The components of a great office break room
11 February 2021
The components of a great office break room
When it comes to running an office, it’s important to provide an atmosphere where productivity and success can bloom and flourish. While making sure your employees are on task is a large part of that, the other part is ensuring that they have adequate space and time to take a minute to take their minds off work, breathe a few deep breaths, and re-focus their minds so that they can return to their work with a refreshed and alert mental state. To guarantee your employees are getting what they need out of their breaks, it helps to make sure your office is supplied with the all the components that make up a great break room.
Storage Lockers or Cabinets
It’s important that you provide your employees with adequate storage space; this helps ensure that they can keep their workspace neat and organized which will help your employees focus better as mess and clutter can be distracting for anyone. Whether you want to provide each individual member of your team with their own personal storage locker, or you want to install basic cubbies, just make sure you’re giving your workers a place where they can easily and safely store their personal items.
Coffee Supplies
An ongoing brew of coffee is essential for any office to function properly, so make sure to have a surplus on hand. Not only do you want to supply your workers with adequate caffeine, but make sure to have all the accessories they might enjoy as well; creamer, sugar, extra mugs, and anything else that would make your employees’ coffee experience a little more desirable will assist in keeping them alert and focused, and when a stressful day is ahead, a perfect cup of coffee in the morning makes all the difference.
Healthy Snacks
Grazing on healthy food periodically throughout the day helps the mind stay focused, and stocking up on some healthy snacks in the break room would be beneficial in keeping your employees running on sustainable energy. Coffee is great for a boost, but nutrient-rich snacks like fruit, granola bars, and nuts would help your workers avoid the irritating jitteriness that comes along with drinking too much caffeine on an empty stomach. A small gesture goes a long way; and showing you care about their physical comfort would be a great opportunity to express your appreciation for their time and efforts.
Entertainment
In order for a 15 minute break to be enough time to actually take the mind off of work, it’s important to provide other means of mental stimulation or entertainment; installing a TV, providing magazines and books, or having a collection of different word puzzles are things you can incorporate into your break room that will allow your employees to zone out and re-center their minds. Being too focused for a long period of time will burn out your employees, so it’s important to make sure they have an outlet to relieve stress.
Comfortable Lounging
One of the most important things to keep in mind when it comes to an employee break room is comfort; creating a space where your workers can put up their feet, relax, and veg out for a few minutes is essential in clearing the mind. Provide adequate tables and chairs so they can leisurely eat, but also provide couches or cushions where they can lounge out in front of the TV on their lunch break and really relax.
When it comes to creating a great break room that really shows your appreciation for your employees’ hard work, do your best to separate it from the work space as much as possible; the office might be quiet and hyper-focused, so create an atmosphere that’s loose and fun. By providing your employees with a way to turn work off their minds for a few minutes, you’ll give them the opportunity to de-stress, refresh their mental state, and come back to work ready to give it their all.
Author bio: James Anderson is a freelance writer who loves helping businesses create the best environments for their employees. When he’s not planning his next outdoor adventure with his wife, he writes about secure storage opportunities for School Lockers, a storage locker provider.
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