Whether it’s your daily water cooler reunion with coworkers or sipping from your favorite water bottle to stay hydrated in that two-hour meeting, water at work is making waves now more than ever, especially in these summer months.
Millennials represent the largest generation in the workforce, and they also drink more water than previous generations. Luxury water bottles are having their moment, as are sparkling water beverages. Employees (Millennials and beyond) will appreciate easy access to high-quality H20.
Here are 5 reasons to promote water drinking at your workplace. Share this list with your employees to encourage optimal hydration!
- Increases Productivity—Dehydration can affect brain structure and function. It is also involved in the production of hormones and neurotransmitters. Prolonged dehydration can lead to problems with thinking and reasoning.
- Promotes Healthy Weight Management—Water helps you feel more full, naturally suppressing appetites and improving metabolisms.
- Flushes out Toxins—Our body is able to naturally detoxify through the use of its lungs, liver, and kidneys. But sometimes we give it more than it can handle. Water helps flush out excess toxins.
- Prevents Sick Days—Drinking water has been directly related to a stronger immune system. An easy way to stay healthy during cold and flu season is to drink more water!
- Improves Heart Health—Research has shown a link between coronary heart disease and water consumption. Water maintains the proper viscosity of blood and plasma and fibrinogen distribution.
As an employer, you are required by OSHA to provide your employees with clean drinking water to keep them hydrated throughout the day. OSHA guidelines state that employers must provide employees adequate amounts of potable water for all employees’ health and personal needs, and that drinking water must be dispensed from a fountain, a covered container with single-use drinking cups or single-use bottles.
Why not get the hydration momentum going by handing out custom water bottles at your next all-staff function!
[Related Reading: Bocce, Baseball, Bowling–A Wellness Program that Covers All the Bases]
Anne Patterson
Social Marketing and Communications Strategist at the International Foundation
The latest from Word on Benefits:
- Scholarship Winners Gain Knowledge, Networking Opportunities and Career Benefits
- Alternatives to On-Site Child-Care Benefits
- 2025 Employee Benefits Reporting and Disclosure Calendars
- Congress Could Expand Health Savings Accounts
- Long-Term Care and Caregiving: Four Challenges for Employees and Employers
