Outdoor Break Rooms Help Employees Relax And Recharge
Break rooms are an essential part of an office design and yet they are often under appreciated and underutilized. In office design, break rooms should be more than a place to eat your lunch or grab a cup of coffee. Just as the name suggests, break rooms should be a place where employees can take a break from the office cubicle. It should offer a place where people can develop friendships within the company but most importantly to relax and recharge.
But many workers find the traditional office break room lacking in visual appeal. They find it an uninspiring place filled with white plastic chairs on scuffed linoleum floors with a disgusting microwave that smells of burnt popcorn that no one ever cleans. This isn’t a nice place to relax and recharge so it’s no wonder many people just opt to sit at their office desks to eat their lunch.
A poorly designed break room is a waste of precious office space. But the good news is that the trend in office design is not only to make the break room functional but to create a more inspiring place to sit and relax while you enjoy your lunch. Many companies have decided that in order to do that, they need to create rooms filled with natural light and even sometimes – creating an outdoor break room. Studies show that providing a way for people to go outdoors and connect with nature can have a huge impact on productivity. In simple terms, spending time outside helps employees to relax away from the stress of work.
From a design standpoint, the outdoor break room offers endless possibilities to create a space that is inviting. But it doesn’t have to be difficult or costly to combine the beauty of nature with the utility of having outdoor social living spaces to enjoy a break or your lunch. Adding a few outdoor park benches or picnic tables to any outside work area is easy and inexpensive. Include reliable commercial outdoor umbrellas or position furnishings under a shady tree. Make the place colorful by simply adding a few commercial outdoor planters filled with bright flowers.
Experts say just ten minutes outside can boost our mental chemicals to make us happier and healthier. Encourage people to take breaks outside in the fresh air. If an employer is worried about people abusing this privilege, place a clock outside so people are cognizant of the time. The payoff can be huge for any corporation.
ROSI Office Systems knows finding the right office furniture in Houston and office design is a considerable investment and must produce a dynamic space which showcases your company image. A well-executed plan will create functional space that works hard so you won’t have to. ROSI Office Systems is ready to help you plan and execute your next office move, expansion or re-design. Call or email and let’s begin!
