Ryan FowlerCoffee breaks, often seen as mere pauses in the workday, have been proven to play a vital role in enhancing job satisfaction and productivity, according to recent research.
The study aimed to explore the impact of coffee breaks taken with a favoured colleague, colloquially known as a ‘work bestie’, on various workplace dynamics including job satisfaction, productivity, and staff compatibility.
The experiment, which involved 30 participants, assessed changes in job satisfaction and productivity over a week without coffee breaks with a work bestie. The results were telling: 84% of participants reported a decline in job enjoyment, and 70% felt an increased inclination to leave their job. Productivity took a hit too, with a reported 23% decrease among 77% of the participants.
The absence of coffee breaks also seemed to affect workplace relationships, with a 77% likelihood of feeling more distant from work besties, translating to a 16% average decrease in the bond between participants and their close colleagues.
Interestingly, the study also delved into caffeine consumption patterns, revealing that participants would take a third fewer breaks without their work bestie, leading to a decrease in coffee consumption by 47% of the participants post-experiment.
Compatibility with a work bestie hinges on several factors, with mutual gestures of offering a drink in the first week and similar lunch habits topping the list. Proximity in the office also plays a crucial role in fostering these bonds.
Moreover, the research highlighted that coffee habits among colleagues tend to ‘sync up’ once a work bestie relationship is established, with 90% of cases showing synchronized coffee consumption patterns.
When faced with the tough choice between foregoing coffee or their work bestie for a week, participants were almost evenly split, underscoring the equal importance of both in energising the work environment.
