This is Part 3 of a 3-part Series: The Non-negotiables of a Breakroom.

Creating a modern, inviting breakroom for employees is essential for maintaining an efficient, productive workplace. You first have to ask yourself, what is the point of a breakroom?  A break room is a designated area where employees can take a break from their daily tasks. It is a place where they can socialize with co-workers and relax. A break room allows workers to re-energize and refresh. It can also be used as a space to collaborate, share ideas, and work on projects together.

In talking with some of the experts in the field, there seems to be 3 “must have” aspects to consider when you are creating a break room that employees will love and appreciate. 

Fun

The more serious your work is, the more you need to have fun on your breaks. 

• A great way to unwind and destress is to play games. Pool tables, air hockey, darts and other interactive games can add a greater physical element to sideline stress and help employees regain focus.  
• If space is limited, consider having a community puzzle everyone can work on, or a community white board where a trivia question is posed or a story is started and each person adds a word.
• Decorations for the season, events and holidays; a bulletin board with an employee highlight of the month: favorite foods, pets, family, hobbies.

Functional

Quick – what are the top three things you think when you hear the words “take a break”? 

• Put your feet up and relax
• Have a cup of exceptional, fresh coffee
• Grab a snack or some lunch

If your break room allows for those three, you have yourself a functional break room.  But don’t stop there!  There’s coffee… and then there’s coffee. Is your break room truly a place where people can go to relax, or are there TVs blaring & fluorescent lights glaring? Are the fridge, microwave, and coffee pot clean?  Is it a place where people can enjoy their lunch, helping your employees to “rest & digest”?  Your answers to these questions will help you determine if your break room is serving its intended purpose or not.  
At garten, visual merchandising is a cornerstone of our brand experience. We’ve built our experience to influence healthy and productive decisions, while making it a place where your team can connect, refuel, and relax. We always use the best materials, natural elements, varied textures and eye-catching pieces.  Let us know how we can help you design a functional break room that ticks all the boxes!

reFreshing

Ultimately, if you are not walking away from your break feeling refreshed and ready for another round of work, then there is room for improvement.  We at garten put the emphasis on “fresh”.  You can’t “re” fresh without it.  And, when we think fresh, we think of food.  You have to ask yourself if the snacks available in the break room are reflecting this ideal.  When your employees eat from the food that is available, will they tank 90 minutes later?  Will their blood sugar crash from the rushed energy buzz they get from over-processed, sugar high carbs?  Or will they stay steady through the afternoon by having a balance of healthy carbs, good fat, and high quality protein?

When we asked, “What are ‘must-haves’ in a Fun, reFreshing, and Functional break room?”, the answer was fresh healthy food providing energy to get through the day.  But variety is also key, keeping the selection fresh and seasonal as well, with great merchandising to draw the eye in and options that are healthier overall.  That’s why, at garten, we are committed to providing the best training for our partners that aligns with the “look and feel” of the vision of the program through 3 different avenues:

1. In-Office Kitchen: One solution for offering employees healthy food during work hours is to have an in-office kitchen. This kitchen can be equipped with a refrigerator, microwave, and other appliances that allow employees to prepare their own meals. Having an in-office kitchen also allows for the implementation of a company-wide initiative to reduce processed and unhealthy food options.
2. Catered Meals: Another solution is to offer catered meals for employees during work hours. Garten works with local catering companies that specialize in healthy and nutritious meals. This option can be especially beneficial for companies that have a high employee turnover rate or for those who have employees that work long hours.
3. Employee Education: A third solution is to offer employee education on healthy eating. This can be done through our self-serve garten Experiences platform with workshops, seminars, or online resources. By educating employees on the importance of healthy eating and providing them with the tools and resources they need to make healthier food choices, companies can create a culture of health and wellness.  From a recent nutrition class held, “Janine was well knowledgeable about nutrition and Nuance employees had wonderful feedback!”. 

