Regardless of the size of the business you’re running, there’s no denying how beneficial breaks are for employees. Regular breaks that allow employees to unwind and decompress can bring benefits like reduced stress, increased productivity, improved mental health, and reduced physical ailments caused by sitting at a desk all day.
Having different ways for employees to blow off steam during their breaks can help improve your company’s work environment. One such activity could be ping pong — yes, the sport!
You might be surprised to know that offices (and home offices) can greatly benefit from having a ping pong table in the break room or game room. But why ping pong tables? And just how can they help?
Let’s look at some of the benefits of having ping pong tables in the office.
1) Improve Employees’ Physical Health
Sitting at a desk all day with hardly any breaks can bring about a host of physical problems. According to WebMD, too much sitting can increase the risk of heart disease, dementia, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and high cholesterol. Another risk is deep vein thrombosis, a life-threatening blood clot that can form in your legs. Then, there’s the risk of getting back problems.
Putting a ping pong table in the office won’t necessarily undo the damage of sitting for seven hours a day, but it can help significantly by breaking up the time spent sitting.
2) Allows Employees to Reduce Their Stress
Although many people have come to accept that stress is now simply a part of life, stress can still cause many physical and mental problems. It can also cause burnout, severely impeding a person’s ability to perform their job optimally and efficiently. Table tennis is a fantastic way to work off frustrations and help reduce stress throughout the day significantly.
3) Helps Employees Work Past Creative Blocks
Now and then, people may encounter creative blocks that prevent them from accomplishing their work efficiently. Ping pong may help people work past these creative blocks, leading to an “a-ha!” moment that might just bring fantastic ideas and results.
4) Ping Pong Stimulates Different Parts of The Brain
As a sport, ping pong exercises various parts of the brain involved in focus, quick decision making, reflexes, and strategy. It also provides physical stimulation. A few minutes of playing can help an employee wake up and move past a bout of lethargy.
5) Improves Focus
Table tennis requires significant focus if you want to score or prevent your opponent from scoring. Even if you’re playing a solo game, you still need to keep your eye on the ball. This focus can translate into tasks as well, helping to boost productivity.
6) Improves Hand-Eye Coordination and Reflexes
There are many obvious health benefits to playing ping pong, such as improved hand-eye coordination and sharpened reflexes. Both can help an employee in their work and day-to-day lives.
7) Body-Friendly Exercise
Although table tennis doesn’t require you to move around much, it can still burn plenty of calories. This sport is friendly to the body and the joints, making it great for any age.
8) Allows Socialization
There’s no doubt that table tennis is a social sport. As a game that up to four people can play, ping pong can bring socialization and improve relationships in the office. It can help break the ice and start or strengthen friendships.
9) Brings Healthy Competition
Healthy, friendly competition is a fun way to liven up the office environment. It’s also a great way to give employees something to look forward to during the day.
10) Improves Communication
Communication is one of the most important skills that employees should be developing at work. Improved communication can lead to improvement in teamwork and collaboration, which can positively impact employees’ outputs.
What Kind of Table Should You Get?
Finding a table that fits your budget is important, especially if you want to buy more than one. You don’t need the best or most expensive table out there. A table tennis table table can work — as long as it’s durable and fits your employees’ needs. Don’t forget to buy enough ping pong balls and paddles, too!
Image by Depositphotos
