Nearly every office has a break room or kitchen, but not every break room has a stack of board games to play. I think that needs to change. Here’s why:

Games reinforce a company’s culture. Company culture matters. Are you an organization that thrives on competition? Are you a company that rewards teamwork and cooperation? Are you a creative agency where employees must think outside the box? Don’t just write it on a wall or print it in a handbook. Remind employees every time they visit the breakroom what’s important to success.

Games are proven to reduce stress and increase productivity. Let’s be honest. If you’re visiting a break room, you need a break from work. Instead of reaching for a calorie-laden snack, imagine sitting down for 10 minutes to re-engage your mind with a new, voluntary challenge guaranteed to release endorphins. You may laugh. You may curse. You may walk out a champion. I can tell you – those feelings are priceless.

Games connect people. In a strong organization, employees usually come from different backgrounds and generations. Some games cut through all those potential barriers by providing players with new personas and objectives, often making it easier to connect and work together. In other games, those cultural differences matter a lot and can lead to a wonderful exchange of ideas. In both cases, board games can create a better, stronger office.

Good games are different every time you play. This is one of my favorite aspects about board games. I still play some games my parents purchased for me as a kid, and they’ve only gotten better with age and experience. Few other $20 purchases could bring so much lifetime value.

So, if your break room at work doesn’t have a board game or two, please pick a game up over the weekend and drop it off on Monday. Snap a picture. I’d love to see your selections. For offices that do have a stack of games already, do you think it’s impacted the culture at all?