What's your business' greatest asset? If you're thinking in terms of profit or investment profile--you couldn't be more wrong.
Your best asset is your employees, but how many of us truly treat them that way? You might mean to, but you aren't following through.
One way to show them you care is to update your office break room. Here's how to do it.
That was fine twenty years ago--but not now. Learn how to make it much better below.
That's no way to treat your employees. At the very least you should get a new coffee maker--of which there are many kinds. Most offices have some sort of pod-coffee machine, but those are bad for the environment.
So bad, the creator of the Keurig has written apology letters. The best thing to do is to invest in an easy-to-operate espresso machine along with your new drip coffee maker.
Want to provide other kitchen type gadgets in your break room? Check out these reviews.
If you're not into people sleeping on the job, a comfy couch should be fine. Give them somewhere to sit and sip their coffee and scroll on their phone on their break.
You can find loveseats that will fit most semi-small break room spaces.
Find some way to encourage movement in your break room.
Maybe you can install one of those really slow treadmills with a laptop desk on top. If you don't have room for that, how about one of those mini-trampolines? Those are great to get you breathing hard, fast.
Some cool break rooms (again, Google) have rock climbing walls--the short kind that only needs pads, on their walls.
If anything, invest in this yoga wheel or a foam roller so that employees can stretch out their compressed backs.
You may want to ask employees to sign a release waiver if you choose any of the more intense movement methods.
It's worth the fifty or so dollars per order to provide your employees with snacks and a blood sugar boost. Look for something that's semi-healthy, though there may not be a ton of options.
Little packets of nuts are a good choice, along with granola bars, and dried fruit. Try to stay away from chips, cookies, and things filled with sugar.
Your employees will get an initial boost, but they'll get hit by a sugar crash and it'll bring down their productivity.
If you have a bigger space, what about a ping pong or foosball table? You want to think about entertainment that's not them staring at another screen--like a regular TV.
Checkers, short games like Jenga, or connect four all work too.
That's not a system that's working well. Studies show that employees are only productive for about three out of eight hours. That's less than a 50% productivity rate.
This study wasn't in offices with "lazy" workers. People just need more in their day than four hours staring at a screen at a time.
So once you spend all this money on your breakroom, encourage your employees to use it. You can actually make breaks mandatory--or a strong suggestion. Every two hours your employees take a ten or fifteen-minute break.
It sounds like a lot of time to pay them to do nothing--but think about that statistic. If you're paying them for 3/8 hours, you're losing a lot more money.
A fifteen-minute break four times a day only equals one hour, and they'll get way more done. Wouldn't you rather pay for one hour of downtime than the five you're doing already?
Let your employees know that breaks should be away from their computers. Encourage them to get up and walk around. Play in the break room and get some coffee.
You'd be surprised at how much a quick change of scenery every so often changes their output and their moods.
Good bosses aren't bosses--they're leaders. And a leader is someone that interacts and sees themselves as a part of their followers.
It sounds cheesy, but you'll build more relationships and find that people start casually asking you questions. If anything, it'll reduce the number of emails you get--and that's something everyone can enjoy.
Looking for new employees to add to your now-feeling-valued team? Ask them these questions.
Your best asset is your employees, but how many of us truly treat them that way? You might mean to, but you aren't following through.
7 Tips to create best office break room
What does your break room look like right now? Maybe it has a fridge, a sink, a bad coffee maker, and a plastic table and chairs?That was fine twenty years ago--but not now. Learn how to make it much better below.
1. Offer GOOD Coffee
We've all been in the office break room with one old Mr. Coffee machine that brews weak, stale coffee. The room always smells like semi-burnt grounds and whoever gets the end of the pot gets to crunch on some coffee grounds.That's no way to treat your employees. At the very least you should get a new coffee maker--of which there are many kinds. Most offices have some sort of pod-coffee machine, but those are bad for the environment.
So bad, the creator of the Keurig has written apology letters. The best thing to do is to invest in an easy-to-operate espresso machine along with your new drip coffee maker.
