What’s a water dispenser, and do I need one for my office?

Drinking water does much more than just quench your thirst. Water is essential in keeping our bodies functioning efficiently and it’s vital to our overall health. Water makes up approximately 60-70% of the human body. We lose water throughout the day, so we must continually replace it by drinking and also eating. Did you know that around a third of the water we consume comes from our food?

If you’re a facilities or office manager, the health and wellbeing of your team will be part of your responsibility. Whilst tap water is safe to drink here in the UK, it doesn’t taste great, especially when compared to filtered or bottled water. One of the reasons for that is over 60% of people in the UK live in hard water areas which quite literally, leaves a bitter taste in our mouths.

There are also worrying reports that UK drinking water is not currently being tested for a group of toxic artificial chemicals linked to a range of diseases including cancers. For these reasons,  you may be thinking about getting a water dispenser that can provide refreshing filtered still or sparkling water for the office. But which water dispenser is right for you and your team? We take a look at why it’s so important to stay hydrated at work and help you find the perfect solution.

Why is drinking water at work so important?

If we don’t regularly drink water, we can become dehydrated. The NHS outlines the dangers of dehydration and how it can lead to a loss of strength and stamina. It’s also one of the causes of heat exhaustion. They advise that “You should be able to reverse dehydration by drinking more fluids.” And that “if dehydration is ongoing, it can affect your kidney function and increase the risk of kidney stones.”

Even mild dehydration, with a body water loss of just 1–2% can impair cognitive abilities and performance. If you lose 5 to 6 %, you’ll likely start to feel the symptoms of mild dehydration. Symptoms of mild dehydration include feeling thirsty, dry mouth, headache, and feeling dizzy or lightheaded.

It makes sense then that a healthy and hydrated workforce is going to be more productive. In fact, hydrating your body can and will improve alertness, attentiveness, energy, memory, mood, and help you think more clearly. These are all key qualities that can help support a positive workplace culture.

How much water should we drink?

The NHS Eatwell Guide recommends that we drink 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day. Water, low-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count towards that. They also recommend avoiding fizzy drinks high in sugar, and giving energy drinks a miss as they’re stacked full of caffeine.

The great thing about water is that it’s a healthy and cheap choice for quenching your thirst at any time. It has no calories and contains no sugars that can damage your teeth. If you’re not a fan of plain water, switch to sparkling. Alternatively add fruits like lemon, lime and orange, or a slice of cucumber and mint to liven up your water.

How can I encourage my team to drink more water?

Most of us don’t drink enough water so what can you do to encourage your team to drink more at work? The answer is simple. Provide them with clean, quality, great tasting, easy-to-access water, and people are more likely to drink it. There are a few options to choose from. You’ll want to look for what’s known as a point of use (POU) water dispenser for ultimate convenience.

POU dispensers are plumbed directly into the mains water, so you can say goodbye to those big, bulky plastic bottles you get with a water cooler. Mains-fed water dispensers are reliable and easy to keep clean. FreshGround’s water dispensers have inbuilt filtration which removes any impurities to ensure your staff, clients and visitors get great-tasting water on demand.

Many POU water dispensers give you the option to choose from filtered chilled, boiling, sparkling or ambient filtered water. They give your team more choices for greater flexibility and convenience while they’re working.

A nice idea to encourage your team to drink more water is to provide branded reusable water bottles. Using a reusable bottle is an easy change for your team to make that will not only help the environment but also save money on buying bottled water. You could also consider gifting branded coffee cups and drinking glasses. These little office perks can help to increase employee engagement and create a stronger workplace culture. Plus you’ll be cutting down on single-use plastic which is a huge environmental problem. In the UK 7.7 billion plastic water bottles are used each year, with the average person in the UK now using 150 plastic water bottles every year – that’s more than 3 a week. Making the switch to reusables will support your efforts in operating more sustainably.

What type of water dispenser is right for my office?

There are a couple of things to consider logistically when choosing your water dispenser. Firstly, you’ll want to work out how many people will be using each office water point and where best to locate them. It’s also important to consider dispense height and output volume. Design-wise, there are lots of different taps to choose from, ranging from sleek and modern to contemporary and stylish, so there’s something that will work in any office environment. If you’re balancing budgets, most office water suppliers like FreshGround offer convenient and affordable rental options. Our contracts start from as little as 3 months so you won’t be tied into any long-term agreement.

We can help

Whatever your requirements and budget, our team will happily work with you to calculate the most efficient water dispensing solution for you. Simply contact us today for more information and help keep your team healthy, hydrated and more productive at work.

View our range of water dispensers.