Even work that you love generates a certain amount of stress. Meeting quotas and keeping your work top quality are serious business, and breaks are important to unwind a little and refresh your mind for another solid push toward a good end-of-day. Because of this, the relaxing quality of breakrooms is vital to employee efficiency. When a breakroom is fun and easy to use, staff will cook, chat, and gather around any available tables to swap stories or play a quick game of cards. Of course, popular break times means larger gathered groups and chairs placed in unusual positions so everyone can be included. The funny thing is that almost no employer sees this friendly mob coming, and most break rooms are stocked with square or rectangular tables with corner-based legs, making them surprisingly inconvenient to gather around.
It's great when your team is close-knit and enjoys spending time together, so naturally, as a manager or employer, you want your break room to be welcoming and able to accommodate fairly large groups of friendly co-workers who take breaks together. The best way to do this is with a little applied ergonomics. Based on the size and shape of your break room, would you be better off with one big round table, or a few smaller rectangles that will inevitably be pushed together? In either case, you will probably want a pedestal base instead of 4 corner legs, this way no one is stuck straddling a table leg during the more populous break times.
The Company Style
The next consideration is one of style. Your company has a culture that your staff members are a part of. When the décor of the break room matches the attitude of the company, it helps everyone stay in a positive and collaborative mindset. If your company culture is energetic and 'shiny', stainless steel tables will add to that energy. Incredibly stable and easy to clean, stainless steel table bases will stay useful and attractive in the face of many spills, kicks, and years. Black cast iron also makes a great pedestal base for wood or laminate tops, and is known for its sturdiness and durability.
A Sturdy Investment 
Since you've already put so much thought into choosing the ideal table, why not plan for the future? These are tables that will see a lot of use over many years of breaks. They will support hundreds of meals, card games, newspapers, sleeping heads, and probably a little rowdiness. They will be leaned on, bumped into, kicked, and spilled on. There is even a small percent chance that they will be sheltered under during a storm or earthquake. It only makes sense to seek the sturdiest tables possible, the closer to indestructible they are, the better.
To get the best work from your team, they need a welcoming break room that conforms to their needs as the other employees who use it. Whether you're replacing a break room table or just considering a change, don't settle for something that's not the right fit. Make sure your new table suits the needs and style of your team and make a long term investment so you won't have to do this again anytime soon. Your tables should fit into your break room, be comfortably surrounded by chairs, and be able to withstand break time activities without signs of wear. Fortunately, modern construction materials bring you things like stainless steel or cast iron that will, if properly constructed, create the perfect tables for your company break room.
JI Bases has an extensive line both in stainless steel and black wrinkle finished cast iron that fits into any décor. For your public areas, break rooms, and office conference table bases, JI is second to none.
