5 Ways To Give Your Office Break Room A New Look

office-break-roomHaving a great break room can mean the world of difference when it comes to office morale. A place to step away from your desk for five minutes, converse with co-workers and generally relieve some tension, it is a crucial part of generating productivity and raising morale. If yours is starting to look a little stale, here are some cool ways to spruce it up:

1. Game console

A great way for your younger staff members, both male and female, to let off some of their tension is to have a game console installed in your break room. Staff can play by themselves to relieve some stress of have short games with a gang of colleagues. Of course, be careful about what games you stock. Sports, arcade or racing games will be preferable as they can be quick to complete and easy to play.

2. Grow some plants

This one will take regular care and attention, but you could grow some plant in your office break room. It will help to provide a beautiful and tranquil change of scene. Furthermore, by cleaning the air and reducing humidity, office plans can also help lead to a healthier and more productive work-force with lower stress levels.

3. Mini gym

If you want a more physical way of burning off stress and get healthy while you are at the office, you could turn part of your break room into a miniature gymnasium. Install it with a treadmill, gym ball and lay the ground with mats – you will burn off the calories from that office confectionery and make up for time spent behind the computer screen in no time.

4. Water coolers

Some offices will consider installing a vending machine. As far as productivity goes, you might as well write off your afternoons if this is the case. Sugary drinks and food will see your staff crash very quickly. But water coolers are a different matter. Providing access to fresh, cool water whenever you want, it will keep your workers’ energy and hydration high throughout the day.

5. Unconventional seating

More or less every office break room will have a seating area. But it doesn’t have to be so conventional. Rather than the plain old plastic chairs or sofa, you could consider having arm chairs dotted around the room or install cozy little igloos like this office did. It will certainly make your office more inviting, fun and unique.

Why Is The Water Cooler Such a Classic Office Staple?

After all these years, the water cooler is still a sure constant in the majority of workplaces across the world. Whether your workplace is large or small, the chances are you’ve got a cooler of some kind, dispensing fresh, cold, maybe filtered water into your cup whenever you feel like a break from your station.

Yet the office water cooler has come to mean so much more than that. Its now a classic symbol of the workplace buzz and a must-have essential for any business.water-cooler-chatter

Check out the main reasons why the water cooler is now regarded as such a vital cornerstone of working life.

1. It Keeps Workers Hydrated.

glass of waterWell, duh, we hear you say. But no, really – its surprising how many businesses are still underestimating the value of hydration in the workplace and prevent employees from having hot or cold drinks at their desks.

The reality is, better hydrated workers means more productive workers, so by encouraging a consistent source of water nearby, they’ll be getting more out of their employees for their money. Simply check out our post on the benefits of staying hydrated at work for the facts.

2. It Provides Incentive To Take Regular Breaks

Staring at a backlit computer or laptop screen all day is tough. Its tough on the eyes; tough on the brain (all that info to take in at once) and tough on the spine and posture (humans were DeathtoStock_Wired4made to move, not sit for 8 hours a day). It’s only reasonable, therefore, that workers should have a reason to take regular breaks from their work, getting up to stretch their legs as often as possible.

A water cooler does just this, as getting up to refill one’s glass can be a good reminder of when to take a walk. By ensuring the circulation of blood, employees will feel less stagnant during the working day and less likely to nod off. And then of course there’s the added hydration to think about.

Remember that if workers wait till they’re thirsty to get up and fill their glass, they’re already dehydrated. Set a rule of no empty bottles/glasses/jugs on desks to encourage your team to stay topped-up at all times. Doing so will be an incentive for them to get up and take a walk whenever their vessel is running low.

3. It Encourages OfiStock_000005580972XSmallfice Chatter

The humble water cooler has gained a bad rep for stimulating office gossip, which can be damaging and counter-productive in many cases. However, general office chatter is crucial for establishing those important friendships and team camaraderie that your business will thrive off if created well.

The water cooler is usually where sports games and TV shows are discussed, and weekend and after-work plans made. Never underestimate this simple yet effective little meeting spot for colleagues getting along.

4. It Creates More Face Time Between Co-Workers and Leaders

Drawing on the previous point, the water cooler is also a great way for leaders to bond more with their employees and find out what’s actually happening ‘on the ground’.

By the same token, employees can take this valuable contact time (brief as it might be) to get to know their superiors more, and schmooze their way to that favour or promotion.

6 Benefits of Staying Hydrated at Work

As the health benefits of water become more widely known, more and more businesses are choosing to promote water intake in the workplace. Experts say we should be aiming to consume around 2 litres of water a day, and more if we are doing exercise or in a warm environment. Many workplaces are going on to supply filtered water coolers to ensure employees get their daily fix – and with good reason!

