The work world is not always a pretty place. In fact, it can get downright ugly at times, and the chance to get away from it all, if only for a few moments, is an absolute must. The one place they can do it without actually leaving the office? Your break room. Have you taken a look at it lately? Is it really the inviting, comforting place it should be? If not, it’s certainly time for a makeover. Here are some tips that may help.

• Make It Inviting: No one wants to head into a dark, crowded area, so as you begin thinking about design concerns, think about everything. Remember to choose an inviting color, and consider going with some motivational sayings or artwork on the walls. As you choose furniture, remember that you want a combination of comfortable and functional. You also want a space that’s large enough for small groups to have lunch together and socialize. You’ll also want a few spaces for some to have privacy, read, or make phone calls while taking a break.
• Think Function: Your employees need easy access to everything. If it’s not easy to get to, you’re going to find chaos on your hands fairly quickly. For example, if you can’t get to the coffee maker and the microwave at the same time, or no one can ever find the tea bags or the sugar, you may have a problem on your hands. Consider how your employees might use your break room, and then add organizational or functional features as needed.
• Keep It Clean and Stocked: Once you’ve implemented your redesign, make sure employees actually want to utilize the space by keeping it clean and as well stocked as possible. Whether you have your cleaning crew hit the break room too or you simply have employees rotate on who cleans the break room from week to week, it needs to stay nice. As far as stocking it goes, consider ordering supplies in advance and having them delivered automatically, as it will take the thought process out of the equation.

A good employee break room can do so much for your productivity. To learn more about how we can help make yours more inviting, contact us today.