Now Trending: Outdoor Breakrooms

Resources

The breakroom has the potential to be the best space in your office, depending on what you do with it. Keep it plain and sad looking, and your employees aren’t likely to want to sit in it for very long. But provide an innovative and inspiring space, and your employees will thank you for the reprieve from the hours of sitting at their desks.

One up-and-coming trend in office design is creating break areas outside, which is especially welcome when the weather gets nice again after a long winter. So think outside the cube, and take these tips for creating a great outdoor break area!

Location, Location, Location

The first and possibly most important step toward adding an outdoor breakroom is choosing where it will go. Your business may or may not have much say in this matter, but if you do, choose a location with plenty of natural sunlight. Catching some rays can be a great mood booster for employees taking breaks outside, and it can leave them feeling energized and ready to tackle the afternoon workload. Consider adding umbrellas in case they need a break from the sun. Of course, you may also want to add some furniture to some shady areas to keep employees comfortable on those particularly hot summer days.

Get the Right Furniture

You won’t be able to use just any old breakroom furniture in your outdoor area. Choose chairs, tables, and other furnishings specifically designed for outside use. These products can withstand harsh outdoor elements like rain and direct sunlight, and you can even keep many outside year-round. Depending on how large the space is, you’ll want to provide chairs and tables for employees to eat lunch at, plus a lounge area for chatting and even holding outdoor meetings.

Go for the Green

It’s easy to find outdoor furniture that’s not only weather-resistant but eco-friendly as well. From benches and picnic tables to waste receptacles and outdoor boards, hundreds of products are made entirely from recycled materials. These are great for the environment and great for you since most are made from materials such as recycled milk jugs that are completely maintenance-free.

How to Update Your Outdoor Space

Summer has finally arrived! What’s the best way to take in the summer sun? Updating your outdoor space! Whether your deck at home needs a beautiful Adirondack chair or your company patio needs some picnic tables, NBF has everything you need to refresh your outdoor space, allowing you to easily enjoy your summer.

Bike Racks

A bike rack can add a lot of functionality to any corporate building or office location. You’re serving visitors and employees by offering them the option of riding their bikes to your location. This encourages environmentally-friendly behavior and also offers potential health benefits for those who choose to bike. Having a bike rack as part of your company grounds is a great way to enjoy the summer. Best of all, every bike rack offered at NBF is weather-resistant, meaning it can withstand all 4 seasons and the weather that comes with them.

Patio Sets and Picnic Tables

Room for dining is important for any outdoor space, especially one at the workplace. By providing picnic tables with a large surface and comfortable seating, you can offer employees a place to eat lunch while enjoying the great outdoors. This can also be a place for teams to meet and enjoy the sunshine while they work, a perk that everyone will surely enjoy in the summertime.

Lounging Chairs and Benches

These particular types of seating offer a place to relax and refresh, whether on a lunch break or taking a quick rest. Taking time to rejuvenate your mind or read a book has proven beneficial for many workers, leading to more motivation and productivity. Lounge chairs and benches offer a comfortable outdoor retreat when employees need a break.

Decorative Elements

While enjoying great weather outside can be a huge mood booster, any outdoor space can still be improved by decorative accents, like planters. These weather-resistant accents can help create the tone of your outdoor space and further make employees feel comfortable.

How to Set Up a Lunchroom

Most offices have lunchrooms, but they aren’t normally at the top of the priority list when designing a new office space. However, a well-designed breakroom can make a big difference in the day-to-day work lives of your employees. Functional, good-looking lunchrooms can increase how often employees utilize the space, decreasing their desire to go out for lunch and enabling them to make healthier, less expensive eating choices.

Tables

One of the first things you’ll want to decide when designing your breakroom is what type of tables you need since tables can take up quite a bit of space in the room. Standard height cafeteria tables with attached or separate chairs are great options for large, open spaces. If you have a smaller room, you may consider smaller café tables that take up less physical and visual space. Lunchroom tables come in a huge assortment of styles and sizes, so you should have no problem finding the one that’s right for you.

Chairs

If you do not select a table with built-in seating, you’ll need chairs to go with your tables. Choose a collection with matching tables and chairs, or go with something totally different. If you select café tables, make sure you get stools of the correct height to ensure your employees are comfortable while seated. Choose from folding, stacking, mobile, and nesting chairs that are easy to move around and store when needed. Remember, armless chairs will make it much easier for users to get up close to the table to eat.

Magazine Racks

Offering magazines to employees in your breakroom is a great way to keep them happy on their lunch breaks, especially for those who may have forgotten to bring their own reading material. Choose either a wall-mounted or freestanding magazine holder, and keep it well-stocked with the latest issues of the magazines your company subscribes to.

Message Boards

Message boards are a great addition to any lunchroom because they help get company messages across to employees much quicker when placed in a room that employees frequent. Because your employees will be utilizing your beautiful new lunchroom regularly, they’re sure to walk by your message board often, provided you place it in an easy-to-see spot.

Waste Receptacles

Although they aren’t the most glamorous items you’ll buy for your lunchroom, waste receptacles are essential. Before making a purchase, decide where your trash cans will be placed in your lunchroom and measure the space. You’ll also want to determine how many garbage and recycling bins will be needed right away since you can usually get a discount when ordering multiple receptacles at the same time.

Refrigerators

Don’t forget the refrigerator! The size of your company and the size of your lunchroom will determine how large or small of a refrigerator you’ll be able to get and how many you’ll need. Whether you need a large fridge/freezer combo or would rather equip your space with multiple small refrigerators, you have plenty of options.

6 Tips for Making the Most of a Small Workspace

Whether you’re working in a tight cubicle or a small home office, conserving what little space you have can be tough. Take these 6 tips to maximize even the smallest workstation.

1. Eliminate Clutter

If there’s one tip to take away from this list, it’s this: purge all nonessentials. Ask yourself, “Do I need to keep all this paperwork on my desk?” and “Are 10 photos of my dog really necessary?” because when you don’t have the luxury of a large workspace, the answer is probably no. Read our complete guide to getting rid of unneeded clutter here.

2. Go Paperless

The best way to keep all that clutter at bay is to not create it in the first place. If you have the opportunity to save documents digitally, choose that method over filing printed materials. Keeping paper clutter to a minimum will free up tons of space on your desk and in your desk drawers, and a cleared-out desk will feel much more spacious.

3. Utilize Vertical Space

Rather than keeping personal photos, your physical calendar, and your contacts list on top of your desk, post them all on the wall. Utilizing the vertical space in your office will keep your desk cleared, greatly increasing the amount of space you have to work on.

4. Light Properly

Small spaces can often create a cave effect and lack proper lighting. Combat this by equipping your workspace with a good lamp. Keeping your desk well-lit will help you stay alert throughout the day, and a brighter workspace can even create the illusion of being larger.

5. Share Common Areas

If you’re working in an open-concept office or cubicle layout, take advantage of the common areas around you. Whether it’s storage islands between workspaces or a coat closet in the front lobby, using areas outside of your desk space will help keep your workstation clear.

6. Don’t Be Afraid to Personalize

In your attempt to keep your small workspace clean and clear, you may be tempted to toss personal items. Do not do this! Although you may want to cut down on the number of personal items at your desk, keeping a few family photos or trinkets will help boost your mood throughout the work day and keep you working happily and productively.

We can’t always choose our desks, but we can choose how we work. Remember, when it comes to thriving in a small workspace, less is more, and there’s always room for the things you really need.

0 Comments

National Business Furniture’s team of experts is dedicated to helping you create a better space to work. We’ll help you find the best information. From office planning and furniture guides to sustainability and workplace trends, we’re here to help.