How to use a prayer room as a multifunctional space

When discussing a prayer room at the workplace, many decision-makers immediately think: “Are we investing in an entire space for just a handful of employees?” The answer is simple: a well-designed prayer room is never single-purpose.

In this article, we demonstrate through a concrete case how a mid-sized company transformed their prayer room into the most versatile and highly valued space in the office—used by over 40 employees per week for five different purposes.

Case: From religious accommodation to well-being hub

The Initial Situation

Organization: Logistics company, 165 employees, Flanders
Trigger: Three Muslim employees requested a prayer space in November 2023
Initial management response: “Is this investment worth it for so few people?”

Before the company made a decision, HR launched a anonymous survey to gauge broader needs.

Survey: The Surprising Results

Participation: 152 out of 165 employees (92% response rate)

Question 1: "Would you use a private, quiet space at the office?"

• 58% Yes, definitely
• 29% Maybe
• 13% No

Question 2: "What would you use such a space for?" (multiple answers possible)

Question 3: "How often would you use this space?"

• 15% Daily
• 31% Multiple times a week
• 33% Weekly
• 21% Rarely/never

Key Insights

✅ 87% interest in a quiet, private space
✅ 46% would use the space at least weekly
✅ Religious use accounts for only 22% of total demand

Management conclusion: ‘We are not investing in a prayer space for three people. We are investing in a multifunctional wellness space for 80+ employees.’

5 Ways to Make a Prayer Room Multifunctional

Based on these insights, the company developed a hybrid space with five clear use-cases. Below, we show the practical setup per application.

1. Prayer room: The primary function

For whom: Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Buddhist employees

Timings: Primarily during breaks (12:00-13:00) and before/after working hours

Layout requirements:

Practical Example – Selected Product:
The company installed the Offyce Cosy L (240 x 180 cm) with:

• Neutral Facet fabric in warm grey
• Blinded door for full privacy
• 31.5 dB sound insulation
• Whisper-quiet ventilation (essential for longer prayers)

Custom adjustments:

• Discreet 5cm Qibla sticker on floor
• Small wall cabinet for personal items
• Extra soft flooring

Usage frequency: 8-12 times per day, primarily 12:00-13:00 (midday prayer) and 15:00-16:00

2. Meditation Space: Mindfulness & Stress Reduction

For whom: Employees experiencing stress, mindfulness practitioners, and those focused on burnout prevention

Times: Variable throughout the day, often 10:00-11:00 and 15:00-16:00

Why the same space works perfectly:

A prayer room has exactly the same properties as a meditation room:

✅ Silence and acoustic insulation
✅ Privacy without visual distractions
✅ Comfortable seating options (floor/bench)
✅ Soft lighting
✅ Neutral, serene aesthetics

Additional Setup for Meditation:

Total additional investment: €185

Practical tip:
Communicate explicitly that the space is also intended for meditation. Place a small flyer with a QR code linking to free meditation apps (Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer).

Practical impact:

• 15 employees use the space at least once a week for meditation
• Average session duration: 12-18 minutes
• Self-reported stress reduction: 67% experience a “clear improvement”

Testimonial:

“I didn’t know we had a meditation room. When I heard the ‘prayer room’ is actually for everyone, I gave it a try. Now I meditate for 15 minutes, 2-3 times a week during my lunch break. Gamechanger for my work stress.”

3. Lactation Room: Lactation Accommodation

For whom: Young mothers (average 3-5 per year)

Times: 2-4x per day, flexible

Why a prayer room is also an ideal space for reflection:

Just like with bowling lounges, which Offyce specializes in, the core requirements are identical to prayer rooms:

Additional Facilities: Kolven

Practical setup:

The company placed next to the Cosy L cabin (in the larger quiet room):

• An ergonomic massage chair with armrests
• Small side table
• Mini-fridge for breast pump storage
• Hand sanitizer and tissues (already present)

Additional costs for massage facilities: €490
Legal compliance: ✅ Compliant with Belgian/Dutch law (see massage room legislation)

Impact:

• 4 mothers used the space in their first year
• Average 115 days per mother
• Retention Effect: All 4 mothers returned after maternity leave (100% vs. 73% benchmark)

ROI Calculation: Retention

• Replacement costs for 1 specialist: €18,000-€35,000
• 1 extra retained employee = investment in break room recouped

4. Focus space: Work without distractions

For whom: Employees with complex tasks (financial, legal, strategic)

Times: Mainly morning (8:00–12:00) for focused work

Why a prayer room = perfect focus room:

Additional Facilities for Focus Work:

The Offyce Work-series demonstrates that focus cabins are nearly identical to prayer spaces, with the addition of:

Important: Clearly communicate the maximum duration for focused work (e.g., 60 minutes) to ensure utilization.

Practical use:

• 12 employees use the space weekly for focused work
• Average session: 45-75 minutes
• Productivity gain: Estimated 35% faster completion of complex tasks (self-reported)

Testimonial:

‘As a controller, I need to prepare quarterly reports. In the open office, that’s not possible: too many distractions. Now I book the ‘quiet workspace’ for 2 hours and get 4 hours of work done. Surprisingly effective.’

