The humble breakroom is often overlooked along with its actual importance for employee morale. The breakroom is named as such though because of its intended purpose; it’s a place where the employees can take mental and physical breaks from work. So, if you want your work team to be satisfied and productive at work, you need to create a space where the employees can relax, sit together and enjoy each other’s company. This also encourages friendships which carry over to the collaboration done in the office as well.
What makes a great breakroom?
To create a breakroom which meets the above requirements, you can do different things. Choosing a paint for the walls that’s relaxing and having comfortable seating with tables and chairs are two things that you can do. If you have a enough space, creating a few separate spaces for employees who like to relax by themselves or gather their thoughts can be a morale booster.
Additionally, the way you decorate your breakroom can make a big difference. You can add wall art that’s soothing or fun, some books or even a TV. A few plants, whether artificial or real, can give the room a back to nature feel too. Adding a refrigerator, a microwave or small stove, a sink, counters and a cupboard will give the room a cozy at home feeling also. The cupboards should have dishes, cups and silverware as well. Tables, chairs and sofas add to the coverall comfort and usability of the space. To create more function in the breakroom, include nesting/folding tables, so they can be easily moved to the side for gatherings.
In addition to all of this, if your breakroom is large enough it can be a great place for celebrations and parties as well. Birthday celebrations, promotions or even a spread to celebrate the success of a completed project can be enjoyed by all in the breakroom. Also, there should be a maintenance schedule for the breakroom and for the appliances in it to be cleaned either by employees or maintenance.
A separate place
The breakroom should be physically separated from the rest of the office or offices. If not, and the employees can see others taking break, this can cause potential distractions. You can use room dividers, barriers, or curtains if you don’t have a separate room for this. Make the room stand out so that it feels like a different part of the building.
This is good because the breakroom isn’t just about being compassionate to your employees. A workforce that can unwind for a bit in a breakroom means money in the pockets of a business. A workforce that can’t unwind like this tends to have higher turnover rates, costing resources from profits to be used to hire and train new people more often.
Freebees
Free coffee should be a staple in your breakroom. Along with the coffee there should be cream, sugar; cups and stirrers. If you have tea drinkers, tea should be free as well. Free coffee and tea are good incentives for your workers because moderate caffeine use improves focus, attention spans and gives a boost to mental energy as well. Plus, coffee and tea aren’t overly expensive for the return that you’ll get from them. In addition to coffee and tea too, provide water that’s either filtered or bottled, for free so that your employees can stay hydrated during their work shifts. Keeping it cold is an extra bonus.
Other options for freebees could include healthy food being offered. It would be considered an extra by your employees, but the benefit to you is avoiding the afternoon slump of employees. So, with healthy snacks such as vegetables, nuts, yogurt and whole grains; this can curb employee hunger without them having sugar crashes. This will increase productivity.
Ask your employees
A breakroom which is great has features which the employees have asked for. The best way to find out what your employees would like in the breakroom is to just ask them. You could hang a comment box in the breakroom for suggestions on changes or improvements additionally. Then use the suggestions which are the most feasible. This shows your employees that you value their opinions.
If you make an effort where feasible to make a breakroom a place where your employees can be more relaxed and be refreshed, afterwards you will be rewarded with happier and more productive employees.
References:
http://smallbiztrends.com/2016/11/employee-break-room-ideas.html
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/improve-employee-break-room-21314.html

There are many easy-to-implement ideas that can help you reduce waste in the office. One tactic is to have your office manager keep a careful watch over the existing office supplies. This isn’t just a strategy to manage costs. It is an effective way to get everyone in the office to use less. If people can’t easily access additional materials, they’re more likely to look on or in their desks for pens or notepads.
You can often significantly upgrade the style of the furniture in your office with a much lower budget than you anticipated without sacrificing your commitment to the environment. You won’t find old, out-of-style second-hand furniture like you see in thrift stores. Instead you’ll find the latest styles just like you would in high-end office stores. You won’t be settling for unstable, scratched or outdated items in order to keep your commitment to the environment.
If you’ve purchased chairs in the past, you’ve probably noticed that they can be a high-priced item. Skimping on chairs is a bad idea. They’ll look cheap, especially when it comes to wood chairs. Inexpensive chairs won’t last as long as well-made ones. You’ll find yourself replacing chairs in a short amount of time. However, purchasing chairs from an office furniture store is extremely expensive. Fortunately, you have another choice. You don’t have to go to estate sales or scan thrift stores to find good deals and you don’t have to settle for low quality. When you need to buy chairs, consider working with an office furniture liquidator. Liquidators purchase high-quality used chairs and refurbish them so that they are in nearly perfect condition.
