The Importance of an Office Breakout Area

There’s no doubt about it. Modern workers now expect much more from an office. 

These days, contemporary workspaces must be agile, flexible and conducive to employee well-being, productivity and creativity – especially in the post-pandemic world. Part of this has seen a rise in popularity of breakout zones. 

To explore this growing trend, we’ll take a look at the benefits of breakout zones and share some inspiration as to how they can take your office to the next level. 

What is a breakout area?

Simply put, a breakout zone is an agile area that is separate from your main work space that can be utilised in a flexible way by employees. Perhaps it has a simple table and chairs. Maybe a comfy sofa and beanbags. Or it might even go all out with a standing desk or even a pool table.

Essentially, breakout areas can be whatever you want them to be – anything from an oasis away from the desk, all the way to a place to creatively brainstorm without disturbing colleagues. Get the space design right and everything else will follow.

Why are breakout areas important?

The benefits of breakout zones are numerous – and they include: 

• Flexibility: Now we’re gradually reaching the other side of the pandemic, there is greater demand for workplaces to integrate flexibility and agile working into their design. Breakout zones can play a big role in this, as they can be adapted to suit your company and the needs of workers as a collective and individually.

• Encourages collaboration: Great communication is what makes a workplace tick. Breakout zones can effectively act almost as pop-up meeting rooms, perfect for getting a few heads together for an impromptu brainstorm or a private chat that won’t disturb your colleagues. You may want to add comfy sofas or perhaps a whiteboard, and it’s these little extras that can get the creative juices flowing and carve out the perfect place for collaboration.
  
  
• Supports physical and mental health: A change of scenery and a bit of time away from the desk can make a world of difference to our outlook and productivity. Whether we want to crack on with some tasks in peace, or we just fancy giving our legs a stretch, breakout zones can be a little haven to recharge your batteries and see things from a new perspective. 

Ideas for your office breakout area

There are no limits to what a breakout zone can be – and the needs of your employees, along with your company ethos and personality, will all go a long way in influencing what you decide to use them for. 

It all starts with a concept, a design. For that, you’ll need help from a professional space planning company, such as Ashlar, who take the innovative approach to design and final fit-out.

• If you have space for multiple breakout zones, then why not give each one its own personality and mood? This is something we achieved at DigiHaul in their office fit-out. Three meeting room themes were created; culture, sport, and music. Check out the work we did here and scroll down to the project photos to get some inspiration on how varied breakout spaces have the potential to be.
  
  
• Another project we worked on was a laidback co-working space, perfect for agile working. Biophilic plant barriers divided the space and gentle music piped in from overhead speakers, helping to create a relaxed atmosphere – and showing there really are no limits to your imagination.

• Our client, Ikano Bank, was a great example of someone who wanted to have a bit of fun with their breakout zone. Boasting a huge ‘writing wall’ for employee feedback, along with comfy sofas and individual pods, their breakout zones were as inviting as they were creative. 

Ready to get started? Here at Ashlar, we design and build innovative spaces that are made for you. As a full-service company, we take care of every step of your creation journey – from the first spark of inspiration, all the way to the final fit-out. Part of our varied work includes the construction of brand new breakout zones that will take your office to the next level. 

We want to hear your ideas, so get in touch today – we serve companies across the UK.