Our research shows that startups particularly benefit from these spaces, as they enable the rapid collaboration and creativity that drives innovation.
At Tally, we've helped hundreds of growing companies create breakout spaces their teams use and value.
We've learned that the most successful spaces prioritise your people's needs — whether that's a quiet spot for focused work, a collaborative area for bouncing around ideas, or simply somewhere to relax and recharge between meetings.
Whether you're planning your first office or looking to optimise your current space, we'll help you create breakout areas that genuinely support your team's work style.
What is a breakout space in an office?
A breakout space turns unused office areas into valuable zones where your team can think, create, connect and recharge away from their desks.
Far beyond traditional staff rooms, these dynamic spaces support how modern startups actually work.
Great breakout spaces adapt to your team's changing needs throughout the day.
A morning collaboration zone becomes a quiet focus area after lunch, then transforms into the perfect spot for team social events.
The key difference for growing companies?
Your breakout space needs to evolve as rapidly as your team does.
While corporate breakout areas stay fixed, startup spaces flex and adapt with your changing company culture.
Why are breakout spaces important?
For startups, breakout spaces deliver clear business value:
Fuelling innovation: When teams change their environment, they think differently. Your next game-changing feature might spark from a casual conversation between your tech and customer service teams in the breakout area, rather than a formal meeting room. Fresh spaces spark fresh thinking.
Supporting well-being: Moving away from screens matters. Short breaks boost focus and reduce stress — we see this consistently across our workspace community. Your breakout space gives team members permission to step back, reset, and return to work energised.
Enhancing hybrid work: With hybrid working now standard practice, breakout spaces serve as crucial collaboration hubs. Teams use them for quick catch-ups between video calls or as flexible workspaces when the office is busy. They bridge the gap between home and office working styles.
Driving real returns: For growing companies, great breakout spaces help attract and retain talent, speed up problem-solving through informal collaboration, boost cross-team interaction, reduce meeting room pressure, and create culture-building opportunities
Most importantly? In our experience helping hundreds of startups create their ideal offices, we've seen that teams with great breakout spaces simply work better together — and that shows in their results.
Types of breakout spaces for modern teams
Every startup works differently, so your breakout spaces should reflect how your team collaborates, focuses, and recharges.
Here's what works best for growing companies:
Collaborative zones
Open areas where ideas flow freely — comfortable seating clusters, whiteboards for quick sketches, and enough table space to spread out laptops and notepads.
These zones work brilliantly for impromptu brainstorms or when your design team needs to review mockups together.
Focus pods
Sometimes you need a quiet spot for deep work or private calls.
Pods and quiet corners give your team somewhere to concentrate without booking a whole meeting room.
Add good lighting, power points, and acoustic features to keep noise at bay.
Social spaces
The heart of your office culture.
Create welcoming areas near your tea point where people naturally gather.
Comfortable seating, plants, and good coffee work wonders.
These spaces help your team build connections — essential for startups where every collaboration counts.
Informal meeting areas
Not every catch-up needs a formal meeting room.
Small seating clusters with good acoustics give your team spots for quick discussions, client calls, or mentoring chats.
They reduce pressure on your bookable meeting rooms, too.
Multi-purpose zones
Smart furniture choices let one space serve many needs.
A long table might host team lunch, then transform for afternoon project work.
Moveable seating and flexible layouts help these spaces adapt as your startup grows.
The key? Create a mix that matches your team's working style.
A tech startup might need more collaboration zones, while a financial services company might want extra focus spaces.
Not sure what your team needs? Get in touch, we'll help you find the right balance.
How do you use breakout rooms effectively?
Making your breakout spaces work smoothly takes a light touch.
Keep it simple
Skip the lengthy rulebook — a few clear pointers help everyone:
Drop-in for quick chats, book ahead for longer sessions
Leave the space better than you found it
Keep noise levels considerate
Take calls in focus areas, not social spaces
Balance structure and flexibility
Most spaces work best as drop-in areas — that's what makes them dynamic.
But for longer collaborative sessions or client meetings, a simple booking system helps avoid clashes.
Your team will naturally find the right rhythm.
Zone your activities
Help your team know what works where:
Save high-energy discussions for collaborative zones
Keep social spaces for relaxed chats and downtime
Use focus areas for heads-down work
Choose quiet corners for sensitive conversations
Sort the tech
Good connectivity makes spaces more useful, with strong WiFi throughout, plenty of power points, simple screen sharing in collaboration areas, and good lighting for video calls.
Keep it fresh
A quick daily tidy and weekly deep clean keep your spaces inviting.
Stock up on essential supplies, keep tech working smoothly, and regularly check in with your team about what they need.
What your breakout space needs for real success
Creating a breakout space that your team actually uses takes more than just popping in a few sofas.
From our experience helping hundreds of startups design their ideal spaces, we've learned what really makes the difference between a buzzing hub and an empty room:
Lighting that works: Natural light where possible — it boosts mood and productivity. Adjustable lighting for different activities and times of day, task lighting in focus areas, and softer lighting in social zones.
Sound solutions: Acoustic panels or screens to manage noise, with soft furnishings to absorb sound. Quiet zones properly separated from livelier areas, and background music in social spaces (if your team likes it) can also help.
Furniture that ticks all the boxes: Comfortable seating that encourages good posture is best, with tables at different heights for varied activities. Make sure you can easily move furniture for flexibility.
Natural elements: Biophilic elements are proven to improve air quality and wellbeing, and views of outdoors help prevent eye-strain while boosting productivity.
Smart tech: Plenty of easily accessible power points, with strong, reliable WiFi coverage as a must — and make sure it’s easy to share screens, too (theres nothing worse than a delayed meeting because your CTO doesn’t know how to use the tech!).
Storage: Places to keep coats and bags out of the way, with cupboards for office supplies and somewhere for spare cables and tech.
Get in touch to find your perfect breakout space today
Ready to create a workspace your team will love?
At Tally Workspace, we specialise in helping startups find office spaces with breakout areas that genuinely work for growing teams.
We'll help you work out exactly what your team needs, calculate the right amount of space, plan your budget effectively, create a realistic moving timeline, and get the most out of your office space.
Our team knows London's startup office scene inside out — we've helped hundreds of companies find spaces that flex and grow with their teams.
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