Make a Perfect Recharge Room in Your Office
One might think that refurbishing a room for something other than basic work-related needs such as a kitchen and a conference room is a waste of resources but that is not what studies show. It is noted that employees are 12% more efficient when they are satisfied with their working conditions. So, the math is simple, to increase your employees’ productivity, you need to make them happy.
This doesn’t mean that you need to support some irrational ideas or don’t reprimand them when they make a careless error. What’s important is to show them you value their efforts and achievements on a daily basis. By giving them space where they can distance themselves from work, you will give them an opportunity to recharge and be more productive. With that in mind, here are a few suggestions regarding different recharge rooms for your employees.
#1 Nap time!
One of the ideas for a recharge room could be a room for naps. Although old-school business owners would probably disapprove of employees sleeping on the job, look at it this way: what your employees do in their break time is their business. Unless they are stealing office supplies. All jokes aside, power naps have been shown to increase productivity, so if your employees have an opportunity to use their lunch break to take a 20-minute nap, they will continue with their working day feeling fresh and rested.
So, provide them with a clean and quiet place to rest, equipped with temperature control options, comfortable lying spots and many snug pillows. Also, aggressive colors such as bright red are a big no-no when it comes to the colors of the walls, so perhaps it’s best to go with light blue, white or some other color which is serene.
#2 Fun and play
Giving your employees a special room to play games? Your grandmother would be appealed at the mere thought of such a place but even she would succumb to the idea after you explain it to her. An entertainment room is bound to decrease stress and boost job satisfaction even in the most introverted people. It would also motivate the feeling of unity, acting as a team-building space, which means that the employees will feel more relaxed with their team members and therefore more creative and productive.
As for the choice of entertainment itself, it will depend on your budget and the size of the room. You can, for example, go for a pinball machine or a pool table and to entice a bit of competitiveness, make a scoreboard so everyone can enter their results. Ping-pong could also be an excellent de-stressing activity where their willingness to cooperate can be put to a test. If you don’t have space for tables and machines, you can always go with darts or a chessboard.
#3 Peace and quiet
If you decide that your employees could benefit the most from a little peace and quiet to compose their thoughts and recharge, you can turn the spare room into a meditation room. Meditation does wonders for mental focus and reclaiming inner peace and composure after a stressful meeting. Having a place to de-stress will affect their mood and health, so you might even indirectly reduce the number of sick days your employees take.
The design of the room needs to inspire tranquility so adding plants to create a more natural and relaxing environment might be a good idea. Also, it would be good for the room to have natural light which means large windows are a must. However, it also needs to be sound-proof, so you can consider solid timber sliding doors because they would both fit in aesthetically in the nature theme and provide the necessary noise insulation. This would give the meditation practitioners an opportunity to gently tune out leaving the bustling office behind.
#4 Unplugged session
We became dependent on technology to such an extent that we suffer a mini heart attack when we think that we lost our phones. Besides assisting us, gadgets also became the leaders, with school children competing who has the best phone and adults spending all their free time in front of a computer screen. This is why it could be useful to introduce a room for them to unplug from social media, as well as their email for a while.
The no-tech room can take any shape you wish it to since its intention is to admit the employees for an electronic rehab. You can set it as a living room, with a comfortable set of furniture for people to sit and talk, as well as a few nooks where individuals can separate themselves from the group and do some reading. Investing in books is never a wrong decision and your employees can bring some of their books so together you can create a library. Books and pleasant conversation can be a mighty cure for the average technology addict.
#5 Sweat it
Providing your employees with exercise space isn’t just beneficial for those who are good at sports but for those who are good at finding excuses not to work out. The second group would be motivated to become more active by the first group as they will soon sense first short-terms benefits such as having more energy for the most mundane of tasks and then the long-term ones, such as the overall feeling of well-being.
They can also do some exercises while at their desk, however, for some it might be embarrassing while others need more space. If you provide them with a separate room equipped as a mini-gym, you will show that you care about their physical and mental health and you will be rewarded with swell ideas and meeting deadlines every time. Since your employees look up to you, don’t forget to set an example and visit your office gym regularly.
Designing a recharge room is one of the best investments you as a business owner can make. Our lives are hectic, there are many stimuli around us and sometimes it is difficult to be concentrated and give your best. Sometimes we just feel tired or uninventive and not even a half an hour lunch break can help us come to our senses.
People find different things pleasurable and relaxing so choosing one theme for your recharge room might be tricky but without a doubt, your employees’ productivity can experience a boost with that new space. And why not organize a vote and let them choose?
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