What is a ‘social space’?

A social space is essentially a breakout area. It’s somewhere that employees can go to relax, socialise, and sometimes even work with others. They are designed to create a different setting away from the desk. They make sure that breaks are optimised and taken in the best way for employees. It will differ depending on the type of business you work for; however, they all try to reach the same goal. Over the years there have been several wacky and wonderful ideas, such as foosball tables, beanbags and even vending machines. However, these are not usually found in most UK businesses breakout areas! However, if your budget allows, your employees’ expectations are met, and productivity levels are kept intact or even improved, then a few beanbags might be just what you need! Below are a few more reasons why social spaces are so important.

Enabling employees to work together

Arguably, one of the most important reasons to have a designated social space is to improve communication between employees. Stepping away from the desk and entering a space where you can socialise will help improve creativity. Allowing you to communicate with others around you will allow you to connect with your fellow colleagues. This has many major benefits including a better environment when working, increased productivity and increased collaborative work. It can also take out the broken communication that can sometimes occur between departments. Taking out the more formal setting allows those who wouldn’t normally work together to do so, again improving communication and increasing the likelihood of working together in the future.

Importance of a well rested break

We all know that formal settings such as meeting rooms and boardrooms are important for work. However, social spaces are just as important during those times when you’re not working. Making sure your staff take well deserved breaks to relax are so important. Taking yourself away from the desk at lunchtime for example can lead to a more productive afternoon and increased motivation, perfect for business! In this day and age, the importance of mental health and well-being is also on the rise. Therefore, the importance of breakout areas are all the more prevalent.

Design layout of your workspace

Lastly, the design and layout of your workspace is equally as important. This includes things such as acoustics, lighting, food and drink objects, filling spaces and partitioning. The acoustics of a social space can be changed by the introduction of soft furnishings and lower lighting. Food and drink machines such as vending and coffee machines will increase productivity. It will also give your staff their much needed caffeine hit! Filling the spaces can also be tricky when planning an office fit out, so adding small things like beanbags and sofas can keep the budget low, but add colour and populate the area. Partitioning is also important, read why here in a previous blog of ours.

Contact Us

If you would like more information on why social spaces are so important then head over to our contact page on our website to speak to a member of our team. Additionally, if you would like to talk to us over the phone then please call 01494 506 385 or email us on hello@fitout.finance. You can also see more over on our LinkedIn page.