Now that the holiday season's over and your employees are returning to work, you might be thinking ahead to enhancing employee productivity. After all, it's important to achieve a good output.
There's a way to achieve this — with a welcoming break room, employees can recharge their energy and stay productive. And it'll require a few break room ideas to make the space inviting.
Our checklist in this article will look closely at a selection of six top types of office break room products that can help your employees disconnect. We will explore each product's high-grade features to help you select the ideal option and make your office break room a productivity-enhancing space.
Keep reading to find the best supplies for your employee break room!
Office Break Room Ideas: A Checklist for 2025
Systematic reviews and research into employee breaks suggest that microbreaks can increase employee performance, which is why an office breakroom is crucial. It can also help employees get to know each other more as it's a space where they may share bits about their personal lives.
To encourage employees to disconnect and recharge their energy, you may need to use fun break room ideas. Below, you'll discover the best options that can make a difference to your employees' productivity.
#1 Comfortable Seating
When employees enter the break room, they may want to take a load off and sit comfortably to enjoy their break. For this reason, a break room needs comfortable seating that your employees can relax in. You'll want to select chairs with padding and soft upholstery, as this ensures employees can relax for a long period.
Seating options such as the Alera Genaro Series chairs come with thick padding that offers your employees maximum comfort. They also have padded armrests that offer soft support, and sturdy, comfortable backs that support the weight of your employees.
Manufacturers designed these comfortable seating options to be used in a lounge or conference room; you can use multiple chairs in your own configuration to create the optimal workplace break room. For example, you might place the Alera Genario Series chairs around a break room table in the same room to encourage team bonding and team lunches.
#2 Wall or Bulletin Board
The break room is a shared space in which employees may gather to discuss important upcoming work events. With a bulletin board installed, such as the Quartet Classic Series Cork Bulletin Board , you can make the space a place where employees discover the latest company news and communicate effectively.
You and your employees can use options such as the Quartet Cork Bulletin Board to pin crucial documents in place so that all co-workers can view them. You can attach these products to the wall securely since they come with a factory-installed mounting system.
Aesthetically, these options align well with any interior, thanks to the finished frame, so these bulletin boards are both design-enhancing and functional.
#3 Tea and Coffee Makers
When you want to complete a break room makeover, you'll want to ensure you include solutions that employees can use to refuel and replenish their energy. When they take a lunch break, employees may want a little pick-me-up, such as a cup of coffee. This is where the BUNN My Cafe Pourover Coffee/Tee Pod Brewer is ideal.
This commercial-quality solution can brew a cup of coffee or tea in just 30 seconds so that your employees' hot drinks are ready when required. Since it features a Pulse Brew™ technology feature, this machine is versatile and caters to both tea and coffee lovers.
Since it also can hold 46oz of water, this solution can serve several employees on coffee breaks before they need to refill the reservoir. It can also save energy since it comes with an energy-saver mode that activates during idle periods.
#4 Craft Supplies
The break room isn't just a place for having lunch. It serves other purposes, such as helping employees disconnect from their work routines. Arts and crafts are one of the break room activities that help co-workers disconnect, and they also inspire creativity in teams.
So one creative idea for your break room is to include craft materials so that employees can unwind. Craft supplies can align with specific company culture concepts that prioritize wellness and focus on boosting employee creativity.
Solutions such as the SunWorks Construction Paper , the Sharpie Peel-Off China Markers , and even a Pentel Oil Pastel Set can be unique ideas for a break room. With these solutions, employees can let their creativity flow and learn new skills. Alternatively, employees might use these types of craft supplies to create notices to post on a bulletin board.
#5 Water Dispenser
Your employees might need a refreshing cup of water to stay hydrated throughout the day, which is where water dispenser products can be ideal. You may include a water filter pitcher, such as the Brita® Water Filter Pitcher product in your break room kitchen area to ensure your employees can access pure water whenever required.
The Brita® Water Filter Pitcher minimizes the chlorine taste in the water and filters out copper and mercury impurities. It is good for 40 gallons of water before a replacement filter is required, so employees can get plenty of use from each filter.
#6 Snack Bar Treats
The right snack bar treats can provide the perfect energy boost for your employees, which is why you might want to include them in your office break room kitchen. Snack bars such as the KIND Fruit and Nut Bars are energizing and help you provide perks for your employees.
You may want to include a range of snack bar treats to cater to a range of employees' preferences and dietary requirements. In that case, you may want to add the KIND Healthy Grains Bar to your office break room, which is gluten-free and tasty.
Find Products at BuyDirect to Fulfill Your Office Break Room Ideas
Encouraging employees to take a break can help with productivity, and with the right office break room ideas, you can invite employees to disconnect from work, take microbreaks, and return to the office feeling ready to work. If you're looking for products that can help you improve your office break room, you'll find all the suggestions in this article at BuyDirect.
We stock all of these products, and more, to help you provide the perfect break room environment. Shop for the best break room products at BuyDirect to transform the space into a comfortable and welcoming environment for your employees.
FAQs
Need extra information about employee break room ideas? Look at the answers to these FAQs.
What is Required in a Break Room?
It needs to be functional and practical, but it should also be comfortable and inviting for your employees since it’s their space for taking a well-earned break. For this reason, you'll want to avoid making the break room appear institutional and instead make it a welcoming space for all employees.
How Can I Make My Break Room More Fun?
This might include shopping for very creative ideas such as foosball tables, sports games, pool tables, and more, which can add a fun dimension to your break room. You might also incorporate products such as board games and video game consoles depending on your employees' preferences.
How Should Break Rooms Work?
They should provide a space where employees and co-workers can sit together and have casual conversations to connect and take a break. They should work by offering a home-like feel with a living-room style space and a well-stocked kitchen area.