Sun Tzu wrote: “When one treats people with benevolence, justice and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders. The Art of War. An ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the Late Spring and Autumn Period (roughly 5th century BC), remains the most influential strategy text in East Asian warfare and has influenced both Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, legal strategy, lifestyles and beyond. You are probably wondering- what does a passage from the Art of War has to do with your new practice? If I may, you are about to read why. One area that always comes into debate when discussing new/remodel projects with our clients is the staff break room. This room might seem irrelevant or maybe have little importance in the overall scope of work to the client, doubting whether they should “invest” in more millwork- yet from my perspective and experience, it is a room that requires at least some consideration. The staff break room is a room where staff eats, have small meetings, celebrate birthdays and most important where they relax. It is a room they grow fond of because of all the stories they share. It is here where staff develops bonds and those bonds become family. In remodel projects, I have witnessed firsthand how these areas look and how they have been neglected and ignored over time, resulting in low morale and an un-committed approach to a unified work culture. How would you feel having to have lunch every day in a place where the table not only is beginning to chip but has 4 different chair types, cabinets are old and outdated, sink is beginning to rust, faucet drips, the fridge displays a funny smell and there’ a whole stack of unclaimed plastic Tupperwares in one of the cabinets? I can assure you, you wouldn’t be looking forward to your lunch break. After a while your staff, “your troops”, would probably start to feel discouraged, unmotivated and It’s understandable, feelings of neglect, of not feeling appreciated start to build in. This area as unimportant as you might think it is, will slowly reflect on how your staff performs at work, how they treat your patients- energy is an undeniable tell. This probably will manifest in a low enthusiasm while at work, and in consequence for your practice- because the area you have assigned to them is in a deplorable condition. Now you or your staff probably was not aware of this, but trust me, clean, well planned staff break rooms CAN BE a factor between a successful practice and one that has a high rotation of personnel. Believe me when I tell you that investing in this area WILL NOT impact your budget- it won’t, if the area is planned diligently, if you provide the minimum number of cabinets for an optimal operation- break rooms, turn out to be rooms with great return, where staff goes and re-charges energy. A few things to keep in mind though, refrigerators need to be small or medium size, too big and they have the opposite effect, you will find out that staff, leaves food that could date back a couple of months, a medium sized fridge is easier to monitor, to keep it presentable. The same for extra cabinets too many of them you’d be surprised what you will find. I use the KISS Principle – (“Keep It Simple Silly”) approach when space planning. I don’t recommend garbage disposals because people throw in all kinds of stuff and you will have to deal with a new problem every other week, the same can be said about dishwashers, however, the latter depends on two factors: staff size and how much space do you have. If staff break room size permits, lockers are ideal for personal items, as these provide peace of mind to your staff while working, plus these keep break rooms clean, free from visual clutter. It doesn’t require much to have a nice, clean staff break room and the positive effect it creates on your staff is quite rewarding, they will not only work together to keep a clean, relaxing room they claim as theirs, but would also show your appreciation and interest in providing them with the tools for keeping your business moving in the right direction.
A not very inviting view. A wallpaper that’s peeling off, an open waste basket and in the back an outdated series of cabinets with a light blue counter top.
A dinning table that looks like it was rescued from someone’s curb plus everyone got to bring their favorite chair, makes all of this the best lunch experience, throw a couple of old boxes to bring a messy touch and voila! You’re good to go..Enjoy your lunch
Simple, clean and inviting. A simple layout can cause a positive effect among your staff.
The idea behind a successful Break Room is that there’s several options how you can get creative and make it a space everyone feels a part of.