It’s important to make your place of work a place where employees love to work, after all they are important and the cost of high staff turnover can be crippling to a business. One way to make the workplace a more enjoyable place is to ensure that there is a good and comfortable place for them to take their breaks. Here are some ways to make the coffee lounge a nicer place for your employees.
Make Sure The Furniture Is Comfortable
It’s easy to shop on price for office furniture and even more so for the coffee lounge as it may be an afterthought in a way, but as we have seen with office furniture good furniture can increase productivity and in the same vein the ability to properly rest and be in good spirits for the rest of their work day.
Supply Free Tea, Coffee & Milk (including dairy free)
If you supply a range of good quality tea and coffee for free it isn’t’ really a huge expense to your overall budget but will seem like a great gesture from the point of view of a worker. If you go even further and include milk but also non-dairy options this will show you as a really considerate boss as there are many vegans these days and those with intolerance these days. You can even provide a small range of free snacks every day which would be great.
Choose A Good Coffee Machine
Gone are the days when a jar of instant coffee and a kettle are enough for the staff room. Coffee means a whole range of lattes and mochas etc. and it’s important to choose a coffee machine that can service these needs. Get a good handle on what machine best suits your needs and the easy way to check is to look up reviews on a site such as The Coffee Maven and you can easily compare prices and features.
Ensure The Area Is Clean & Tidy
There’s nothing worse than having to take your break in a disgusting, messy break area. So ensure the area is cleaned and tidied regularly. If you are a large organisation you will no doubt have cleaning staff that come in to tidy up and vacuum etc. you can make sure that the break room is part of that contract, alternatively if you are a smaller organisation, make sure there is a clear policy of cleaning the area and have a staff rota so that everyone takes their turn in tidying up and cleaning as it is an area that is used by everyone.
Consider Entertainment
To go one step further, why not consider providing entertainment for staff. It’s not that it needs to be wild or extravagant. But you can easily put a small TV or radio in there. Even a small gesture such as providing newspapers or magazines can show that you are thinking a little above the minimum for your employees. It’s little fringe benefits that really make a difference to employees.