Overall, by providing employees with these non-negotiable resources, companies can improve employee productivity, reduce absenteeism, and promote a culture of health and wellness. It’s important to remember that different solutions will work better for different companies and it’s important to find the right combination of solutions that work best for your organization and employees.  Let us know how we can help!

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This is Part 1 of a 3-part Series: The Sensible Breakroom.

Break rooms are an essential part of any workplace, allowing employees to take a break and de-stress. But what if you could make them even better? By designing a break room that uses all five senses, as well as the holistic approach to mind, body and environment, you can create a truly unique and multi-sensory environment that boosts productivity and wellbeing in the workplace.
Designing a break room that incorporates all five senses doesn’t have to be difficult.

Here are some tips to get you started:

Sights

Create an inviting environment with natural light and colors that stimulate the senses. 

• Windows & skylights are a plus, but you may be stuck working with what you’ve got.  So, instead of bright fluorescents, have lamps around with soft, ambient lighting. 
  
• You can also add wall hangings and decorations to personalize the space.
  
• Real plants (succulents are easy to keep alive!), and rotating artwork (especially done by employees) can create a fun creative space.

Smells

Incorporate natural scents like lavender, lemon or vanilla to soothe the senses and promote relaxation.  Be careful of using synthetic fragrances, as some are sensitive to those. 

• Open the window if possible to let in fresh air.  Bringing in an air purifier will help keep things fresh as well. 
  
• Try this for getting rid of burnt popcorn smell in microwaves: make a solution of 1 cup of water with 1 tablespoon of either lemon juice or vinegar in a microwave-safe container. Heat for 2-5 minutes, then wipe clean.
  
• Consider having an aromatherapy area, with blends used to de-stress, energize, or promote emotional health.  Have a small jar for each blend (labeled clearly).  Apply a drop or two of the oil blends on some cotton balls and till the container with them.  Encourage employees to take the cotton balls back to their desks for quick little pick ups throughout the day.

Touch

Make sure the furniture and amenities are comfortable and cozy, so that employees can really relax and recharge.  

• Provide footstools so employees can relieve tension in legs and low back
  
• Get a couple of massage pads that can be placed on the back of chairs
  
• Provide tactile activities that help relieve stress: adult coloring, clay or kinetic sand, stress balls, playing cards, etc. 

Sound

Create a calming atmosphere with low-level background music or natural sounds like birds chirping.  In addition:

• Provide headphones that offer noise canceling so employees can get away from sounds and take a moment in silence for meditation and relaxation. 
  
• Bring in a small counter or table top water feature to not only increase visual relaxation but audible as well. 
  
• Great conversations & laughter is always welcome – have a question or joke of the day posted on the bulletin board that helps people get to know each other and stimulate conversation.  Conversation cards on the tables can also be a fun way to interact with team members and associates. 

Taste

Of all the improvements you can make in your breakroom, this is the most important as it will impact your employees for hours to come.  Provide refreshments and snacks that are easy to access and enjoyable to eat. This can range from teas and coffees to healthy snacks and treats.  Making sure the offerings you have are intentional to give your workers the energy they need to get through the day, to handle the stress that comes with their workload, and to have brains ready to be creative and productive. 

• Good Fats – As noted by the NIH, “The human brain is nearly 60 percent fat. We’ve learned in recent years that fatty acids are among the most crucial molecules that determine your brain’s integrity and ability to perform.”  It is also important for us to avoid oils that were once thought of as “healthy”, but studies are showing they may cause scarring of the arterial wall.  Healthy Nuts, seeds and avocados as snacks are a great way to get this important macronutrient during the work day. 
  
• Good Carbs – yes!  We need carbs for energy, but we have to have the right ones at our fingertips.  When our bodies are tanking, we will start to crave the high carb snack that is the most convenient.  The healthiest sources of carbohydrates—unprocessed or minimally processed whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans—promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients. (Harvard School of Public Health)
  
• Good Protein – the building blocks of endurance and strength. Supplying healthy snack power packed with protein will help employees feel nourished and ready to handle the workload ahead of them. If they are easy to grab, all the better.  Think hummus and veggie packs, cheese sticks, jerky, and yogurt.

