There’s nothing like stepping away from your computer at work and taking a break to socialize with coworkers with a steaming mug of Joe in hand. It feels relaxing to give yourself a break from whatever project you’re tackling at work and let your mind wander on other things.
But what about from an employer’s prospective? Don’t coffee breaks just hurt productivity and mean your employees are just slacking off?
As it turns out, not at all! In fact, it might mean just the opposite. Allowing your employees to take coffee breaks, or even promoting them in your office culture, can do a lot to benefit your business.
So, what good exactly comes from letting your employees taking coffee breaks while in the office?
Coffee breaks promote group collaboration, even on individual projects. If multiple coworkers decide to clear their minds for a few moments in the break room to drink coffee, they’ll inevitably end up discussing work. This can promote group collaboration on ideas, giving workers fresh ideas on unique solutions to their challenges in the workplace.
Productivity soars when people enjoy the work that they are doing and are surrounded by a positive environment. There’s no better way to create a positive environment than when people are able to socialize and communicate with one another. By getting to know each other and taking a break from the stresses of the day, even just for a few minutes, employees’ moods can improve immensely – and so can their ability to produce good work.
In addition to that, drinking coffee will keep them awake and alert throughout the day. In fact, did you know that the benefits of coffee including helping workers to multi task? This means that the benefits of the coffee break could extend as long as the caffeine is still in their system.
If a person is stuck on a project and can’t think of the inspiration they need, or find the solution that they are looking for, sometimes taking a break is the best thing they can do. By stepping away from the project and taking a coffee break, they can gain a fresh perspective when they go back to tackle their project again. By coming back with a fresh look at things, they may no longer have a clouded mind. The employee will be able to see clearly the solutions or inspiration they were struggling to find before.
With the above benefits that come with coffee breaks in the workplace, it’s clear that they aren’t only good for the people working there – they’re beneficial to the wellbeing of the company as well! Happy workers turn in well-thought out and high-quality work. And no one is happy when they don’t get a second to step away from their desk and get a breather all day long.
So, next time your employees step away to get a coffee from the break room and linger there when they should be working, remember this: In most cases, workers are able to regulate their own workload. A good employee will know when it’s productive for them to be working and when they’re beating a dead horse until they take a break. Trust your employees to know the difference between slacking off and clearing their minds.