The Importance of school staffrooms

The importance of staffrooms in school

Working as a teacher in a school can be extremely stressful, as there are a lot of mental and physical demands placed on staff every single day. The one main space teachers have to escape and relax during the day is in the staffroom, so it’s important to ensure that the room offers a supportive and happy atmosphere. Here we go into more detail about the importance of a school staffroom and offer some suggestions on what you can do to improve yours.

What are the benefits of a good staffroom?

Some of the main reasons to ensure your staffroom is in good shape for teachers and staff are:

• Improves motivation
  Many factors can affect a teacher’s wellbeing, including their work conditions. A well-designed, calming staffroom can motivate and create a happier work environment for teachers.
• Better communication
  The layout design of the staffroom furniture can help with communication and encouraging discussions in different areas of the space, which also helps build team morale.
• Organise personal belongings
  With teachers moving around the school throughout the day, the school staffroom should allow enough space for them to store essential personal items without having to take them with them to every lesson.
• Supports rest and recuperation
  Teaching requires a lot of energy, and the school staffroom is the only realistic place educators can use to have a bite to eat, drink a hot beverage and recover before the next lesson begins.

How to improve an existing staffroom

The first place to start is to talk with teaching staff to understand how they feel about the current condition of the staffroom. Take note of any issues and ways they think it could be improved. This doesn’t mean all suggestions will be included, but it creates a collaborative process that encourages them to take a vested interest in its transformation.

Some teacher staffroom ideas you could consider, include:

Layout

Avoid positioning staffroom chairs in an ‘airport departure lounge’ style, with chairs positioned along the sides of the room. Instead, use smaller, more personalised arrangements that enable friendship groups to be seated together. The odd modular cube here and there could also be helpful for those who prefer a little privacy on their break.

Comfort

The staffroom is a place for resting and taking time out, so comfortable staffroom furniture is a must. It may cost a little more to invest in comfortable seating, but it will pay off by providing the right kind of support environment for teaching staff. Soft staffroom furniture with a calming colour scheme would be an ideal choice.

Food and drink

Another of the staffroom essentials is ensuring you create space for teachers to eat and drink. Most teaching staff will not want to eat in the school canteen so there should be a suitable kitchen area in the staffroom, giving space for staff to take time out to refuel and recuperate so they are energised ahead of their next lesson. Make sure there are enough tables included as its easier to enjoy food and drink and it also promotes more social interaction.

Information updates

The staffroom can also be a useful place to post new school and job-related notices, information and updates. One of the most popular staff board ideas of the moment are glass whiteboards that are easier to maintain compared to traditional whiteboards. They can be used to share notes between teachers (which can be helpful if they are unlikely to see each other during the working day) and for brainstorming new ideas that can benefit everyone.

Calming environment

One of the better teacher staffroom ideas you could introduce is through the addition of plants and flowers. It’s a relatively low-cost change that can make a world of difference to the overall atmosphere, while also creating a healthier environment by adding more oxygen to the air. Endless research has been carried out over the years that shows increased contact with nature can significantly boost concentration. And in general terms, people have an instinctive connection with nature, which can nurture health and wellbeing.

Staffroom furniture FAQs

What is a staffroom used for?

A staffroom is a place away from the hustle and bustle of school life for teachers to work without distraction while they are not needed in class and for holding important meetings. It is also where teachers and other staff members can relax and have their breakfast/lunch in a quieter environment.

What makes a good staffroom?

A good staffroom should be a place where teachers can unwind and destress away from their usual workspaces in the school. This means it should offer a good amount of space and provide comfortable furniture, such as modular sofas, footstools and beanbags. It’s a good idea to have breakaway spaces so not everyone is crowded into one area of the staffroom and a calming colour scheme along with some plant life can help to set the right tone.

How do you make a staffroom more inviting?

The best way to make a staffroom more inviting is to create a space that the teachers feel comfortable enough to spend time in. Requirements will naturally vary depending on the type of school and feedback you receive from teaching staff. Be sure to include the teaching team in the review process and if you are working with a reputable staffroom furniture supplier, they should also be able to provide some insightful and practical advice.