Want to provide other kitchen type gadgets in your break room? Check out these reviews.
2. Have a Comfy Corner
It doesn't have to be the actual corner of the room, but your employees deserve somewhere comfy to sit down. It's rumored that Google, the perceived champion of break rooms, has nap pods where their employees can take a power nap.If you're not into people sleeping on the job, a comfy couch should be fine. Give them somewhere to sit and sip their coffee and scroll on their phone on their break.
You can find loveseats that will fit most semi-small break room spaces.
3. Think About Exercise
A lot of people never think about movement in the workplace. But sitting all day is the new smoking--it's going to kill you.Find some way to encourage movement in your break room.
Maybe you can install one of those really slow treadmills with a laptop desk on top. If you don't have room for that, how about one of those mini-trampolines? Those are great to get you breathing hard, fast.
Some cool break rooms (again, Google) have rock climbing walls--the short kind that only needs pads, on their walls.
If anything, invest in this yoga wheel or a foam roller so that employees can stretch out their compressed backs.
You may want to ask employees to sign a release waiver if you choose any of the more intense movement methods.
4. Provide Snacks
When you do your office supply order, did you know you can also order snacks? Most office companies have prepackaged bulk snacks in their inventory.It's worth the fifty or so dollars per order to provide your employees with snacks and a blood sugar boost. Look for something that's semi-healthy, though there may not be a ton of options.
Little packets of nuts are a good choice, along with granola bars, and dried fruit. Try to stay away from chips, cookies, and things filled with sugar.
Your employees will get an initial boost, but they'll get hit by a sugar crash and it'll bring down their productivity.
5. Provide Entertainment
You know what's easy and small break room friendly? A magnetic-dart dartboard that your employees can play with on their breaks.If you have a bigger space, what about a ping pong or foosball table? You want to think about entertainment that's not them staring at another screen--like a regular TV.
Checkers, short games like Jenga, or connect four all work too.
6. Encourage Downtime
The average employee takes, what, one long break and maybe one short one in an eight hour day?That's not a system that's working well. Studies show that employees are only productive for about three out of eight hours. That's less than a 50% productivity rate.
This study wasn't in offices with "lazy" workers. People just need more in their day than four hours staring at a screen at a time.
So once you spend all this money on your breakroom, encourage your employees to use it. You can actually make breaks mandatory--or a strong suggestion. Every two hours your employees take a ten or fifteen-minute break.
It sounds like a lot of time to pay them to do nothing--but think about that statistic. If you're paying them for 3/8 hours, you're losing a lot more money.
A fifteen-minute break four times a day only equals one hour, and they'll get way more done. Wouldn't you rather pay for one hour of downtime than the five you're doing already?
Let your employees know that breaks should be away from their computers. Encourage them to get up and walk around. Play in the break room and get some coffee.
You'd be surprised at how much a quick change of scenery every so often changes their output and their moods.
7. Install . . . Yourself?
That's right. You, the boss (or whatever your managerial title) should make yourself present in the break room. The more accessible you are to your team, the better the communication will be.Good bosses aren't bosses--they're leaders. And a leader is someone that interacts and sees themselves as a part of their followers.
It sounds cheesy, but you'll build more relationships and find that people start casually asking you questions. If anything, it'll reduce the number of emails you get--and that's something everyone can enjoy.
Ready, Set, Break!
So now that you have this awesome office break room, make the most of it! Take the time to enjoy it and encourage your employees to do the same.Looking for new employees to add to your now-feeling-valued team? Ask them these questions.
Ashutosh Jha
Ashutosh Jha is a professional blogger, Blog and IT Consultant. He writes about Blogging, SEO, Making Money, Internet Marketing and Web Design.
If you liked the post, You can follow him on the below social media.
Website: TricksRoad
No Comment to " 7 Tips to Create the Best Office Break Room Possible "
Please make your real thoughts/comments and don't spam. Spam comments will be removed immediately.