Workplace glossary

What is Breakout Rooms?

Definition & practical guide1 min read

Breakout rooms are smaller sessions split off from a larger meeting so groups can work in parallel before regrouping. The term now covers both the virtual feature in Zoom, Teams and Meet, and the physical rooms a workshop spills into.

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Physical breakouts are a planning item: a 20-person workshop might need one large room plus three huddle rooms for the same time slot. Booking them together, rather than hoping nearby rooms are free, is the difference between a smooth session and a corridor scavenger hunt.

Common questions

What does Breakout Rooms mean in simple terms?

Breakout rooms are smaller sessions split off from a larger meeting so groups can work in parallel before regrouping. The term now covers both the virtual feature in Zoom, Teams and Meet, and the physical rooms a workshop spills into.

What is the difference between Breakout Rooms and similar terms?

Physical breakouts are a planning item: a 20-person workshop might need one large room plus three huddle rooms for the same time slot. Booking them together, rather than hoping nearby rooms are free, is the difference between a smooth session and a corridor scavenger hunt.