Summer hydration – why your office needs a water tap system

Summer is in full swing with school holidays, Wimbledon, barbeques and long sunny days (sometimes!) ahead of us. However, with temperatures in the UK reaching heights of over 30 degrees in June, July and August, it’s important to stay cool and keep hydrated in the heat.

If you manage an office team you’ll hopefully have air conditioning to keep everyone cool, but whether you do or not, you still need to make sure that your team drink enough water.

Why is hydration important?

Staying hydrated in the office is much more than just a matter of comfort – it’s a vital part of maintaining a healthy body and mind. Staying properly hydrated can help cognitive function, drive productivity, boost creativity and support overall health.

Dehydration, even in its mildest forms, can impair cognitive functions such as concentration, alertness, and short-term memory. In a work setting where mental sharpness and clarity are essential, dehydration can lead to mistakes, reduced problem-solving abilities, and decreased creativity.

For these reasons, as an office or facilities manager, you should ensure you and your team recognise the significance of hydration and implement simple strategies to encourage regular water intake. The easiest way to do this is to install an office water tap that pours fresh, chilled filtered still and sparkling water. Once you make hydration a priority in your office, you’ll find that employee well-being and performance improve no matter what the temperature is.

How much water should we drink?

The NHS recommends that adults should aim to drink about 6-8 glasses (1.5-2 litres) of water per day. However, individual needs can vary based on body weight, activity levels, and environmental conditions, so if it’s hot, you’ll need to increase your intake.

In fact, air conditioning can actually contribute to dehydration due to its drying effects, which increases water loss from the skin and respiratory tract. Always watch out for signs of dehydration including dry mouth, headaches and fatigue.

Why does my office need a water tap system?

Investing in a water tap system for your office can provide lots of benefits. Firstly, an office water tap or office water dispenser will give your team convenient access to fresh, filtered chilled still or sparkling water. There are many different taps to choose from that will fit any office décor aesthetic.

They come in a wide range of styles, designs, and finishes and offer a choice of functionality. Most offices opt for a water tap solution that pours both filtered chilled and hot water, so you can make hot drinks in the colder months.

Over 60% of offices opt for a tap that provides sparkling water as well as still water, and office teams enjoy the choice. Sparkling water is especially refreshing and you can make some great summer drinks that should keep everyone in the office happy and hydrated. Check out our top 5 thirst-quenching sparkling recipes for the summer.

Office water taps and dispensers are also a cost-effective addition to the office especially when budgets are tight. Monthly costs for rental start from as little as £5 per day for taps that can easily support offices with around  60 – 100 employees.

Another benefit of an office water tap is that it’s sustainable and reduces your business’s environmental impact. They help to reduce your and your team’s reliance on single-use plastic water bottles to support your sustainability goals.

Discover More: 5 thirst-quenching sparkling water recipes

How do I choose the tap that’s right for my office team?

There are several considerations you need to make before installing an office water tap. Firstly, do you want to offer filtered still, sparkling, chilled, ambient and hot water? Think about what your team would value most.

Other considerations include capacity to ensure the system can meet the hydration needs of your team. You may choose to install several taps across the office for convenience and accessibility reasons.

Filtration is important too so source a supplier that has high-quality filtration systems. We offer market-leading filtration technology that ensures pure-tasting water in every glass as standard with all our taps.

Depending on where you want to install a water station, you will consider the space available so the size of the tap is important. Taps can be mounted over a sink or on a worktop with a compact stainless-steel drip tray and in places where a water tap isn’t possible, you could also consider a stylish and efficient mains-fed floor-standing or countertop water cooler dispenser.

What other strategies can help employees stay hydrated?

Aside from the many benefits we’ve outlined of installing a water tap, there are some other things office managers can do to support hydration in the office.

Encourage regular breaks that help employees maintain their hydration levels. Remember, it’s not just water that counts towards your hydration – tea and coffee do also count. Typically, men need 2.5 litres per day and women, 2 litres to stay hydrated.

Another great initiative is to provide your team with branded reusable water bottles to encourage them to keep water on their desks and refill from the water tap. Note when choosing your water tap, make sure you’re choosing one with a tap height that can fit water bottles for easy and convenient refills.

You could offer hydrating and healthy snacks too like fruit and vegetables that have a high water content – for example oranges, watermelon, apples, pears, cucumbers and so on. This simple office perk is also helping to support your team’s health by providing them with essential vitamins and nutrients.

Finally, educate your employees on the importance of staying hydrated and the dangers of dehydration and how to recognise the signs.

What next?

Want to find the perfect water tap for your office? Simply get in touch with our team. With over 40 years of experience in the business, we’ll work closely with you to identify your exact requirements to help keep your team happy and hydrated this summer and beyond.