Why not just let the employee bring in their own lunch or snacks?  Because you care (or you wouldn’t have read this far in the article… )  But, don’t feel like you have to do the heavy lifting yourself!  Companies like garten have been managing the staff break room for years, and are highly skilled at taking the guesswork out of what to provide as well as staying within budget.

The Sensible Solution

By incorporating all five senses in your break room, you can create a truly unique and multi-sensory environment that helps to promote productivity and wellbeing for your employees. With the right design and a few simple touches, you can make your break room the perfect place to step away from the office and recharge.  Take a moment to look around your breakroom – which of the 5 senses are the most in need of improvement?  What one small addition can you make today?

Next up: what are the non-negotiables in a breakroom atmosphere?

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This is Part 1 of a 3-part Series: Break Rooms as Art.

Can a breakroom actually be a thing of beauty?  With an emphatic yes, it is more than possible, it is a non-negotiable.  Here is why:

Employees feel they are valued like a Monalisa 

While 9 out of 10 executives may think their employees feel cared for, the truth is, only 56% employees believe this to be true.  This trend can be reversed with careful consideration of the employee’s needs in a breakroom. 

Morale is boosted and corporate culture is improved

Like any art enthusiast will tell you, it’s all about culture.  Having a place to go to let off steam, create a sense of community, remove a tense vibe and encourage mental breaks will help employees avoid burnout. 

The break room becomes a hub for interaction and collaboration

A creative space will breed creativity and fresh thoughts will brew over fresh coffee.  Make a place where the mind can relax and productivity will flow.  People will gather and share a meal as well as a great idea. 

Employees make more of their break time by staying on-site

As Forbes put it, “Chaining yourself to a desk or scarfing down your lunch in your cubicle isn’t a recipe for success – it’s a recipe for disaster.”  We agree! And for those going out to lunch, there is not much of a break when it’s all said and done.  Creating a great space to relax and eat allows your employees to enjoy more of their break time in a space that shows they are appreciated. 

An impressive meeting space is created for clients and guests

We hear this kind of feedback at garten.  “Other locations come to our site and comment in awe about the variety of healthy snacks they see”, said one manager.  He mentioned that his team is loving the variety that is offered through garten Kitchen. 

In addition to ample choices of high quality, nutritious food, we make sure your break rooms are beautifully stimulating spaces to gather. And then…

Your break room becomes a great selling feature for recruiting new talent

Potential employees would be wise to look for the 3 B’s when assessing a company’s culture and employee value:

Bathroom

How the employee bathroom is maintained says A LOT about how much an employee is valued by the company. 

The Boss’ Office

How does it compare to the general workspace?  If there is a big difference (windows vs. nothing but fluorescent lights), it is sending a message about whether employees are considered to be important contributors, or just cogs in the wheel. 

The Break Room

Does the break room welcome you, inviting you to re-energize and reconnect?  Is it well designed, stocked and maintained? Like a good work of art, does it attract and draw you in through all 5 of your senses?  In part 2 of this series we will go over what it means to have a “sensible” breakroom, including a tip sheet to help you achieve the break room of your dreams. 

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Stress eating is a common problem that affects many people, especially those who spend a significant amount of time at work. According to recent statistics, an estimated 70% of meals are consumed at work, which can have a significant impact on both mental and physical health, as well as productivity and overall well-being.  So, if you have a stressful job, and you have to eat while you are at work, how can you avoid stress eating?

Step One: Choose the Right Foods

Consuming high-calorie, high-fat foods in response to stress can lead to weight gain and an increased risk of chronic health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Additionally, consuming large amounts of sugar and unhealthy fats can disrupt the body’s natural hormone balance, leading to feelings of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.

