4 Break Room Faux Pas (And How To Avoid Them)

Have you ever walked into an awkward conversation at the water cooler? Discovered that your lunch was taken by someone else? A bad experience in the break room can turn your 15 minutes from relaxing to frustrating in no time!

Read on for several break room faux pas that can be easily avoided to ensure a pleasant break for everyone:

Try to avoid “work talk”

The break room isn’t the place for conferences with coworkers. Keep conversations light if possible, and focus on topics other than work. Let yourself and others take a real break!

Be respectful of your coworkers

It may be tempting to gossip in the break room, but resist the urge—you never know who could be listening. More importantly, your coworkers deserve the respect you would hope to receive from them.

Mind the community refrigerator

It may be tempting to snack on something from the fridge, but even if it’s unlabeled, it could belong to someone else. So stick to what you know is yours. To avoid having your own lunch taken, be sure to label whatever food you keep at work with your name and the date, and avoid leaving things overnight.

Clean up after every use

You may have a deadline or important client to meet, but always take the time to clean up after yourself in the break room. Little spills or dirty mugs may seem like no big deal, but they can add up quickly…and so can the smell! For some extra good karma, check out the entire area as you’re cleaning up your own space. If the microwave or coffee maker is dirty, give it a wipe down, even if you didn’t make the mess. Whoever uses it next will appreciate your efforts!