Are coffee breaks useful or a waste of time?

In the modern day, the discussion over working patterns and schedules has never been discussed in more detail. Since home working was enforced for the majority of people, due to Covid-19, the landscape of ‘traditional’ working has permanently changed.

The mentality of an employee has also changed, with more employees used to a home working styled environment even with the majority of workers now re-joining their respective offices in some capacity. Regular mini breaks and flexible hours are just two examples of how the mindset of employees has changed as a result of the Covid working days.

Did you know that 98 million cups of coffee are consumed every day across the UK? That is an increase of 28 million over the last 15 years! This large number suggests the majority of your workforce and colleagues will be enjoying a coffee at some point throughout their working day. So, what are the benefits of coffee breaks in the workplace?

Team morale

Firstly, we start with a big benefit, employee morale. As you will already know, your fellow colleagues are a wholly committed, hard-working bunch of people and a coffee break incentive can really boost the team morale if they are feeling swamped or worn out from their busy schedules. A coffee break can also significantly boost employee productivity. A chance to reset the brain and interact about things other than work can help remove previous frustrations and tiredness, allowing employees to go back to their work refreshed. Introducing these coffee breaks can also show an employee how much they are valued by their company and in turn increase their output on a consistent basis.

Caffeine

Another benefit of coffee breaks is the actual coffee itself. We know workplaces can be busy and bustling places, but tests and research have shown that caffeine itself can actually reduce a person’s stress levels. Caffeine calms the brain by inhibiting adenosine, which in turn relaxes the body. Other research has also shown caffeine has a positive effect on a person’s long and short term memory.

Alertness

A coffee break can regain and improve an employee’s focus and alertness levels. Caffeine is known to provide improved energy levels. It is also proven that staring at a computer screen or monitor for too long can strain and damage eyesight. Being in front of a computer screen for increased periods of time can also increase the likelihood of fatigue, which in turn causes limited work output. A coffee break is a great way for employees to get themselves away from the screen for a couple of minutes to aid their own health.

Workplace relationship building

As well as the benefits above, the potentially biggest benefit of a coffee break is building workplace relationships. In a more relaxed setting of regular coffee breaks, employees from different departments can interact which, in turn, can improve their working relationship with each other. During these breaks employees can create bonds with their co-workers, increasing work output and decreasing the likelihood of high staff turnover.

Negatives of a coffee break

As you have seen there are many positives to including a regular coffee break into a company’s work schedule but are there any negatives?
A potential negative of coffee breaks could be employees going to different establishments to buy coffee. Thankfully we have a solution for this potential negative, a high-quality bean-to-cup coffee machine! With the majority of your workforce drinking coffee on a regular basis, good quality coffee is still seen as a real perk and a contributing factor to job satisfaction.

Are you thinking of providing your workplace with a coffee machine?

The first major step is to find out what works for your business, so if you need a hand our team is here to help. Simply get in touch and we can support you in finding the perfect office coffee experience.