It’s become increasingly commonplace for majority of organisations to have a breakout area included in their office workspace. Past studies have shown that having an area in the workplace of this type surrounded with comfortable breakout furniture is supposed to greatly help with improving employee wellness.
Based on the amount of benefits having breakout office furniture brings, there is no surprise then that this is considered as one of the main key features to consider by Interior Designers during the office design or office revamping process. It’s always a good idea to get office space planning specialists to create an ergonomic friendly office.This is especially true for employers who’ve not got the slightest clue about how to design their office in the most effective way possible.
To really enjoy the benefits of having an optimal breakout area in the office and appreciate it better, it’s always advisable for employers to be fully aware of all the advantages having it brings to staff members. The main benefits that we should keep in mind are outlined below.
Benefit one: promotes productivity
Due to the nature of thousands of peoples jobs in the corporate world, it’s often likely for staff members to develop unpleasant eye strain and back pains. It’s simply not realistic nor ideal for workers to be glued to their office desks throughout the entire working day. This therefore makes it paramount for employees to have a place where they can just relax and unwind for a while away from their daily tasks.
By having that option to disconnect from our work for a few moments has proven to not only help reduce stress but it’s also found to increase productivity levels too. This is because in effect, you return back to your work with a fresh mind & greater willingness to complete your work rather than having to continually work at your desk with no break.
After all, there’s so much any human body can handle, so having the pressure taken off you with the help of an office breakout area will ensure great quality work is always produced at an efficient pace, which is always a bonus for the employer.
Benefit two: increases creativity
Let’s face it, carrying out informal brainstorms in a brighter and stimulating work space is likely to be more of a success for any form of idea generation than is a dull work space area in the office. It makes sense therefore for effective brainstorms to take place in a more comfortable & relaxing part of the business and this is normally a dedicated breakout area of a workplace.
This may be because a more colourful and tranquil environment is likely to encourage employees to be more creative and inclined to think outside the box during brainstorms. Our Senior Sales Manager at Calibre Office Furniture, Duncan Hoyle, also supports this view and states: “Many of my clients have been favourable towards the idea of including a breakout area within their offices. A large sum of them have a strong belief that carrying out brainstorms not only enables colleagues to generate phenomenal creative ideas in a more informal setting but it also makes them feel like an important part of the business.” This statement further confirms the importance of having a breakout zone in an office.
Benefit three: adds the social factor to the office
As we may all agree, most of our work days become really busy and we barely have any time to communicate with our fellow work colleagues as we’re so absorbed with trying to meet our individual deadlines. This consequently gives company’s an even bigger incentive to include breakout areas in the place of work so staff can have the chance to have some time out and socialise with each other.
In this day and age, unfortunately just providing employees with modern desks and contemporary office chairs is not enough. Organisations need to go beyond this and have an area which gives staff members an option to take a break away from their daily tasks. As mentioned before this greatly assists towards the development of employee relationships and bonding. Realistically however, this social type of office furniture is most likely to be frequently used during lunch breaks or other team building type of exercises.
Perhaps it may also be a smart move to add a variety of entertainment to accompany with the breakout furniture such as a TV, music system to promote a more relaxed environment or a pool table to encourage collaborative games. These items are guaranteed to de-stress employees and make your organisation a more pleasant and fun place to be.
Benefit four: enables you to plan ahead with a clearer mind
Needless to say it’s not easy to get your work life balance right especially when you have the job to deal with the pressures of both, work and home. This is particularly true for full time working parents, who not only need to just provide a living for their family but have to also think about the upbringing of their children like their schooling.
In terms of moving closer towards a more balanced lifestyle, it is really helpful to plan your day well. It’s more the time at home that requires most independent planning than planning for work especially if you have to plan in advance for young children. It would therefore be advisable to perhaps take 5-10 minutes away from your work at a private breakout area in the office to be able to create a schedule of activities ahead of your evening. These activities can vary from preparing bedtime reading for your children to creating a brief dinner menu on what you will be cooking for your family that evening.
Benefit five – improves employee wellness and reduces stress levels
Sitting at your desk all day is no doubt bound to lead to a number of long term health problems. In fact, non-stop working alleviates stress levels because that’s the only activity you’re intensely concentrating on throughout your day. It can also lead to physical health issues if you’re constantly sitting in the same position all day.
Although investing your time in alternative methods to reduce stress levels such as going for regular workouts, going for short frequent breaks at work however still, also greatly helps our health in a positive way. As mentioned earlier the only way to break away from your usual work environment is to essentialy find a dedicated area around the office that will enable you to do just this.
The wrap up:
As has been outlined above, having an office breakout space carries a number of important benefits with it. Over the years, employers have become more knowledgeable about the importance of having them, which has contributed towards positive results for thousands of firms around the globe. Ultimately, both employers and employees feel more motivated by the inclusion of it so why not introduce it to your business if you haven’t done so already?
