With the great resignation continuing to affect many organizations, the employees that have chosen to remain are working harder than ever. Fewer employees often means longer hours for many on the team. But in this rush to complete all the tasks, the importance of taking breaks should not be forgotten. Setting up your office with the right breakroom furniture can ensure your team has everything they need to refresh and recharge for their day. From breakroom tables to comfortable couches, read on for our tips for creating the perfect breakroom layout.
Refresh and Refuel
When the afternoon slump hits, often the best remedy is caffeine or a snack. Be sure to include a coffee maker, fridge, and a pantry stocked with healthy snacks to give your team a boost of energy. No breakroom can be complete without including these vital elements. Including these items in your layout will also provide a great place for people to stop for lunch and connect with their colleagues. Or to gather for some spontaneous collaboration over a cup of coffee.
When employees are comfortable at work it has a direct effect on their morale and performance.
Grabbing a snack can help employees maintain a healthy blood sugar level and possibly speed up their metabolism. Refueling with a snack can also have an effect on productivity by energizing their minds and improving concentration. Easily accessible snacks and healthy drink options will help your team avoid hunger-related weariness and irritability at work.
Relax and Recharge
Comfort is increasingly becoming a workplace priority. After working from home for an extended period of time, many employees are looking for the same benefits in their office. The breakroom is a perfect place to make this a reality. Include a mix of breakroom tables and comfortable couches and chairs. No matter if an employee is stopping in to eat their lunch or kick back and recline, they will find what they need in a well-designed breakroom.
When employees are comfortable at work it has a direct effect on their morale and performance. When it comes to an office environment, we know that comfort can range from the temperature of the building to the availability of ergonomic chairs and keyboards to the right use of colors. But incorporating some of the comforts of home into your breakroom furniture can’t hurt!
Respite and Retreat
Open floor plans have been on the rise in many industries but this can create an issue. If instead of a break room you have a break area, this could cause distractions for your employees who are not on break. There should be a clear separation between the space for a break and the space for work. If this isn’t possible by designating a separate room. Consider adding dividers or more acoustic furniture. Even if you can’t offer a visual barrier, you can help break the noise so that focus work can stay focused.
And while breakroom furniture won’t make your team more engaged, a breakroom that brings community and life back into the workplace might help.
By separating the space from the rest of the office, you encourage your employees to use this as a retreat. Working for long stretches of time has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, stress-related diseases, and repetitive strain injuries. These effects on your health are severe and should be of the most concern. But working without breaks actually negatively affects work performance. Improved focus, energy, productivity, reduced stress and therefore increased morale and engagement are just a few of the benefits of frequent breaks.
Reconnect and Rebuild
Community. This is one of the top reasons hybrid workers come to the office. There are only so many meetings you can attend virtually. And even though you may talk to your team every day there is something so different about the energy in a face-to-face interaction when there are no screens in between.
Your breakroom furniture should create an environment where your employees can reconnect and rebuild these relationships. The breakroom tables should be configured so that there is adequate space for your team to come together. Because even though a breakroom table isn’t meant for meetings, often some of the best collaborations and ideas are generated when the right people are in the right space.
Breaks are important to all organizations no matter the size. And no matter how it is laid out, breakroom furniture can make your breakroom a relaxing retreat, or just another stop on the path to punching a time card. Employees are looking for so much more from the office.
As a result of the pandemic, there has been a fundamental shift. Employees are seeking to find joy and fulfillment in work. And while breakroom furniture won’t make your team more engaged, a breakroom that brings community and life back into the workplace might help.