Task chairs are another important purchase for your office, although they serve a different function than side chairs. These products are designed for desk work. Task chairs are extremely popular in corporate offices, reception areas, IT departments and hospitals. They provide the perfect support for a long working day. Although some task chairs have arms, they aren’t the right fit for every situation. If people are constantly moving side to side to do work, the arms get in the way and slow them down. This is often the case at workstations with multiple computer monitors or at a reception desk. Chairs with arms are inconvenient when the person needs to move. Armless chairs allow people to pivot quickly when necessary. 
Herman Miller chairs offer some of the best ergonomic solutions you can find. Herman Miller has invested the time and research into creating high-quality, ergonomic chairs that help individuals do their jobs effectively and comfortably. The company has created a line of Ergon chairs that will help you outfit your office stylishly while providing your employees with the best possible seating options. You’ll have many choices when it comes to the company’s Ergon line. They offer task chairs in a range of colors and styles so that you have options for your office environment.
You can purchase task chairs in attractive colors including teal, black, purple and blue leaf. Some chair styles are sold with high backs which are more comfortable for some employees. Ergon chairs are made in two sizes to accommodate the needs of your employees. 

Once you know the basics of finding a good office chair, you should consider your budget. Cost is often the first thing people consider when buying a chair. There are many excellent chair options available. You don’t have to settle for a substandard chair in order to manage your budget. There are a variety of brand-name chairs that you can purchase for under $100. If you go to typical office furniture stores or the box office stores, you’ll probably experience sticker shock when it comes to buying brand name chairs. 
Cubicles typically provide the storage and technology access that all team members need. Another advantage of cubicles is that you can reconfigure the space when necessary. Cubicles are typically set up in pods which are set groups of cubicles. They’re available in convenient sizes like pods of four, six or eight. These pods provide flexibility. If team structures change, you can relocate employees to different areas. If you have multiple pods, you can rearrange them to fit new situations.
The cubicles are also powered. Depending on the cubicles, some may have additional accessories. You can choose from a range of colors, including orange, green, blue and gold, depending on availability. Whether you’re adding cubicles to an already existing area or furnishing a new space, color choices will allow you to set the tone for the office. You don’t have to purchase cubicles in large quantities in order to get them at discounted prices. The Herman Miller Ethospace cubicles from NOL are available in pods of six, which is a convenient configuration for many office environments.
National Office Interiors & Liquidators (NOL) has extensive experience in the office furniture industry. NOL is different from other furniture liquidators because they have a commitment to high quality. The company focuses on buying gently used furniture that is in excellent condition. This allows them to sell items that provide excellent value for the price. NOL can help you buy the products you need while staying within your budget.
Through NOL, you can find a range of products including filing cabinets, employee lockers and mail room sorting structures. Bookcases and cabinets are also available. You can also find fire and security storage options. NOL purchases products that can help companies meet their storage needs in a cost-effective manner without sacrificing security, style or function.
Cubicles are a great solution for office configuration. They have many advantages over other office configurations. First of all, they provide privacy for employees which they won’t have in an open seating plan. Cubicles also provide a sense of equality. Everyone has the same amount of space so they don’t feel that some people are favored over others. These layout plans can help employees concentrate because they reduce environmental distractions, such as office traffic and the constant interruptions that accompany open office spaces.
You can choose between Haworth Premise pod or row style cubicles. The pods are available in sets of four. Each pod includes a tower, a pedestal, a laminated work space and an overhead. The pods are powered. The available colors include tan and putty. Cubicle rows are offered in rows of two and are available in tan and putty colors. They include a tower, pedestal and laminated work space. 
The advantages of the good storage solution include:
If you’re concerned about document safety, fire filing cabinets are available in many different sizes. These storage solutions have many advantages. They have fire ratings for different amount of heats and time frames for fire resistance. They are also resistant to impacts. When it comes to safety and confidentiality, these file cabinets are a great choice because they often have high security locks that can’t be picked or drilled through.
When you are re-envisioning your reception room, there are several things you need to think about. One of the most important is branding. The reception room should reflect the attitude and spirit of your brand. A reception room for a trendy advertising company should look very different than the reception room of a legal firm. You want to convey a message through colors, styles of furniture and the design of the room. Combinations of bright colors and white give a room an exciting and youthful appeal. Sedate and soft colors accompanied by traditional but comfortable furniture make a room feel comforting and safe. This type of color scheme works well for doctor’s offices, legal and financial firms.
There any many aspects of the reception room you can change in addition to the furniture. You can paint the area for a reasonable price, even if you need to hire professional painters. Color changes have a huge impact on the atmosphere of the room. Replacing flooring may or may not be necessary. If you have wood floors, look into having them refinished instead of replaced. Area rugs can add a stylish touch to wood and laminate flooring. If the carpeting is still stylish, have it cleaned instead of replaced. Don’t leave shabby or old carpet. It’s worth the money to replace it.