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“I Work At A Multi-Million Dollar Corporation”: 50 Pathetic Excuses For A ‘Break Room’
In the same way that a house can reveal a lot of details about its owners, the workplace can give us a good understanding of its employees. One of the clearest indicators? The break room. This space is meant to help people recharge their batteries and maybe even build camaraderie, but not every business gets it right. In fact, some get it very, very wrong. From rusty vending machines stocked with expired snacks to sad folding chairs that look so uncomfortable, here's a roundup of the worst offenders. They can say anything they want about their company's culture, but the grim reality isn't fooling anyone.
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#1
The Break Room At Work
Tucker Cahooter 2 months ago
I think the room where Damian Lewis was held captive in "Homeland" was more luxurious than this
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#2
I Work At A Mall. This Is Our Break Room In The Basement Of The Mall
Companies might neglect break rooms not just because they lack the funds to design them, but also because they don't believe these spaces will increase earnings.
However, the 2024 Mercer Global Talent Trend Report, which analyzed the habits of more than 12,000 global participants, found that 82% of the workforce is at risk of burnout, citing excessive workload, exhaustion, and financial strain as the main culprits.
And if they do, everyone loses.
#3
We Still Posting Break Rooms?
#4
I Work At A Multi Million Dollar Corporation And This Is Our Break Room Table
chickpea me 2 months ago
Come on, guys get creative and pretend someone tripped over it and send in a complaint.
#5
I Got Transferred To A New Location At Work. This Is My New Break "Room"
However, Jennifer Moss, who is a workplace expert, international public speaker, and author of Unlocking Happiness at Work, agrees that an unhealthy compulsion to be productive at all times, often at the expense of our mental and physical well-being, relationships, and overall quality of life, is a common sentiment in today’s work culture, where never-ending drive is celebrated, if not expected.
#6
"Break Room"
Mike Rodrick 2 months ago
I see used cups & other trash on the table. Maybe THAT'S part of the problem? The same thing happens in nice break rooms. People will just leave a mess no matter what the area is like. They believe their mothers will be there to clean it up. People are pigs.
#7
W Break Room
Pittsburgh rare 2 months ago
Where you think of your alibi before the detectives come to interrogate you
#8
The Office Break Room
"Toxic productivity is multifaceted and stems from a complex mix of psychological and societal factors," Moss writes.
"Productivity norms are deeply embedded in our psyches from growing up in environments that equate arduous work with virtue, and rest with laziness."
"This belief is further reinforced by a culture that encourages perfectionism, where individuals feel that their self-worth is tied to their achievements," she adds.
#9
The “Break Room” At My Work
#10
Break Room
#11
Go Backs And Go Backs And Go Backs. They’ve Been In The Break Room For Over A Week
#12
Are We Still Posting "Break Rooms"?
Social media amplifies the pressure of toxic productivity even further by fostering a constant sense of competition. Research shows that upward social comparisons are linked to low self-esteem and depression, with women affected the most.
"What's more, the rise of ... [AI] is further skewing our ideas about productivity. I ask you this: If gen AI is here to save us time in minutes and hours, then how will we measure productivity?" Moss says. "If someone is done with their work early because of AI, shouldn't that be rewarded? Toxic productivity will never end — and may even get worse — unless we start measuring goals achieved, not hours worked."
#13
Show Me Your Breakroom
#14
Break Room. A Table And 2 Chairs You Can Sit On. Except When The Room Is Filled With Buns
#15
Chilling Break Room
#16
Walgreens Break Room
According to Expedia's survey of 11,500 employees from all over the world, 62% of global workers don't feel they have enough time off or breaks.
And this belief is often manufactured by our surroundings. The 2024 PTO Report by fintech firm Sorbet discovered there's persistent underutilization of vacation time, with employees taking around 10 days in 2023, and Pew research has shown that 49% of people who don't take their full PTO say they worry about falling behind, 43% say they would feel badly about coworkers taking on extra work, and 19% worry that taking time off might hurt their chances of getting a promotion.
#17
Hotel Maid’s Break-Room
#19
It Is Really Small 2 People Can Sit Side By Side. It's Always Full Of People's Stuff, So I Don't Sit In There On Break
#20
Breakroom
A company's culture is established at the top, and "leaders play a crucial role in either perpetuating or breaking the cycle of toxic productivity," Moss says.
"Unfortunately, many leaders model the very behaviors that contribute to this unhealthy culture — sending emails late at night, forgoing time off, and glorifying overwork."
#21
Turned The Light On In The Break Room.... I Hate That Thing
#22
Update With Pic Of Break Room….. Yea I Don’t Know How Long I’m Staying Here. LOL
#23
Break Room
chickpea me 2 months ago
Seeing what’s on that table, someone definitely thinks this is a fixer upper.
#24
Break Room Before Remodel
For a healthier work environment to become mainstream, she believes leaders need to actively model healthy work habits themselves. This includes taking a vacation and sharing it openly — a new trend called "loud vacationing" — so employees feel like taking PTO is encouraged, and, of course, redoing these terrible break rooms so that everyone feels like they are welcome to relax, not trapped in a fluorescent-lit corporate jungle.
#25
Entire Break Room For A Place That Has 100+ People Working Everyday
Just started this job end of March. I work in a restaurant as a chef and I counted how many people work in back of house and front of house for a busy day, and it is 121 people. To be fair, the shifts range from 5am to 3am, but still, these 3 chairs are pitiful, they are always taken, have no back support, and when you sit on them you can't fit your legs under the table. Not to mention the tiny table space. It is encouraged to not take a break at all for a 8 to 10 hour shift and if you do, these seats are always taken so you are forced to sit on the concrete outside near the garbage bins ( we have to park far away up the road so that the shared parking lot is avaliable for customers, so sitting in our car is not an option) behind these chairs is a hallway with a bunch more cubbies to put your bag, water bottle, ect. But no room other than to walk. Crazy to me that a high end restaurant has 3 uncomfortable seats in their tiny "break room"
I crossed out the whiteboard so you can't see any private info.
