We often have a space in our office where staff go to take some time out and get away from their computers for 5 minutes…..have you had a look at this space recently? Is it a space where you would go to take a break, relax and try and re-charge? Is it up to date, clean and modern or a little old, run down and dreary?
Often when it comes to an office re-furb or fit out we tend to concentrate on improving the following areas first:
- Client-facing areas: entrance areas, reception, meeting rooms, boardrooms, MD’s office and toilet facilities
- Workspaces: shared offices, private offices, and open plan areas
- Support spaces: storage and filing, mailrooms, print and copy areas, kitchen and staffroom
Concentrating on ‘staff break out areas’ hasn’t really been a big thing, until recently.
According to recent statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 2015/16 stress accounted for 37% of all work related ill health cases and 45% of all working days lost due to ill health. Based on these figures and the fact that employees are spending more and more time at work, many companies are starting to realise that their employees should have a ‘break out’ area – an informal area where staff can go to relax and unwind, refresh busy or tired minds, have a chat, or grab a cuppa without interruption. Having this available space to staff is actually considered a ‘perk’ by employees, it makes them feel valued by the company.
A break out area doesn’t need to be a space just for unwinding and relaxing, but can be used for informal meetings, places to brain storm and an area to get creative with thoughts and ideas. In todays world where the work/life balance is becoming more blurred means that it is important to have a well designed office space to ensure that staff have a “balanced” work experience, it is no longer viable to expect staff to sit at their desks with no break, minds that can get away, tend to be more productive, 12% more productive! (research undertaken by the University of Warwick)
You don’t need to go the full hog like Google with their garden roof terrace and slides, but if you want some inspiration, take a sneaky peak…! You simply need to create an environment that has a less formal feel about it – think;
- Trendy and comfortable sofas or comfortable furniture
- A pool table / Games Console
- A modern kitchen and dining area
- Add some cool art / paint a wall a different colour
But do remember this room is an extension of your brand, so don’t get too carried away, try and incorporate your brand colours and feel into the area!
At STS we have recently decided to create a break out area for our staff – we thought we would share our plans with you, take a look (furniture and accessories still to be decided, but these visuals give an idea of the space)
So, take a look at that space you are offering your staff….if you feel it’s about time you start to give your staff back more for their efforts, get in touch today and we can help create that perfect office break out space.