OFFICE KITCHEN. ADVANTAGES AND DESIGNS

Having a office kitchen is now commonplace in many companies. In the 90s of the last century, very few corporations included this equipment in their facilities. Today, however, many workplaces include this area.

The Americans were pioneers in the use of the kitchen in the office and the trend spread to Europe a few years later. The Nordics were quick to include it and it gradually spread across the continent.

A few years ago, in Spain, many businessmen considered it to be an extra expense and a waste of money. However, that mentality has been changing as the advantages of having a kitchen in the office have become clear.

At DESMON, we are experts in office furniture and we have experience in the design, manufacture and assembly of office kitchens. With this article we want to give you the keys to the essential equipment and also tell you about the advantages of this room.

Certainly, locating a kitchen space in an office has multiple benefits. Here are some of them.

• Increased productivity. Having a kitchen in the office saves employees from having to go outside for lunch or coffee. They can simply go to the kitchen space for lunch or a snack. This avoids time-consuming journeys and the dispersion of employees in the local area.
• Time optimisation. Employees usually take between half an hour and 45 minutes for lunch. In this way, they can bring forward their working day, leave earlier and reconcile their work and family life.
• Encouraging employee savings. Many employees take their packed lunch to the office for lunch at the company. This means that the employee does not spend money every day to pay for a lunch menu and therefore saves money.
• Healthier food. Everyone agrees that home-cooked food tastes much better. But it is also often much healthier. Employees can opt for healthier, homemade menus, free of fat and ultra-processed food.
• Socialising with colleagues and superiors. The time spent in the office kitchen serves not only to eat, but also to strengthen contact with colleagues. People talk, share, comment and the closeness between colleagues becomes closer.
• Tables to work at. By setting up a kitchen area in the office, employees can heat up food and sit down to eat at the tables in the break area. This prevents them from eating at the same desk where they work.

When planning the layout of a workplace, it is advisable to allocate some space for the location of an office kitchen. To begin with, it is necessary to take into account the number of people who make up the company’s workforce and what percentage tend to stay in the office for lunch.

This information will make it possible to create a space with sufficient square metres to accommodate the users. It is important to banish the idea that any corner will do if a microwave is placed in it. This is a mistake because it will not be a comfortable or hygienic space and employees will not be comfortable. In the end, nobody will use that area and people who want to eat in the office will end up doing so at their desk.

So, first of all, you have to find and set up a spacious, well-lit and, if possible, ventilated space. From there, we can talk about the equipment it should include.

You can opt for a modular unit that includes cupboards, shelves, drawers and worktop. That way, there will be space to move around comfortably and employees will be able to store their lunch boxes and other food containers.

The decoration of the area should fit in with the decoration of the whole office and can include motifs related to food, coffee or relaxation. It is also important that the furniture is easy to clean because it is an area that requires a high level of hygiene. In this sense, you can choose to build the furniture with phenolic material, which is antibacterial.

Without a doubt, the kitchen in the office should include tables and chairs so that employees can sit down to eat. Another option is to opt for high bars and stools, which are very common in office kitchens.

Finally, furniture pieces and worktop cladding should be hard-wearing and durable. Melamine finishes are a good option: they resist impact, heat and humidity and are highly decorative.

It is clear that electrical appliances are indispensable in office kitchens. First of all, the microwave oven should be installed. Depending on the number of employees, it is advisable to install more than one to avoid queues.

The refrigerator is also indispensable. It must be of a good size and it is imperative that it is always clean. To maintain hygiene, it is advisable to establish that one day a week everything inside the fridge should be thrown away. This will prevent certain foodstuffs from ending up in a bad state and transmitting odours or parasites.

It is also advisable to include a coffee machine and kettle. Coffee and tea can be provided by the company or by each worker.

The sink is the last basic piece of equipment for a well-functioning office kitchen. It is important that workers are committed to keeping it clean and avoiding spills that can cause clogged pipes.

Finally, it should be a space with sufficient power sockets for electrical appliances and lighting. For this, it is best to opt for raised access flooring. On the one hand, it is a floor that is resistant to the daily traffic of people and, on the other, it allows the pipes and all the wiring in the kitchen area to be hidden.

At DESMON we can help you with the task of fitting out an office kitchen. Our multidisciplinary team will design a good space, manufacture the necessary furniture and, finally, assemble all the pieces.

We are experts in offering customised solutions and we always work in direct contact with the client. We use high quality materials and always meet delivery deadlines. If you need more information, contact us and get a customised quote.