#26
There Is A Particle Accelerator In My Break Room
#27
A Lot Of People Posting Photos Of Their Break Rooms. Here's Ours
#29
The Window-Less 'Quiet Room' In My Workplace
#30
Empty Breakroom
#31
The Break Room
#32
My Office Break Room Is Styled Like The Inside Of An Airplane For Some Reason
#33
Our Break Room
#34
Abandoned Breakroom At My Workplace
#36
Any Other Walmarts Doing Some Dumb **p In Their Break Rooms
Tucker Cahooter 2 months ago
Are they checking their phone or have they lost the will to live?
#38
Right Justified Break Room
#41
I Found The Forever Alone Chair In My Workplace's Break Room
#42
A Simple Empty Break Room
Uncle Panda 2 months ago
I cleaned out an engineering college (the most fun thing I've ever been paid to do) and disposed of hundreds of decrepit chairs, a nice sample of which is above. As a side note, they all ended up in basements like sludge in a sink trap. I used a simple standard - would a grad student spurn this chair? Every so often somebody be concerned and I'd show them the 'danger triangle', explain my working definition, and ask "Do you want to sit in this chair?"
#43
Break Room At Work
#44
Break Room
Anyone else’s break room look like this? No one cleans up their mess.
#45
Surprisingly It’s Clean Today Because Usually It’s A Mess With Old Crew’s Break Food Everywhere
Mike Rodrick 2 months ago
That's the issue with some places. Employees have no respect for what they're using even if it's an acceptable area. They act like children leaving the mess behind for mommy to take care of. .
#46
When There's A Party In The Break Room At Work And You Work 3rd Shift
#47
I Work Theatrical Shows & Concerts...
Right now I'm working a run of Hamilton & on my break the other day, I was looking around our crew room wondering what will happen when we run out of room in there for shows to put their tags. I'm hoping tags start to flow out into the main hallways.
#49
Makeshift Breakroom In Receiving While They Remodel
#50
2023 Breakroom Refresh
#53
A Simple Breakroom. Too Simple
#55
This Is My Current Hd Break Room. If You're Thirsty Good Luck. If Your Hungry, Too Bad
#56
Creepiest Breakroom Ever
Tucker Cahooter 2 months ago
First one here so far that has recreational facilities, so pretty decent really
#57
Some Photos That I Snuck Of The Break Room In The Amazon Building I Work At. It Looks Like A Prison And Feels Like One Too
Mike Rodrick 2 months ago
After what you've seen the examples before yours, you're really complaining? Looks pretty damned nice to me! Exactly what is missing; a full BAR?
#59
I Can Still Hear The Quiet Buzz Of The Light
#60
Break Room
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What do you think ?
GlitterPanda 2 months ago
aftr looking at this list I've come to the decision that break rooms truly are liminal spaces
Fire Singer 2 months ago
I guess my expectations for breakrooms is horribly low because a lot of these seemed fine. Certainly not luxurious, but just fine for a 15 minute break, or hour lunch. The first few were pretty bad, using a storage room as a break room is just a mean thing to do to employees I think, but lots of these did not seem terrible at all. Like...what do they want? Loungers with built in phone chargers, home theater system, napping pods, full shower and spa?
Uncle Panda 2 months ago (edited)
The pictures were fun but the premise seems contrived. I can (barely) remember no break rooms, just the hallway near the water fountain or bathrooms. I think you can explain most of the cramped spaces as being in buildings constructed before the concept of a breakroom became a mandatory feature.
Arabiata Arabiata 2 months ago
The break room is not for taking breaks during working hours, and it's so shabby you wouldn't want to go there anyway.
Petra Schaap 2 months ago
i work as a cleaner, at offices and small factories. i have seen a lot of breakrooms...i dont clean them if they are not cleaned of stuff and c**p. My regular clients are decent, but sometimes i cover for someone and end up at places with literal garbage on tables and floors, i dont get it. Once there was a big pie that was green and hairy and no one wanted to throw it away. Nice to look at when you're eating your lunch bweeaarkk
GlitterPanda 2 months ago
aftr looking at this list I've come to the decision that break rooms truly are liminal spaces
Fire Singer 2 months ago
I guess my expectations for breakrooms is horribly low because a lot of these seemed fine. Certainly not luxurious, but just fine for a 15 minute break, or hour lunch. The first few were pretty bad, using a storage room as a break room is just a mean thing to do to employees I think, but lots of these did not seem terrible at all. Like...what do they want? Loungers with built in phone chargers, home theater system, napping pods, full shower and spa?
Uncle Panda 2 months ago (edited)
The pictures were fun but the premise seems contrived. I can (barely) remember no break rooms, just the hallway near the water fountain or bathrooms. I think you can explain most of the cramped spaces as being in buildings constructed before the concept of a breakroom became a mandatory feature.
Arabiata Arabiata 2 months ago
The break room is not for taking breaks during working hours, and it's so shabby you wouldn't want to go there anyway.
Petra Schaap 2 months ago
i work as a cleaner, at offices and small factories. i have seen a lot of breakrooms...i dont clean them if they are not cleaned of stuff and c**p. My regular clients are decent, but sometimes i cover for someone and end up at places with literal garbage on tables and floors, i dont get it. Once there was a big pie that was green and hairy and no one wanted to throw it away. Nice to look at when you're eating your lunch bweeaarkk
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