Sure, any employee lounge can include a few tables for colleagues to sit and chat over coffee. But have you considered whether you’re making the most of your employee break room? What goes into a great break room, anyway? Besides being functional, an employee area should promote socialization and company culture. Break rooms should also facilitate comfort and relaxation so your staff returns to work recharged and stress-free.
With more employees returning to work after COVID restrictions, many organizations are looking to level up their work culture by making the break room a fun place with all the comforts of home. The only limiting factors are space and budget -- and we're experts at meeting customers' needs in both areas. Read on for a few ideas to get your break room working overtime for your employees.
Top 4 Break Room Ideas for Employees (and How Storage Can Help)
Here are four break room ideas for employees and the storage you need to make these spaces work:
1. Designated fitness space
Pumping iron or getting a jog in are both great ways to blow off work stress and return to work recharged. And easier workdays are just the beginning – research has shown that a few hours of exercise per week can increase a person's lifespan by over four years, among other benefits. Your company can enjoy happier, healthier employees by turning the employee lounge into a designated fitness space.
Don't worry. You don't need to replace the water cooler and folding tables with a Gold's Gym. A few aerobic machines like treadmills or elliptical trainers and free weights and mats should be sufficient, but you can always go bigger.
Of course, you'll want an area with lots of free space and no tripping hazards on the floor. Storage solutions that can help make an effective office gym a reality include Bin Shelving for efficiently storing gym equipment like jump ropes and medicine balls. Laminate Lockers and Smart Lockers are both great options for employees to store personal items while getting in a workout.
2. Office Library
The demands of modern work life are often so high that leisure activities, like reading, get lost in the shuffle. Your company can make space for the literary arts (or whatever else employees want to read!) by turning the break room into an office library. Include books about job-relevant skills and company publications, but remember, the lounge is a place for employees to unplug from their daily commotion.
Magazines, comic books and dimestore paperbacks are all fun escapes that keep your staff's imaginations and spirits active. Consider asking employees to donate old reading materials so your office library has diverse genres and titles.
Whether you opt for a full-on library or a small reading nook, you'll need quality shelving. Cantilever Shelving is standard for libraries and can be designed to fit in any size space. For spaces with a larger book or media collection, Mobile Shelving can provide high-volume storage while using a fraction of the floor space.
3. Kitchen or Coffee Bar
The classics never go out of style, so you can always go with the traditional break room use: food and coffee. Besides the standard refrigerator and microwave, give the lounge a modern edge with a panini press or juicer. Employees will want their caffeine fix, so make sure you have a coffee machine that can keep up with demand. Instead of the tired old drip machine, consider a barista-quality machine with espresso plus hot water for tea lovers.
Highly customizable Laminate Cabinets are great for an office kitchen or small break room. Hanging casework cabinets with rail mounting systems will meet this space's needs and even offer additional storage. It also makes change-outs simple as your needs evolve. And remember, you can use the same casework in the rest of the office as well.
4. Personal food/package delivery
For a bustling work culture with employees who are always on the go, a dedicated personal food/package delivery area can be an effective use of space. Secure storage is crucial to either of these applications so that employees can trust their items are where they should be.
Smart Lockers are a contactless solution for any kind of delivery. Drivers deliver the employee’s order in the locker, which notifies them directly on their smartphone. Instead of milling around until the microwave’s free, employees get their food when it’s ready, increasing productivity. Employees can also receive non-food items – from Amazon shipments to IT handoffs or even dry-cleaning deliveries! They will appreciate the peace of mind of having their items in a password-protected locker versus sitting out and unsecured.
Benefits of Upgrading Your Break Space
Besides reducing stress and increasing productivity, a great break room can also attract and retain top talent. New generations of the workforce expect top-tier perks, and a fun, functional break room can be a deciding factor in whether they work for you or a competitor. In addition, job satisfaction is key to reducing turnover, so consider a break room that gives employees a space to hang out, be themselves and forge relationships with each other.
Custom Storage for Any Size Breakroom
You can customize these solutions by color and size, add accessories or build them to your exact specifications. Looking to add a wow factor? Consider custom graphics on your laminate lockers or mobile shelving end panels. You can also choose from various materials for lockers and shelving to achieve a more curated look.
You know your employees better than anyone. So let us help you build a curated space where they can enjoy a break from work. Contact Patterson Pope today to speak with a specialist about how our storage solutions can improve your break room and beyond.