5. Private Call/Meeting Room: Confidential Conversations

For whom: HR meetings, job interviews, bad-news conversations, emotional calls

Hours: By appointment, often 9:00-10:00 and 14:00-16:00

Why Prayer Space is Perfect for Sensitive Conversations:

Confidential conversations require:
✅ Acoustic privacy: No one should overhear (31.5 dB isolation = excellent soundproofing)
✅ Visual privacy: No peeking by colleagues
✅ Neutral environment: No desk that creates a ‘power dynamic’
✅ Compactness: Intimate, but not claustrophobic

Practical Setup for Conversations:

Minimal extra investment: €300 (2nd comfortable chair)

Use cases:

• HR conducted 23 ‘difficult conversations’ in the space (dismissals, illness, conflicts)
• 8 job interviews (candidates valued privacy)
• 34 emotional phone calls (family situations, medical news)

HR team feedback:

"For the first time, we have a space where people can truly cry without the entire office watching. That’s worth more than the €15,000 investment."

ROI Analysis: What did it deliver?

Measured results year 1

• Average 42 unique users per week (out of 165 employees = 25%)
• 178 sessions per week (average 4.2 sessions per user)
• Average session duration: 24 minutes
• Occupancy rate: 18% of office hours (excellent for quiet space)

Usage breakdown:

Financial Impact

1. Retention effect:

• 4 out of 4 young mothers continued working after maternity leave
• Sector benchmark: 73% stay → 1 extra retained = €22,000 saved in replacement costs

2. Sick leave:

• Year before quiet room: 6.8% sick leave
• Year with quiet room: 5.9% sick leave
• Reduction of 0.9% = 1.5 FTE less absenteeism
• Savings: €24,000 (based on €16,000 absence costs per FTE)

3. Productivity gain:

• 12 deep work users report 30-40% time savings on complex tasks
• Conservative estimate: 2 hours per week per person
• Value: €18,720/year (12 people × 2 hours × €39/hour × 52 weeks ÷ 2)

4. Employer Branding:

• +8% increase “employer feels involved in well-being” in annual survey
• +12% increase in "would recommend company as employer"
• Hard to quantify, but impact on recruitment and reputation

Total ROI year 1

Return on Investment: €64,720 / €17,410 = 372% ROI in year 1
Payback period: 3.2 months

Practical Implementation Tips

1. Communication is key

❌ Mistake: "We created a prayer room"
✅ Correct: "We created a quiet and contemplative space for everyone"

What worked:

• Email with 5 explicit use-cases (see above)
• Photos in the intranet with captions: "Also suitable for meditation/reflection/focus work"
• Lunch session with demo and Q&A

2. Flexible layout

Invest in modular elements that you can customize:

• Movable furniture (not fixed installations)
• Storage systems with removable shelves
• Adjustable lighting for different moods

3. Clear House Rules

Essential to prevent conflicts:

• Maximum duration (30 min prayer/meditation, 60 min focused work)
• Booking system (or not—first come, first served also works)
• Hygiene Protocol (remove shoes, leave space tidy)
• Phone Policy (quiet or whispering)

4. Monitor and Optimize

The company used a simple motion sensor (no camera, privacy-respecting) to:

• Identifying peak hours
• Utilization rate to measure
• Underutilization detected

Conclusion: Investing in privacy always pays off

The key lesson from this case? A prayer room is never ‘just’ a prayer room. The qualities religious practices require—privacy, quiet, comfort, neutrality—are universal needs in every modern workplace.

By thinking strategically about multifunctional use, a prayer space transforms from a ‘niche accommodation’ into an ‘essential wellness facility for 25%+ of your employees.’

The Golden Formula

✅ Start with survey (measure real needs)
✅ Communicate broadly (not just ‘prayer room’)
✅ Keep it neutral (no religious symbolism)
✅ Facilitate multiple use cases (5 applications = 5x value)
✅ Measure impact (ROI within 6-12 months)

Ready to create your own multifunctional space?

Offyce supports you from needs analysis to installation. Our prayer rooms are designed as standard for multifunctional use—from religious to secular, from individual to small-group.

Sources:

1. Leesman Index (2022) – Workplace Effectiveness Benchmarks
2. SHRM (2024) – Cost of Employee Turnover
3. TNO (2023) – Sickness Absenteeism and Costs in the Dutch Labour Market
4. Internal data case study company (anonymized, permission granted)

Related Articles:

• Prayer Space vs. Quiet Space: Which Suits Your Company?
• The Importance of a Prayer Room at Work

The most common combination is the one with kegs. This works well, provided you add a laundry facility and cooling, and prioritize kegs — the full setup requirements are in setting up a keg area.

If you want to position the space more broadly than prayer alone, then quiet workspace in the office is the fitting narrative. And for the legal side of religious practices in the workplace: praying at work.

Tags: #multifunctionalprayerroom #quietroom #officeinterior #ROI #wellbeing #wellnessroom #meditation #employerbranding #offyce #workplacewellness

Last updated on 24 October 2026 by Stijn Belmans