Staying properly hydrated is essential. However, despite the universally accepted benefits of drinking fluids throughout the day, most adults are in a state of chronic dehydration. Multiple studies over the years have shown that individuals across age groups are rarely hydrated to levels recommended by leading experts. These alarming statistics extend to the workplace and could contribute to a lack of productivity and efficiency in your workforce.
Because of this, businesses are increasingly in pursuit of ways to help employees increase daily water intake — serving as a key factor in driving performance and morale long-term. We’re taking a closer look at the impacts of water loss and dehydration and ways to promote drinking water at work.
How Dehydrated Are We?
A report from Forbes reveals that 75% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration, meaning the majority of us are not giving our body the right level of water it requires on a daily basis. This isn’t only a problem in the U.S., varying degrees of mild to severe dehydration can be seen in:
- Australia (80%)
- France (75%)
- Germany (50%)
While these levels may seem surprisingly high, it’s largely attributed to the fact that most individuals aren’t even aware when they’re dehydrated. It only takes a 2% fluid loss for your body to start feeling thirsty, and the Baylor College of Medicine reports that by then, your body is already in a state of dehydration. How can individuals better recognize when they’re experiencing rapid water loss? According to NHS Inform, a few symptoms, and early warning signs to be watchful of include:
- Lightheaded and dizziness
- Dry mouth, lips, and eyes
- Tiredness
- Passing a small amount of urine, less often than usual
- Headaches
- Vomiting
The True Impact of Dehydration
Unfortunately, chronic dehydration inevitably has significant physical and mental effects on the human body. Fluid loss not only makes a huge difference in an individual’s ability to perform physically, but the mental difficulties caused by dehydration can be very broad — leading to foggy memory, irritability, and lowered cognitive ability. Overall, these conditions range from more common issues such as frequent tiredness to more serious ramifications like kidney failure or other health emergencies that require medical attention. The Mayo Clinic notes that other severe consequences of chronic dehydration include:
- Heat injury
- Increased risk of kidney damage
- Low blood pressure
- Swelling of the brain (cerebral edema)
- Seizures
It’s important to note that when not treated promptly and appropriately, severe dehydration can be fatal. While it would likely take an extreme case to reach this point, it’s essential to help your employees, guests, and customers mitigate the risks of both mild dehydration and more severe circumstances. Employers can rest assured that each symptom of water loss can quickly be reduced or eliminated as employees consume the optimum level of water. With this in mind, here are effective ways to rehydrate lost fluid and improve daily drinking water habits.
Ways to Rehydrate and Drink More Water Every Day
The best way to rehydrate and stay hydrated in the workplace is simply to drink more water. However, this is often easier said than done. Employees frequently attribute their dehydration at work to forgetfulness, being too busy, or lacking access to an adequate water source. As a result, workers and organizations are increasingly in search of strategies to improve hydration. Here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind:
- Avoid drinks that don’t support hydration: The truth is, not all fluids are created equal when it comes to rehydration. Some options simply do a better job at hydration than others, and it’s best to reduce your intake of liquids that aren’t effective. Soda, energy drinks, and sweetened iced tea are not the most optimal drinks to make sure your body avoids dehydration.
- Consider a hydrating pick-me-up: Some fluids, other than plain water, have been noted to be helpful when employees need to rehydrate fast. For example, sports drinks, coconut water, and fruit juices are often considered valuable options to increase hydration, because they often pack a significant amount of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium) that are effective for rehydration. However, while this can be a good hydration boost every once in a while, these drinks are often high in sugar, either naturally or artificially, which can lead to distinct health issues on their own. For these reasons, drinking water is always the best way to keep your body fueled.
- Eat foods that are high in water content: According to WebMD, 20% of our daily water intake comes from the foods we eat. For individuals that find it extremely difficult to maintain proper water intake in the workplace, it can be beneficial to start consuming more foods that are high in water content to aid your hydration efforts. These options include cucumber, tomatoes, apples, celery, watermelon, and peaches.
- Take advantage of a reusable water bottle: A great idea to start a healthy hydration habit is for employees to purchase, or organizations to provide, a reusable water bottle that can be continuously refilled as needed. Making the switch from single-use plastic bottles makes it easier and more convenient to keep up with water intake while supporting valuable sustainability efforts. Workplaces can support the increased use of refillable water bottles by introducing a bottleless water cooler: Where employees can access a limitless supply of clean drinking water and re-fill their container as many times as they’d like throughout the workday.
Considering a Bottleless Water Dispenser for Your Workplace
For workplaces in pursuit of a drinking water solution that can promote rehydration and fluid intake at work, look no further than a bottleless water cooler. A bottleless dispenser from a water service provider like Quench leverages state-of-the-art filtration technology to provide fresh, clean water to your employees, guests, and customers. Moreover, these point-of-use coolers are connected directly to a water line in your building, ensuring access to a limitless supply of drinking water. With a space-efficient and cost-effective hold and cold water dispenser, you can upgrade plain water and help prevent dehydration at work.
Considering that the majority of employees aren’t drinking enough fluids throughout the day, elevating your water supply is crucial to foster a hydrated workforce. This not only supports the well-being of your valuable team members but also provides varied organizational benefits that are hard to ignore. These advantages include:
- Boosted morale and motivation
- Reduced absenteeism
- Increased energy levels throughout the day
- Sharper focus
- Improved cognitive function
- Improved productivity and efficiency
The true value of a hydrated workforce can’t be understated, and the resulting organizational benefits speak for themselves. As workplaces increasingly implement bottleless water dispensers, they need a high-quality system from a partner they can rely on — and Quench can help.
Help Prevent Dehydration in Your Workplace With a Dispenser From Quench
Despite the impact of fluid loss — even mild dehydration —, an SWNS Digital study found that only 22% of adults drink the recommended daily water intake. And considering all the negative physical and mental effects of continued water loss, it’s more important than ever to promote drinking water in your workplace.
Introducing a bottleless water dispenser is an effective way to prevent dehydration and its repercussions. Not only does a machine from Quench give your workforce access to an endless supply of water and cutting-edge filtration technology, but also reliable service from coast to coast. Between our Quench-badged service technicians, local water experts, and responsive customer care team, you can rest assured that your bottleless cooler is supporting hydration efforts in your workplace year-round.
When it comes to rehydration, water is always your best bet. And with a bottleless water cooler from Quench, you can ensure your employees have access to an endless supply when needed — to support their health and your business long term.
If your workplace is ready to take its plain water supply to the next level with advanced filtration and reliable service, get a free quote to get started today. Not sure what you need? With Quench, you can discover a range of bottleless coolers with features including hot water, cold water, sparkling water, touchless capabilities, and more. Try our product finder to identify the dispenser that’s the right fit for your local water quality and unique business needs.