There are a number of benefits to keeping hydrated at your desk. By taking this simple step for their health, workers can boost their performance as well as feeling generally happier in their job.

stock-photo-16955692-beautiful-woman-drinking-water

Here’s how…

1. Elimination of Fatigue

Fatigue can often be caused not by a lack of sleep, but from dehydration. When the body hasn’t had enough water, it may start to feel drowsy, causing many people to head for the coffee machine instead of the water cooler.

By the same token, a cooling glass of water can alleviate drowsiness caused by a bad night’s sleep and enabled tired workers to feel perkier and more engaged.

2. Lower Blood Pressure

Our blood is 92% water at full hydration, so being dehydrated can lead to thicker blood and a resistance in blood flow. This ultimately leads to a higher blood pressure, which isn’t good for other aspects of our health.

Ensuring we get enough water throughout the day helps keep our blood thin and flowing nicely around the body. It transports essential nutrients to all parts of the body and keeps us feeling calm and relaxed.

3. Aids Joint Pain and Stiffness

Today’s jobs often mean that most of us lead sedentary lives sitting at our desks all day, which in turn leads to chronic muscle tension or joint pain.

As well as taking regular breaks from our desk and exercising our legs throughout the day, its also just as important to take in adequate fluids – best of all, water. The cartilage in our joints is made of water, so dehydration can cause them to become weakened and slows down their repair.

Drinking water regularly helps to lubricate those areas prone to stiffness and keep them properly working.

4. Improves Brain Function

Our brain is made up of more than 75% water, meaning that a lack of the stuff can have significant effects. Studies have shown that when our brains don’t get enough water, they can visibly shrink in size temporarily. This can be felt through tension headaches and a ‘foggy’ mindset, making it harder to make decisions and solve problems.

Drinking enough water, on the other hand, can improve brain function by up to 80%, enhancing our thought processes; our awareness and our eloquence.

5. Boosts Immunity

Getting sick at work is no fun. Whether you’re committed to coming to the office during your illness, or staying home resting on the couch, illness can seriously reduce our productivity levels. Its therefore crucial we stay hydrated in order to keep our immune systems in full working order and fight off any infections we may come into contact with.

If an illness should happen to get the better of you, drinking plenty of fluids will massively increase your recovery rate and aid your return to work faster.

6. Improves Mood

When we are dehydrated we can often feel grumpy, moody, sluggish and/or negative about obstacles we have to face in our day. Staying hydrated has so many benefits both for the body and mind. It keeps both running smoothly, whilst regulating the amount of fluids in our bodies and balancing our body temperature. It also helps carry important nutrients to all the right places.

When the body feels good, we feel good, and this positivity will only rub off on those working around you.

 

So what are you waiting for? Try a new watercooler or water fountain in your workplace today, and see the difference it makes.

5 Essential Things You Need For Your New Office

Whether you are moving into your very first office as a start-up company, or whether you are moving your current staff to a brand new location, there are several essential items that you need to have ready for the first day of work. Without these items the comfort, morale, ethic and environment could suffer. Should this happen, it might also cause negative effects on your staff and their output.

Here are five of the items you need to have for your new office:

Communal furniture

Every office needs an area where their employees can take a load off; a place where they can have a break from staring at the computer screen and chat with their colleagues instead. It is imperative that every modern office accommodates for this and allows their team a communal area where they can make a cup of tea, sit down and talk about what they watched on television the night before. Invest in some attractive and colourful communal furniture — sofas, coffee tables, etc. — in order to bring this to life.

Comfy office chairs

Of course, it is not just the office’s communal area that needs close attention when it comes to choosing the right furniture. Equally as important — if not more so — is purchasing the best quality office chairs for your employees’ desks. Your staff are going to be spending the majority of their day in these chairs so it is crucial that they are comfortable and efficient. After all, if your employees do not feel at ease, their morale and work rate will eventually begin to suffer.

Confectionery

When it is just hours away from home time, the clock hands moving closer and closer to 5 o’clock, workers will sometimes need a little boost; a small jolt of motivation to keep them going until the end of the day. This is where confectionery becomes important. Installing a vending machine or a small dispenser in the office where your employees can grab a handful of sweets or chocolate can provide that small necessary boost at the end of a day. What’s more — it will bring a little bit of colour and quirk to the office environment.

Watercoolers

A hydrated workforce is a healthy workforce. It is for this reason that watercoolers have become an essential and iconic item for offices across the globe. There are very few offices without them, providing workers with a chance to take a break from their duties and replenish their fluids. If you are moving into new digs, make sure you have watercoolers installed by the time the first day rolls around. Also do not forgot to guarantee that a regular supply of water is coming in to fill the coolers.

Music

One of the most overlooked aspects of creating an office environment is setting the right mood. This can be achieved in several ways. Placing quirky artwork on your walls can help make your office more light-hearted, for example, while having colourful furniture can make it appealing on entry. One of the cheapest and most efficient ways to do it, however, is by playing music. You can have an iPod with music reflecting the tastes of your staff or have a shared Spotify playlist that your team can contribute to.