The world’s most innovative employers take office break room ideas seriously. Creating an appealing and aesthetic retreat for staff can improve office morale and have a real impact on productivity and employee engagement. A recent study by design firm Gensler confirmed that employees can be inspired to be more innovative by the design of work and break spaces. An exceptional break room can spell creativity and peak performance.
In the modern workplace, employees are rarely tied to their desks by technology or company policy. This has created the workplace design trend towards flexible, multi-purpose spaces which foster collaboration and freedom. “A lunchroom might also serve as an ad hoc meeting room, casual client presentation area or all-hands engagement hall,” says principal architect Heidi Hendy.
Customized, functional and stylish break rooms could spell competitive advantage by facilitating collaboration and providing employees a much-needed respite from focused work. The importance of fun in the workplace is why some of the world’s most innovative employers take break room design very seriously. To inspire your organization towards rethinking your lunch room, we’ve curated some ideas from Silicon Valley brands that employers nationwide can put to work.
Three Silicon Valley Office Break Room Ideas
1. DropBox: Jam Rooms, Zen Space and Functional Dining
DropBox’s spacious Silicon Valley campus includes a series of multi-purpose and unusual break rooms, including one very unique, musical space; the jam room. Employees are encouraged to get loud in a noise-proof space stocked with guitars, drums, keyboards and other musical instruments. A quieter alternative, The Zen Room, offers soft white seating, lush greenery and natural light.
When the high-tech brand opened an Austin campus, the Texas break room lived up to the brand’s high standards for design and function. The Austin break space features a mixture of quiet nooks, living room-inspired seating, and glass-walled meeting rooms–along with an open space filled with shuffleboard and other games.
Employees are encouraged to eat and relax together in a series of small, round tables next to a highly-functional, well-stocked kitchen. While not every organization has the budget or real estate space to create an on-site zen garden or dedicated jam room, DropBox’s commitment to a multi-functional break room is worth noting.
The Austin break room’s inclusion of “private enclaves” for focused work is among the top corporate design trends today. Offering on-site catering to employees can fuel productivity, wellness, and staff satisfaction
2. Zynga: Snacks, Catering and Arcade Games
San Francisco-based Zynga is a social game developer, with a serious corporate commitment to fun in the workplace. Employees are permitted to bring dogs to work at this pet-friendly campus, which features dedicated indoor canine break rooms with astroturf.
Employees can work or recharge at bar stools around high counters in the kitchen, which is fully stocked with snacks and three meals per day of office catering plus weekly happy hours. To foster employee relationships and fun in the workplace, Zynga’s break room also offers several full-sized gaming options, including arcade-style Dance Dance Revolution and a pool table.
Scientists believe that gaming at work can offer more than just a fun break from hard projects. Taking 15 minutes in the on-site arcade or board game station can lead to creative breakthroughs. “It gives people a step back from whatever their work task may be and puts them in a different frame of mind,” says Psychology Professor Chris Ferguson. Studies show that people who game at work don’t have trouble resuming focus after completing a round of their game.
3. Yelp: Candy, Craft Beer and Caffeine
Headquartered in San Francisco, Yelp is the Silicon Valley tech company behind one of the world’s most widely-used consumer reviews websites. The “ultra-hip” headquarters offer stunning views of downtown San Francisco, industrial-chic design and an employee break room lined with jars of candy. Craft beer is served by the keg to staff and guests, and there’s plenty of healthier fare available on-demand for staff to grab from the well-stocked kitchen.
One of Yelp’s most beloved employee perks is the on-site coffee shop which offers lattes and other, fully-customizable artisan coffee drinks to employees all day long. Employees with a serious need for caffeine can spend their workday quietly focused at small tables in the cafe, or collaborate with coworkers in the soft, bench-style couches which create nooks throughout the cafe.
Regardless of whether you opt for a full-time barista or a dedicated keg of cold brew, there’s an undeniable link between coffee and workplace productivity. At least 70 percent of the workforce drinks coffee during the workday. Offering coffee and healthy snacks in the break room can save time and improve staff focus.
Putting the Best Office Break Room Ideas to Work
Silicon Valley employers are notorious for their sometimes-extravagant employee perks, like unlimited vacation policies, concierge service, and an on-site skate park. While these aren’t a reality for most employers, the best office break room ideas from Silicon Valley can work for nearly any organization. Organizations like DropBox, Zynga, and Yelp have invested in visually-appealing, multi-purpose employee break spaces and a variety of complimentary refreshments to fuel employee productivity, collaboration, and workplace satisfaction.
With over two decades of experience offering full-service office refreshments, Corporate Essentials is the expert in office break room design. We help employers completely redesign their break room from concept to finish. As experts in the field of office supplies and corporate culture, our staff design experts can facilitate break room designs which are functional, stylish, and flow seamlessly.
