It’s important that you do what you can to keep staff happy and healthy when at work. No one should be sitting at their desk for eight hours straight - it’s not good for your skeletal health, mental health, or your focus and productivity. It’s essential (and legal) for staff to take breaks, and what better way to support and encourage that than with a great space to take those breaks in.
A break room or breakout area gives your staff the space they need to sit back and relax. It should be somewhere they can talk, eat, sip their coffee and even curl up with a book or puzzle before heading back to their desk. With the right office furniture, you can create an environment for your team that is both comfortable and stylish.
How to create the best breakout space
There are so many different routes you can take to craft a break room your employees will love. We’ve gathered five of them for you in this post, tried and tested by many.
Lounge area
One of the most important elements of a breakout space is comfort. People sit at their desks for long hours and need somewhere to relax, so creating a room or zone full of comfortable breakout seating is essential. A lounge area also encourages socialising between staff members, helping to build team relationships organically, making for a happier atmosphere in the office.
For those stopping by the break room for a short time or sitting while they wait for their coffee, the Allermuir Pebble is perfect. These small, soft and round stools are stylish and comfortable, padded with foam and available in 12 shades, ranging from neutrals to bolds.
The NoughtOne Pippin Lounge Chair is designed to encourage sitters to lean back with their legs slightly elevated. This position instantly helps with relaxing the body, creating an incredibly comfortable seat for spending some downtime or your lunch break.
To create an area where people can relax while chatting, opt for some sofas. The Elite Dalton 3-Seat Sofa and the Ocee Design Alfi Sofa are both beautiful couches that ooze comfort, perfect for creating a contemporary, laid back environment. Employees will be able to gather together and talk while resting in style.
Uplifting decor
A bright and beautifully decorated space does wonders for a person’s mood. We decorate our homes to ensure we feel comfortable and happy at home, so why not at work? Artwork can be hung to add colour and get rid of boring blank walls that can give off a feeling of boredom, while plants can be scattered around to introduce a touch of nature.
Plants are said to help soothe us, creating a sense of calm with their luscious green shades. Many plants have air-cleaning qualities too and improve oxygen levels, leaving people feeling refreshed, relaxed, and more productive - this can also help reduce staff sickness. Using plants can reduce noise pollution by building walls and barriers, and they’re also capable of regulating temperature by releasing humidity, which can help lower energy bills.
Reading nook
Create a reading nook in your breakout space. It can be used by those that need to knuckle down with a hefty piece of reading for work, and those that want to spend their break stuck into their latest novel. It’s a fantastic way to boost productivity and encourage creativity.
Designate a corner of the room for quiet reading and fill it with cosy furniture. Comfortable armchairs, such as the Orangebox Peeps Armchair, are perfect for those wanting to lose themselves in their reading. This low armchair comes in over 20 different colours to suit your office environment, with a traditional wooden frame available in 4 different shades.
Leading office furniture brand Boss Design has a wide range of incredibly comfortable breakout chairs, including the Mr and Mrs chairs and the Albony armchair. Add a cosy cushion to each and your staff will be happy to curl up and unwind with a book during their break. Better yet, why not create a breakout room library? Purchase books to stock shelving with, and encourage staff to bring in their old books for others to borrow.
Photo wall
If you enjoy staff events, creating a photo wall with those memories is perfect for team morale. Print out photos taken at fun work lunches, staff nights out, team-building events and coffee meet-ups and pin them up on the wall or a large board in the breakout space. Everyone coming in to chat and relax will be able to look at the good times they’ve shared with their colleagues and know that there are more to come.
Turn this wall into a bulletin board and encourage staff to pin events happening outside of work on it. You never know who might be looking for a new yoga class or theatre show to enjoy.
Coffee and snack bar
Give the people what they want: coffee and snacks. If you have the space, an island counter complete with a coffee machine and snack baskets will prove incredibly popular with your staff. Make sure the seating around the island is comfortable for people to sit and chat on, like the Bob High Stool or the Pablo Stool, both from leading manufacturers Elite. Highly customisable, these sleek and stylish high stools are ideal for gathering around the coffee machine.
Free fruit is nice, but if you’re able, providing your employees with something a little more interesting will be hugely appreciated. Items like cereal bars, crisps, pastries and chocolate will be snapped up by your staff, leaving them feeling well-treated. Whether they sit back and relax in comfortable breakout furniture with their coffee or grab a Mars Bar to go, snacks and coffees will get you some serious points.
Office breakout chairs for your team
We’ve got a wide range of office breakout furniture boasting a huge variety of styles and colours for you to choose from to suit your space. If you’re unsure about what will work for your break room and your employees, get in touch with our friendly and knowledgeable team. We’ve got years of experience in office furniture, ready to offer advice and suggestions to help you create the best break room for your workforce.
Give us a call on 01603 722483 or send us an email at info@officefurniturescene.co.uk.
