Taking a break at work has taken on a whole new dimension in today’s modern office environment. Standing around the water cooler gossiping about colleagues is a thing of the past. Nowadays, a forward-thinking company is one that provides its employees with a dedicated break room where they can relax and recharge and feel inspired. And when we say break room, what we really mean is a playground for adults; a little nosing around reveals that the break room has become a home away from home and it does its part to increase staff morale.
Work, Rest and Play
Employers have finally come to understand that trying to squeeze work out of their employees every hour of every minute that they’re in the office is actually counterproductive. A well-timed break can lead to greater output, a surge in creativity and better quality of work. However, it’s not just about taking a break; it’s also about what you do in that break.
Studies have shown that if you give employees the chance to interact with each other during break time it can lead to better working relationships. That’s why many offices have included board games, pool tables and ping pong tables in their break rooms. They’ve also included dedicated computer screens for staff to play multiplayer computer games or casino games, like poker or slot games from some of Canada’s best online casinos.
Food for the Brain
The modern break room can also be used as a place to promote healthy eating. There are office break rooms that have dedicated areas for healthy snacks, such as fruit and nuts, as well as juicing stations and salad bars. Eating a banana as a mid-morning snack, rather than a chocolate bar or a pack of chips, can provide a much-needed energy boost for the mind and body.
It might seem like an extravagant expense to provide employees with delicious, high-quality snacks, but it’s actually a great investment. When you show that you care about the well-being of your employees, you’ll find that they are much more likely to give you their best — their work improves and the atmosphere within the office becomes more joyful and industrious.
Space to Move
A growing trend among office workers is to use their lunch break as a chance to exercise. A number of large offices now have their own gym, but smaller offices don’t always have the space to do this. Instead, they use their break room as a space for employees to stretch their limbs. Some awesome break rooms include stationary bikes, weights, treadmills and yoga mats. Employees can take a break whenever their energy starts to flag and use the time to jump on the exercise bike for 10 minutes or get on the mat for 10 minutes of invigorating sun salutations. Short sharp bursts of exercise tend to be much more beneficial as an energy boost than a full hour’s workout.
Coffee for the Soul
Games, healthy food and room to move are certainly going to help keep the energy up in the office, but if you really want to make people happy, you need to offer them a cup of coffee. Not just any coffee, but delicious, freshly ground coffee that fills the senses and infuses the air with a delicate aroma. A proper break room simply isn’t complete without a top of the line coffee machine and the best coffee beans that money can buy.
Again, this is not an expense, it’s an investment. The very best break rooms take coffee seriously. They make a coffee break an event – a chance to sit in a comfortable chair, sip a perfect brew and talk to colleagues. It’s all in the little details. When people get together in a beautifully decorated space, with the right music and a great cup of coffee (or tea!). You’ll soon see that the ideas start to flow and the creative juices start to bubble over.
