How to Design a Break Room That Promotes Relaxation and Engagement

Break rooms are a crucial part of any workplace. It is an area for employees to decompress, socialize with colleagues, and mentally reset during the workday. This space is not just a luxury but rather a necessity in ensuring a healthy and supportive work environment. Whether you are looking to redesign and refresh your existing break room or are creating a new one from scratch, here are five tips that can help guide you to create a relaxing but engaging break room for you and your employees.

1. Focus on a comfortable environment

Having a comfortable space for employees to retreat to during the day is vital. Incorporate a variety of seating options such as soft lounge chairs, sofas, and tables of varying heights to suit different preferences. Avoid harsh fluorescent lighting and instead opt for warm lighting with lamps and integrate natural light whenever possible. Add plants and other greenery, bright and vibrant colors, and inspiring artwork to help your employees relax but also increase their creativity. Overall, creating a space that is different from the employee work area can encourage your employees to be more productive and happier when completing their day-to-day tasks.

2. Offer refreshment and food preparation options

Food and drinks are always a great perk to add to your break room, but having the right options is important to support employee health and wellness. Stock healthier snacks such as fruit, trail mix, protein bars, and other easy to grab options. Install a filtered water bottle refill station to encourage your employees to stay hydrated and offer coffee and tea stations for an afternoon caffeine “pick me up.” Finally, having adequate fridge and food preparation options (such as a microwave, air fryer, or smoothie blender) encourages your employees to bring their own food options from home. Providing these options helps your employees stay sharp and energized throughout the day.

3. Encourage socialization between team members

Your break room should be a hub for employees to connect and engage with each other. To foster socialization, provide relaxing activities for employees to use during their breaks including board games, ping pong tables, or puzzles. Incorporate a flexible layout that allows employees to shift around furniture to accommodate team lunches or create small nooks for one-on-one chats. Creating a break room that is a central location for collaborative activities fosters community and becomes a place to take a mental break from the tasks employees face eight or more hours a day.

4. Create a quiet and relaxing space

While some employees will welcome socialization between teams that can occur during work breaks, do not forget to accommodate employees who may need quieter spaces. In your break room design, incorporate designated quiet zones with minimal distractions and noise where your employees can retreat and recharge. Consider adding soundproofing solutions such as booths to separate between quieter and more social areas. Having different options for various employee preferences shows that you are considerate and understanding of all employees, not just one specific group.

5. Encourage positive employee morale

When designing your break room, consider incorporating your company’s colors or logos to give your space a distinctive brand identity. Ask your employees for input as to what they would like to see incorporated and be open to changing overtime. Highlight your employees by adding a community bulletin board that recognizes employee accomplishments in and outside of the office. Utilize this board to highlight free events sponsored by your organization such as continuing education courses, lunches, community outreach, and other important events.

Your organization’s break room has a profound impact on the morale and happiness of your employees. By incorporating simple elements such as quiet zones, modular furniture, community bulletin boards, or healthy snack and beverage options, you will create a positive environment for your staff. If you are ready to start designing the break room that you and your employees deserve, contact the team at Interior Fusion now!