The Increasing Importance of Having a Break Room

Is there someplace at work you can go when you need to take a break? A surprising study from 2014 showed that a majority of U.S. workers don’t take breaks during the day. Still, many feel they would be more productive if they were able to do so. Enter the employee break room.

There is an old idiom in American office culture that talks about meeting around the water cooler to discuss ideas. Often it’s last night’s Game of Thrones or Blacklist episode that is being discussed. Twenty years ago, this was thought to be a waste of time. In today’s office environment, this collaboration and discussion is looked upon favorably. We would suggest there is a better way to encourage collaboration among employees and allow them to take a break away from their desks and computers: give them a break room. Make it comfortable with great seating, maybe add foosball, air hockey or ping pong – and now you have the environment you’re looking for.

Too Few Taking Breaks

The previously mentioned study conducted in 2014 by Staples showed that 55% of U.S. workers don’t feel they can leave their desks to take a break. Approximately 20% don’t take breaks out of a sense of guilt. Some 59% of survey respondents indicated that more breaks would improve their happiness at work; 43% said more breaks would boost their personal happiness; 37% said regular breaks would improve their health.

Too few people take regular breaks despite the fact that we all know we should. It is not good, either physically or mentally, to sit staring at a computer screen for four straight hours. It is not healthy to be stuck in a cubicle and isolated from other human beings for long stretches of time. Humans need to get up, walk around and interact.

Break Room a Perfect Place

An employee break room is a perfect solution to employees not taking breaks because it combines the best of the office water cooler and meeting room. A break room is space where employees can socialize with one another in a setting free from telephones and e-mail. It is a space that naturally fosters collaboration without employees feeling like they have to do so when they get together.

The reality is that workers will naturally collaborate if you just let them. If you try to force it, collaboration becomes another part of the mundane workday that they have to slog their way through. But if you allow employees to simply be, in a relaxed space that does not constrain them to think or act a certain way, they do naturally what so many companies try to force.

A good break room is an open, comfortable space with plenty of seating, a coffee machine, perhaps a microwave, a refrigerator and don’t forget the games. Never underestimate its power to make your employees more happy and productive during the work day. Galaxie Coffee can help you with beverage service by providing modern, updated equipment and a full line of coffees, teas, and other beverages. We also stock break room supplies as well.