At work, as well as in other social arenas, the phrase “let’s have a cup of coffee” is often synonymous with “let’s have a conversation”⁷.
Furthermore, coffee breaks offer a moment of ‘downtime’ in the workplace. Although further research is needed, one study of public workers in Denmark undergoing a large-scale merger found that the workers’ stress was relieved by forming “communities of coping” during coffee breaks with co-workers⁸. These communities allowed for social interaction with fellow employees, allowing them to share both professional opinions and personal frustrations with their work⁸.