Water coolers are commonplace in most offices now. In fact you could say they're part of the furniture. But water coolers play a very important role in maintaining the heath and well-being of people at work.
If you think about it, the workplace is the most important place to be drinking water.
What you have to remember is the body's water needs throughout the day. Most of us spend the majority of our waking hours at work. Drinking water is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways of supporting a healthy lifestyle, and healthy employees are a company's greatest asset. Drinking water has many benefits.
Studies have shown that most people have poor eating habits at work, which has a negative impact on their productivity. Often overlooked is the role of water in a healthy diet.
Drinking water is almost as important as breathing in terms of essential health habits and yet it's estimated that a significant percentage of people don't drink enough water and are mildly dehydrated.
Why is it that we can all recognise when a plant needs watering, but are oblivious to our own needs for water intake? Simply put, most of us do not drink enough water. We need at least 2 litres or 8 glasses of water per day. Tea and coffee are no substitutes; in fact they are diuretics, and cause us to lose water. One of the problems is that most people don't drink until they feel thirsty. But thirst is a warning sign that you're dehydrated and you should be drinking water before that happens.
People at work need lots of energy to see them through the day and water helps give you energy. When the body is dehydrated even by just a small amount, your physical performance declines, sapping your energy and making you feel tired. A tired workforce is an inefficient workforce and bad for business.
Drinking water helps keep you in good health - the average human body consists of more the 65 percent water, an essential element for all it's organs to function properly. The body loses water each day through normal body functions, which needs to be replaced to maintain its adequate hydration. Hydration is the main issue to bear in mind.
Mild dehydration of just 1-2 percent can reduce physical work capacity by as much as a quarter. Any kind of physical activities are the most affected and the drop in performance becomes worse as the level of dehydration increases. Individuals with physically active jobs may experience a reduction in work capacity and could be more susceptible to heat stress when they are dehydrated. In physically demanding circumstances workers should ensure proper hydration by drinking water before, during and after the job.
Water also helps keep you in balance - the cells of the body need to be hydrated to maintain your electrochemical balance. If they become dehydrated they no longer function properly, preventing them from assimilating vitamins and minerals, and making you more prone to illness.
Drinking water helps your cognitive performance - dehydration leads to a deterioration of cognitive functions, such as short-term memory, ability to perform arithmetic, alertness, psychomotor rapidity and the speed of decision making. All crucial attributes needed by the average person in the average workplace.
The ability to concentrate decreases with a lack of water. Brain tissue consists of 85 percent water. When you are not properly hydrated your brain feels the effects, the level of energy production in the brain decreases causing headaches, poor concentration and reduced short-term memory. The solution of course is to drink water. A short trip to the office water cooler can re-hydrate you quickly.
Specific benefits that healthy employees can bring to the company include:
greater productivity, increased efficiency, improved employee morale and motivation
reduced illness and injury.
These days, access to drinking water at work is readily available with water coolers in every office or department. Modern water coolers now provide clean, healthy and often chilled drinking water - on tap.
So take every opportunity to drink water at work. Get up from your desk and visit the water cooler, regularly. Even better if it's a long trip on a different floor - you get the added bonus of exercise! Plan ahead, fill a bottle with 2 litres of water at the start of the day, and just take small regular drinks. If you're often in long meetings at work, make sure there's plenty of water available in the room.