How do you know what foods will support your mind and body during stressful work days?  It’s helpful to think of foods falling into 5 tiers, or levels of health.  Making the most of your meal times by choosing food mostly in the higher 4 & 5 tiers will be supportive, foods in the bottom tiers will cause you to crash and burn. 

Step Two: Give your Brain a Break

Stress eating can also negatively impact productivity at work. Consuming unhealthy foods can lead to feelings of fatigue, brain fog, and lack of focus, making it difficult to perform tasks effectively. Additionally, stress eating can lead to a lack of motivation and a general sense of apathy, which can impede productivity and make it difficult to meet deadlines and achieve goals.

When you are needing to refuel, step away from your desk.  Sit by a window, go outside, or to the break room if it is a comfortable, stress-free environment.  Eat with mindfulness, focusing on the taste, chewing slowly, and savoring the flavors. Take this time to do some gentle movement, deep breathing, or quiet meditation. 

Step Three: Take it to the Top

Not only does stress eating affect the individual, but it also affects the company’s bottom line. Poor health and productivity can lead to increased absenteeism, higher healthcare costs, and a decrease in overall productivity. This can have a significant impact on the company’s bottom line and its ability to meet its business objectives.  Giving your leadership honest feedback on how they can improve the work environment may just be the missing link. 

Here are some essentials:

Clean, bright, cheerful break rooms with nutritious foods attractively displayed.

Employee input on what foods they would like to have available in vending machines for quick grabs and around the coffee pot for energizing breaks.

Tools to make it easier to manage the budget and demand.

In conclusion, stress eating is a common problem that affects many people at work, and it can have a significant impact on both mental and physical health, as well as productivity and overall well-being. To combat the effects of stress eating, it is important to find healthy ways to manage stress, to have access to healthy food options in the workplace, and to take regular breaks throughout the day. This will not only improve the health and productivity of the individual but also the company’s bottom line.

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Smart employers realize the same is true in the workplace. They are seeing that a small investment to improve the food employees consume at work is a contributing factor to the success of the company. It’s common sense that higher quality food allows people to operate at a higher level, but it’s been hard to track. 

You need proof an investment will work before you pull the trigger. 

The proof is in. 

Why Higher Quality Food At Work Is An Important Strategy

This meta-analysis shows that both medical and absenteeism-related costs decrease (by $3.27 and $2.73 respectively) for every dollar spent on wellness programs. 

That information is amazing. It shows how powerful the health of your workforce is. 

Providing or subsidizing higher-quality food for employees isn’t only a great way to attract and retain top talent, or to be kind to your employees, or even to become a more sustainable company, it also makes you more profitable. 

Tracking The Proof For Your Company

You need to see that your investment is working so we developed an industry-first, proprietary Nutrition Dashboard. You get real-time data of what your workforce is choosing. This allows you to watch how people will migrate toward healthier foods when there are delicious options to choose from. In short, you have objective evidence of how the program is working at your fingertips. 

Tracking this data is amazing for employees to correlate how they are feeling and performing with the data of their team’s consumption. 

At the same time, leadership is able to more accurately track the ROI of prioritizing their team’s wellbeing. 

Real Results, Real Return

One of the top American cloud-based software companies based in San Francisco found an interesting result with the Nutrition Dashboard. 

Everyone knows how negative sugar is for health, but it’s not easy to eat less of it. With garten Kitchen, employees chose foods that cut the daily intake of added sugar in half over three months. The positive effects from this lower sugar intake will include increased productivity without the afternoon crash, clearer decision-making, and health improvements. 

The Nutrition Dashboard gives you the insight to correlate the nutrition of your workforce and objective ROI. This tool allows you to create an environment that supports your employee’s own desires for wellbeing. 

Forbes points out that employees’ feeling cared for by their company is, “a necessary business strategy for gaining competitive advantage on multiple levels”. The Nutrition Dashboard gives you the data to see that the strategy is working. 

