5 Benefits of an Office Breakout Area

Breakout areas are becoming more prevalent and desirable in the modern office and it's changing the way we perform and function at work - for the better.

Office breakout spaces come in various styles and sizes, but all share the common objective of benefitting the workplace. How? You might ask. Well, this guide covers some fantastic breakout area benefits that have us introducing these areas into so many of our clients’ spaces…

What is a Breakout Space?

Defined as an area that is separate from the established and more formal working area, a breakout space is available for employees to spend time in during the working day in order to take a much needed break away from their desk. A breakout space still remains within the office but often has a comfier and more casual look and feel than the rest of the workspace.

What are the Benefits of an Office Breakout Area?

A creative breakout area within the workplace // CNG, Harrogate

1. An Investment in Employee Wellbeing

There are a number of important benefits to allowing your staff to move away from their desks, one of which is that it helps companies to look after the overall wellbeing of their employees.

Breakout areas offer the opportunity for a change of scenery and a place to switch off, and being able to retreat to a comfortable seating area can help to reduce stress at work whilst increasing creativity and enhancing productivity.

2. Provides Space for Interaction and Collaboration

Interactions within the workplace are extremely important for helping to build strong workplace relationships, creative ideas and productive collaborations. However, being confined to a desk can dramatically reduce interactions, particularly across departments that might be sat in different areas of the office.

Office breakout areas instead offer a great solution by encouraging interaction and enhancing communication between colleagues that might not otherwise have a good opportunity to converse. In return, these spaces can have a positive impact on productivity, creativity and happiness in the workplace.

3. Offers an Additional Workspace

Sitting in the same chair at the same desk day in, day out doesn't always offer the most inspiring and productive of settings.

Breaking away from the desk to work somewhere different can be tremendous for injecting some creativity and inspiration into the working day, and breakout spaces in offices provide a great alternative workspace. Employees can relocate to flexible workspaces with laptops, use them to make phone calls, or even just brainstorm with some good old-fashioned pen to paper!

4. Promotes Movement in the Office

The importance of moving during a working day in the office is becoming increasingly well-known as shocking statistics relating to life expectancy and overall health for desk workers are featured in various news headlines.

A large proportion of desk workers are sat in the same place for the majority of the working day, but breakout areas can offer a great incentive to get up and move around the office.

Office breakout areas can also incorporate fun features such as table tennis, which increases mobility and movement as well as being the perfect spot to hold an informal meeting.

This movement can go a long way in reducing the amount of time your staff spend sitting down, which is made even better by spaces that encourage standing, such as sociable standing desks or office gyms. Encouraging mobility and flexibility in your office is a great starting point for helping you build a happy and healthy workforce.

5. Creates a Space Free of Distraction

Offices can be a distracting environment to work in. From phones constantly ringing right through to a noisy printer and loud office conversations (we know how it goes) - working in the midst of an open plan office can be a huge distraction for some and having the opportunity to move to a separate and more peaceful area can be a great solution and is a fantastic breakout area benefit. This not only improves employee satisfaction and happiness, but again contributes to productivity in the workplace.

Granted, a breakout area-come-games room might be more distracting than the open plan office, but it’s beneficial to have a second space for employees to retreat to should they need time away from the hustle and bustle of the main workspace.

A flexible breakout space will provide your team with a wide range of uses // FinancialForce, Harrogate

In addition to becoming increasingly desirable as a result of their fantastic benefits, breakout spaces are something that the modern worker will expect to find in both their current and future employment.

Breakout spaces are a great way of attracting new talent and retaining staff, and breakout spaces are brilliant for enhancing employee satisfaction. Investing in the health and wellbeing of your team is a great way of showing your staff that you care, which is brilliant for morale and increased job satisfaction.

We've worked on fantastic office projects across the country and our interior designers have created imaginative breakout areas that cater to our clients’ specific needs for their space - from technology-free rooms and bean bag areas, to games rooms and lounge areas - our designers offer creative solutions that are built around your business.

Get in touch to chat to us about the changes you would like to make to your office!