and night shifts now have a casual overlap window to swap maintenance tips over tea, reducing errors at shift turnover. Superintendents report that they often solve small problems during these breaks before they grow, emphasizing the value of informal overlap time. Some sites report modest declines in turnover in remote locations where isolation is a challenge, and leaders attribute part of this to providing a daily family‑style gathering, though audited HR data are not cited here.

Beyond the numbers, the cultural impact is powerful. The ritual is often used as a talking point in employer branding, with recruitment materials showing colleagues in orange coveralls chatting over once. It humanizes a job that can seem coldly mechanical. Chilean media often highlight how celebrating local traditions at work – from once breaks to office asados – “afianzan las relaciones en el equipo”, strengthening team bonds and motivation *. At many firms, once stories are shared with new hires as proof that even a large industrial operation can have a warm, communal heartbeat. In extraordinary moments, teams often draw on everyday solidarity to face challenges, although any direct connection to crisis outcomes remains unproven.

Lessons for Global Team Leaders

Principle	Why It Matters	How to Translate
Break bread together	Shared meals dissolve barriers and build trust through “social glue” *.	Provide regular team lunches, snack breaks, or potluck sessions — even a weekly 30‑minute bring‑your‑own version with a small stipend — including virtual options for distributed teams.
Local flavor, global impact	Rituals rooted in local culture feel authentic and engaging.	Adapt team activities to local customs (e.g., afternoon chai in India, mate circles in Argentina), credit the Chilean origin when drawing on once, use neutral naming outside Chile unless partnering locally, and consider sourcing from Chilean‑owned vendors; if highlighting avocado, use the neutral term palta and be mindful of water‑use debates.
All ranks, one table	Informal mingling across hierarchy sparks unity and knowledge-sharing.	Encourage leaders to join in casually (no speeches or suits), avoid any evaluation during the break, and mix departments and seniority levels at tables.
Consistent cadence	A ritual gains power through regularity and anticipation.	Schedule the bonding break at a set time within paid hours (daily or weekly), cap it at 30–45 minutes with groups of 8–12, and protect it in calendars so work doesn’t constantly override it.
Inclusive menu	Everyone should feel welcome and cared for.	Offer clearly labeled options for various diets and faith practices, including vegan, halal, kosher, and gluten‑free items, non‑bread choices, and decaf or herbal tea, and avoid alcohol; ensure the space is wheelchair‑accessible and provide a quiet area.

Implementation Playbook

Gauge interest & traditions. Survey your team about local social habits or comfort foods. Ask: “If we had a daily break, what would you want to have or do?” Use the input to choose a culturally resonant theme (tea time, taco Tuesday, etc.), and name an accountable owner, neutral facilitator, communications owner, and data owner for the pilot.
Secure a space and supplies. Set up a cozy break area – a pantry, lounge or even a picnic table outside. Estimate costs as 30 minutes of paid time plus roughly $2–$4 per person for snacks, stock the basics (kettle, coffee/tea, snacks) with clear allergen labels, and ensure the space is wheelchair‑accessible with a quiet area. If budgets are tight, rotate who brings goodies or offer a small stipend for bring‑your‑own.
Launch with leadership buy‑in and a one‑page communication that links the ritual to top priorities (e.g., safety, collaboration, retention), states it is voluntary with equivalent alternatives and no penalties, specifies time/place/norms, and describes anonymous data handling and 90‑day retention. Run a 6–8 week pilot with 2–4 teams meeting two times per week for 30 minutes in groups of 8–12, hosted by a neutral facilitator who models participation without making speeches. Leaders should signal that bonding time is valued while avoiding any sense of evaluation or obligation to attend. (Pro‑tip: credit Chilean once as the inspiration, avoid costume or flag decor, partner with local vendors where possible, and secure HR/Legal review before the pilot.)
Keep it voluntary and light. Invite everyone but make participation strictly voluntary, provide a socially safe opt‑out and an equivalent alternative such as a quiet break or async stipend, and ensure there is no performance penalty for non‑participation. During the break, keep the focus on personal connection, not work topics. Toss out casual prompts if needed (e.g. “What’s one thing you learned this week?”) to get conversation flowing, then let it self-organize.
Adapt and evolve. After a month, gather anonymous, minimal feedback using a short voluntary 3‑item belonging scale and a 4‑item psychological safety short form, define a named data owner, retain data no longer than 90 days, and obtain HR/Legal review. Are people showing up? Do they prefer a different time or variety of snacks? Define success thresholds (+0.3 on 5‑point belonging and psychological safety scales and ≥70% voluntary opt‑in), track a lagging metric such as a 15% reduction in handoff defects, set stop rules (any safety incident, <40% opt‑in, or a negative safety pulse), and then adjust the ritual to fit your team’s rhythm. The goal is to make it sustainable, so let the team co-own its evolution.

Common Pitfalls

Turning the break into a meeting. Nothing undermines the once/fika atmosphere faster than a manager using it to make announcements or discuss deadlines. Keep it social; any work talk should bubble up organically, not as an agenda.
Inconsistent commitment. If leadership trumpets the ritual then skips it regularly or schedules over it, employees will assume it’s lip service. Make sure managers consistently participate (or at least briefly join), avoid scheduling outside paid hours or into overtime, and ensure the company truly treats it as protected time.
One-size-fits-all rollout. Global companies shouldn’t carbon‑copy the Chilean once everywhere; instead, credit the Chilean origin and adapt respectfully to local contexts. A forced tea time in a culture that prefers something else will fall flat, and organizations should avoid safety‑critical windows and fasting periods. Instead, export the concept of a communal break but localize the execution and naming to fit schedules, power distance, union or policy constraints, and religious calendars (different snack, different name, same spirit).
Excluding certain groups. Be mindful of remote staff, off‑shift crews, caregivers, and anyone who can’t join the main break. Find ways to include them — for example, offer multiple time slots including earlier options, schedule a separate once for night shift, provide a virtual join option for remote colleagues with a stipend to grab a coffee or snack, and respect prayer and holiday calendars. The ritual only builds unity if it’s bridging gaps, not widening them.

Reflection & Call to Action

In the high-pressure world of mining, a simple teatime has proven mighty. Picture a diverse team of Chilean miners and staff laughing over mugs of tea and bread with palta — it’s a scene of camaraderie that any team, in any industry, can aspire to. As many Chileans say, “compartir” — simply sharing time together — can be reason enough to gather, a sentiment echoed in local reporting and documentaries such as La Once. Whether it’s instituting a Friday bagel breakfast, a monthly potluck, or your own late‑afternoon “fourth meal,” the message is the same: we are more than our job titles; we are people who thrive when we connect.

Try it. Boil a kettle, invite folks to gather, and share 15–30 minutes of real conversation. You may be surprised how this small ritual can slice through silos and spark joy on even the toughest days. Chile’s once teaches us that building a strong team can be as straightforward as sharing a loaf of bread and a story. In a world where everyone is pressed for time, the teams that make time for togetherness will forge bonds that carry them through challenges.