Workplace wellbeing really is a sustainable competitive advantage. 

Get the whole case study here. 

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Every individual has a unique microbiome made up of different types and amounts of microbes. Your microbiome can be affected by the environment you live in, the food you eat, and even by the way you were delivered into this world (4, 5, 7). The health of your microbiome also directly affects your overall health. An imbalanced microbiome is linked to skin allergies, digestive issues, irritable bowel syndrome, decreased absorption of certain nutrients, and a weakened immune system.  (1, 2, 6). Recently, several researchers have also been researching about the effects of microbiome on the brain and behavior.

Now that you know a little more about our microbiome, let’s talk about how you can strengthen our community of microbes! Whenever people talk about gut health,  probiotics and prebiotics seem like the first things that pop up. Although people know that probiotics and prebiotics are beneficial and promote good health, most people are unsure what they are or what they do. Essentially, probiotics are live bacteria or microbes that you ingest to increase your microbial diversity. A greater diversity of microbes may lead to better overall health. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are foods that feed and promote the growth of the microbes in your gut.

Probiotics

Probiotics can be easily taken in pill form, but they can also be found in several different types of foods (1). Kefir, yogurt, natto, tempeh, kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut, and other fermented vegetables are all good sources of probiotics.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics can naturally be found in plant based foods that are high in fiber. Leeks, asparagus, sunchokes, chicory, garlic, onions, wheat, oats, soybeans, bananas and yams are all considered great sources of prebiotics (8).

Given these points, you should try to eat a variety of grains, vegetables and fermented foods to improve your microbiome! You should also try to avoid using antibiotics, laxatives, and other non-antimicrobial medications. Several types of medications can cause lasting changes and imbalances to the microbiome (3).

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Here are four easy ways to make your morning coffee even healthier:

1. Choose Organic: If you’re drinking coffee in hopes of getting the benefits from antioxidants, it’s highly recommended that you drink organic coffee! Conventional coffee is treated with synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Those substances can contribute to the generation of free radicals in our bodies. Antioxidants fight free radicals in our bodies, so drinking conventional coffee that contain pesticide residues is somewhat counterproductive!
2. Choose Medium Roast: A few studies have shown that medium roast has the highest antioxidant activity levels when compared to light and dark roasts. When coffee is roasted, strong antioxidants are formed, which boosts antioxidant activity. On the other hand, the degree of roasting can also cause the antioxidant activity to decrease. Choosing medium roast coffee can likely boost the benefits of antioxidants you’re getting from coffee.
3. Choose Black Coffee: Milk, sugar, and other flavorings can make coffee taste better, but it’s definitely healthier to stick to black coffee. Black coffee is free of sugar and calories. Most Americans are consuming too much added sugar and saturated fats, so it’s best we avoid adding these to our morning coffee!
4. Choose to Drink it Earlier in the Day: The caffeine from coffee has a half life of approximately 5 hours in a healthy individual, meaning that the caffeine can stay in your body 10 hours after you drink it! The negative effects of losing sleep may outweigh the benefits of coffee.

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What is fiber and what does fiber do?

Fiber is defined as non-digestible carbohydrates that are mainly found in plants. There are two types of fiber that each function differently in the body.

Soluble fiber absorbs water to form a gel-like and sticky substance in the digestive system. It is a type of fiber that binds to LDL cholesterol and sugar to slow down or prevent the absorption of them into the bloodstream. Soluble fiber is known to be beneficial for people with diabetes and high cholesterol. Adequate consumption of soluble fiber can also reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Insoluble fiber does not absorb or dissolve in water. It is a type of fiber that stays intact and promotes regular bowel movements by adding bulk to your stool. Insoluble fiber puts pressure on colon walls to stimulate bowel movements. Adequate consumption of insoluble fiber can help reduce the risk of constipation, diverticular disease, and colon cancer.

What foods are some good sources of fiber?

