Designing an Office Break Room
Last week, Slack, a company that provides cloud-based team communication tools, revealed their new Toronto Office Similar to Slack, many companies are now viewing a company office not just as a place of work, but as a place of collaboration. Startups and established companies are redefining the way we view office spaces, and not just cubicles, but break rooms.
Break rooms are more than a room with chairs to sit and spend 15 minutes on Twitter. Break rooms need to be transformed into a room of social gatherings and teamwork. No, you don’t need to offer weekly massage therapy like Slack does, but just a place where employees feel comfortable and relaxed. Creating this “dream” office space doesn’t have to break the bank either. With just a few pieces of furniture, you can design a break room that will increase company morale and build lasting relationships. Here is what you need to consider.
Couches
Enough boring chairs! Please! Let’s help employees feel comfortable in their environment. Although a La-Z-Boy recliner is not be optimal for office success (or is it?) there are several types of couches that can transform your break room. But remember, there are a few things to consider when choosing a couch.
Remember to keep people comfortable. Unfortunately, a love seat isn’t always the best option for a company. This could result in one of two things, either encourage inappropriate office behaviour, or result in a one-man domination game. We’ve all seen that person who considers a two person love seat their own personal lounger. If you’re looking for something more open, a sectional will surely help your office communicate. Your employees will be able to bounce ideas back and forth while sitting comfortably on a lovely “L” shaped sectional.
Consider the future, a future with stains. Everyone makes mistakes. We all spill our coffee here and there, while you can always invest in a great stain remover, the safe bet is to go with leather. With a leather couch, you can always wipe away that annoying ketchup spill that the new intern left behind.
Coffee Tables
No break room would be functional without coffee, the single most important item for office success (let’s be real). Don’t just go to Ikea and grab the mainstream “stained wood” model. Try something different. As we always say, “Coffee tables aren’t just about coffee. They are about creating a mood, a spirit, a general sense of conviviality and wellbeing.”
A great option is always a glass coffee table. Glass tables promote transparency, an important trait for office culture. With a glass coffee table, you can offer new reading material, whether it’s the latest edition of People Magazine or something relevant to your industry, any reading is positive! The Trivion Coffee Table is perfect for this as you can put reading material on the lower shelf, keeping the top for what’s important, COFFEE!
If glass isn’t your style, consider a practical coffee table. Many coffee tables offer multiple sections to add multiple items, keeping the top free. The Regent coffee table has 3 separate units, so you can pick and choose what items you want to fill it with. Don’t just give reading material to your employees, eye catching objects or fun toys/games are often underrated office boosters!
Accessories
Now it’s time to put it all together. With well placed accessories you can help employees feel at home. There are many types of accessories to choose, from pillows to wall art, you should be able to find something that best represents your company. It’s important to keep in mind the theme you want to present. Bright colours and flashy design can breed creativity, while a clean modern finish can look progressive.
First, let’s talk pillows. Don’t think of a pillow as just a pillow. When placed on your couch, sectional, or chair, pillows can provide that extra level of comfort employees need. Consider a pillow that has meaning behind it, such as the Beals Cushion. The Beals Cushion promotes traits of a dog, such as friendship, loyalty, family. Pillows can help reinforce your company culture in a variety of ways, you just need to decide what that culture is!
Second, it’s extremely important to bring everything together with well-placed wall art. Enough blank white walls because all they do is encourage people to look at the clock (to go home). Artwork helps people open up their mind and view things with a new perspective. Consider abstract art, a single piece can have hundreds of interpretations! The benefits of art are endless, from creative and emotional development to problem solving and discussion, a piece of art will help redefine the office break room.
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Office Break Room
A break room is not just a place to spend time between projects, it’s a place of collaboration and community. So design a break room that will actually increase office productivity and morale with couches, coffee tables, and accessories!