8 Office Break Room Essentials That Successful Companies Invest In

Worried that break room supplies will break your budget? Think again.

Many employers overestimate the cost and underestimate the value of the office break room.

Are you one of them?

You worry about lapses in productivity and tension among employees over break room maintenance. You wonder what break room supplies and appliances should be offered, and how often these will need to be replenished. No client or customer interaction occurs in the break room, so how is this employee benefit advancing the bottom line?

What you may not realize is that, despite your company’s carefully arranged formal retreats, luncheons, and team meetings, more team building happens in break rooms than in cubicles or conferences. When employees enjoy being on the same team, more home runs are scored in terms of sales and strategies to help the company grow and thrive.

The best break rooms provide a safe and comfortable area for communication and relaxation. Coworkers can relax, eat their lunch, and talk about things unrelated to work. They can blow off steam and mentally prepare for the next round of meetings or paperwork. They can recharge for the next part of the business day.

Every successful company knows they need to make the right investments today if they want the payoff tomorrow. By choosing the right supplies and appliances for your break room, you can facilitate an environment that profits your employees and your company!

Read on for eight simple and affordable break room solutions guaranteed to boost productivity, promote positive coworker interactions, and provide a space for stress relief and creative thinking.

1) Free Coffee

What is the very first thing on your mind when you wake up? For many people, it is their morning cup of coffee. Most coffee drinkers enjoy having coffee available throughout the day, and many can’t function without it! Having a rich coffee on hand helps employees know that you appreciate the work that they do, and that extra caffeine boost will give them the energy to tackle projects and perform at their highest potential.

Traditional grounds are a must-have, but you can also spice up your coffee options with coffee pods, latte beverage mixes, and cold brews. You may want to provide coffee stirrers, creamer, and sugar along with several coffee roast selections.

2) Disposable Cups

A guest or new employee will almost always want some of the coffee you have on hand, but they most likely won’t bring their favorite coffee mug from home with them. While many employees can be expected to bring their own cups or mugs, it is always good to have disposable cups on hand for hot and cold beverages in case someone forgets their own or as a courtesy for visitors. While every company wants to support reusing and recycling, there are times where disposable cups are a must-have.

3) Disposable Silverware

Although watching a supervisor eat a burrito bowl with their hands may be entertaining, disposable silverware comes in handy when someone forgets their fork or simply wants to share food with someone else. Promote more team bonding by providing enough cutlery for everyone to have a slice of cake or homemade casserole. Make sure you have enough stored up for your next office party too!

4) Sodas and Snacks

Some large companies prefer to invest in vending machines, but the low price of wholesale snacks and beverages makes it easy to keep these items in continuous supply without the added cost of vending machine maintenance and delivery.

You may generate enough revenue to provide certain items for free, or you can provide sodas and snacks on the honor system. Building trust and a sense of responsibility among your employees in small ways will go a long way toward engendering trust and respect in all aspects of your business. Buying in large quantities is a great way to save on costs when purchasing small items for your break room, and RoundEye Supply is here to meet all of your food and beverage needs. Save 10% on your first order with coupon code FIRST100.

5) Microwave

While they may not bring their own mid-day snacks, many employees like to bring their lunches from home. Unless everyone is eating garden salads and peanut butter sandwiches, they will need a place to heat up these dishes, and a large microwave will get the job done quickly and easily.

Make sure yours is easy to use and is cleaned out on a regular basis. A dirty microwave can spread office sickness and, quite frankly, isn’t appetizing to look at. Consider giving someone a small stipend to clean the break room and the microwave regularly, or you may have a rotating schedule for break room maintenance.

6) Refrigerator

Just as many dishes need to be reheated, many of them also need to be kept cold until break or lunch time. Even a small fridge for the use of condiments, beverages, and need-to -refrigerate items will be beneficial for everyone in the office.

Depending on the size of your company and the number of people who will be using one fridge, you may want to invest in a mini-fridge or a regular size fridge. Some companies like to buy several mini-fridges and divide them among different parts of the office, while others prefer to have one large central fridge. Decide what will work best for your office.

7) Cleaning Supplies

The break room should also be home to the supply closet where employees can find mops, brooms, and other cleaning supplies to clean and sanitize the area. Providing easy access to these items will help the room stay clean and inviting.

8) Comfortable Furniture

Have you ever been forced to sit through an event in one of those hard metal folding chairs? If you’re like me, you probably began to experience back problems you never knew you had!

It’s hard to focus on the task at hand if you don’t have a comfortable chair at your desk, and it’s equally as hard to relax and recharge if you are sitting on uncomfortable furniture in the break room.

Furniture will make or break any space, and you want employees to enjoy being in your break room. If the furniture feels comfortable and allows them to rest, they are more likely to spend time there along with their colleagues during breaks and lunch times. A cozy couch or a few pleasantly cushioned chairs will also encourage them to utilize the break room space for team-building activities or for team lunches instead of leaving the office. The room will become the employees’ space as much as it is the company’s, promoting a healthy company culture and an attitude of respect and responsibility toward the break room and the items in it.

Go a step further and change up the décor. Put pictures on the wall. Let the employees paint a mural. Foster a culture of creativity!