Fiber-rich foods are mainly plant-based. There are several other foods that will give you just as much fiber as the foods listed in the table to the left. As long as you consume enough plant-based whole foods you should be able to easily meet your daily fiber needs.

How much fiber do you need?

There are two ways to figure out how much fiber you should be getting. 

1- Recommendation based on age and gender:

2- Recommendation based on calorie consumption:
14 grams per 1,000 calories

3 Easy Ways to Increase Fiber Consumption 

1- Start your day with whole grains 
Try starting your day with a hearty bowl of oats with nuts and berries, you’ll not only get at least 5g of fiber, but also a good amount of protein, healthy fats, and some antioxidants.

2- Snack on fruites and/or vegetables 
Try snacking on an apple with almond butter when you get hungry between meals! You’ll get about 5g of fiber for medium to large apple and about 1.5g of fiber from a tablespoon of almond butter!

3- Replace animal protein for plant protein 
Try making your favorite dishes using tempeh as the main protein instead of meat! Did you know 3 ounces of chicken and beef both contain 0g of fiber while 3 ounces of tempeh contains 7g?

2 Ways to Avoid Discomfort When Increasing Fiber Intake 

1- Grdually start increasing fiber consumption
It’s not recommended to increase your fiber consumption too quickly, because it can lead to bloating and abdominal cramping.

2- Drink more water 
Both soluble and insoluble fiber use water – Soluble fiber absorbs water to become a gel-like substance and insoluble fiber pulls water from the intestines and retains it to add bulk and moisture to your stool. Not getting enough water while increasing fiber consumption can lead to dehydration and constipation.

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Do you drink coffee every day and wonder if it’s doing you more harm than good? Early research about the negative effects of coffee has given coffee a bad reputation, but in recent years, researchers have published many articles supporting the health benefits of coffee.

A Major Contributor of Antioxidants

Coffee is a major contributor of antioxidant consumption in the U.S. Antioxidants can come from several different types of foods, such as berries, spices, and several other plant-based foods. Unfortunately, most Americans do not eat enough of these foods on a daily basis. With over 62% of all Americans drinking at least a cup of coffee on a daily basis, coffee has become one of the leading contributors of antioxidant consumption in the U.S.

Disease Prevention and Possible Treatment

Several studies have linked coffee consumption with decreased risks of certain diseases. Some studies have even found that drinking a moderate amount of coffee can slow down disease progression and lessen symptoms. There are several studies researching coffee’s effects on other diseases, but the four more prevalent diseases that have been sufficiently studied are Type 2 Diabetes, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Liver Disease.

Type II Diabetes
In a study published by the Harvard School of Public Health, researchers found that the relative risk of type 2 diabetes was lower in young to middle-aged women who consumed a moderate amount of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee than those that did not. Several other studies also support the finding that coffee consumption may be protective against the deterioration of glucose tolerance.

Alzheimer’s Disease
Several studies have shown that moderate consumption may decrease the risk of both dementia and Alzheimer’s. There is an inverse association between the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and coffee consumption.

Parkinson’s Disease
A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consumption of caffeine in the form of coffee reduces the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Another study published by the American Academy of Neurology found that using caffeine as a treatment for Parkinson’s Disease also improved objective motor measures in patients.

LIVER DISEASE
Coffee has hepatoprotective properties or properties that help protect the liver. Studies have shown that there is an inverse relationship between the consumption of coffee and the levels of liver enzymes. The elevation of liver enzymes usually signifies that the liver is injured or inflamed. Researches found that 4 cups of coffee per day reduced the risk of death from chronic liver disease by 71%. Studies have also found that coffee consumption is associated with lower rates of disease progression in patients with Hepatitis C related liver diseases.

According to an article published in the Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, the “health benefits [of coffee] clearly outweigh the risks of moderate coffee consumption in adult consumers for the majority of health outcomes considered.” So next time you pick up that cup of joe, know that you’re doing your body good!

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