A landscape office has its advantages. It encourages collegiality and communication: colleagues only have to roll their chairs together for a short meeting. However, an office must also accommodate focused working and that’s not always easy with an open office because this tends to go hand-in-hand with a noisier environment.
But nobody wants to go back to the old fashioned desks in corners from the sixties and luckily, there’s no need. A breakout space provides employees with a space to find a little peace and focus where they can get on with their work without being interrupted.
What is a breakout space, exactly?
A breakout space is a zone where team members can isolate themselves. It remains a working area, of course, but it offers a calmer and more pleasant environment than the rest of the office. Moving to another setting not only does wonders for productivity and creativity; it also helps employees to manage stress effectively. Furthermore, colleagues can withdraw into a breakout space to make a phone call or meet in a small group, so that the rest of the team cannot interrupt them.
A breakout space that encourages movement
You could also equip a breakout space with table football, or a table tennis table, for example. A standing desk encourages employees to change their posture regularly but a game in the breakout area is even more effective in getting them moving.
Focus area for your office layout
Whether you wish to contain the noise of bouncing ping-pong balls, or keep out the noise of ringing phones and a buzzing printer, your breakout space must have perfect acoustic insulation. You can make the space even more inviting with homely ‘touches’ such as comfortable sofas, a low table, plenty of plants and maybe even a book shelf and a coffee corner.
Of course, you will adapt the precise layout of the breakout space to the function that it fulfils in your office. A quiet corner requires a very different atmosphere and furniture than a games area where employees can let off steam for a moment.
From analysis to implementation
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