This Low-Cost Wellness Perk Can Boost Productivity and Engagement

How to boost productivity at work

Today’s workplaces are more fast-paced than ever, and employees are feeling the pinch: Overstressed and unhappy workplaces cost employers up to $500 billion in lost productivity annually. Employers are responding by implementing programs that boost workplace wellbeing and employee health, with the average company spending nearly $750 per employee, per year on wellness programming.

As employers invest in wellness benefits and education for their teams, they often overlook a simple factor that can make a big difference in how their employees feel and perform at work: hydration. Studies show that even mild dehydration can significantly reduce energy and productivity. Yet many of us reach for the wrong things when we feel thirsty: Sugary drinks increase dehydration, and studies show that the vitamins and minerals in healthier drinks can deteriorate if they’re bottled.

Adding hydration options is a low-cost, high-impact wellness perk—but not all workplace hydration programs are created equal. Today’s employees, particularly millennials, want to work for companies that share their values. As employers pursue wellness programs, their teams expect these initiatives to fit within the company’s broader culture and its commitments to protect people and the planet.

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Global consumers use 1 million plastic bottles every minute, less than 10 percent of which are recycled.

When it comes to workplace hydration options, it’s tough to avoid the packaging problem: Global consumers use 1 million plastic bottles every minute, less than 10 percent of which are recycled. Employees will be rightfully confused if a company adds a hydration perk that relies on single-use bottles or non-recyclable beverage pods, but that doesn’t mean they have to fill up with lukewarm water at the tap.

Take Lavit, for example. This on-demand water cooler dispenses still or sparkling water in more than 20 different flavors—eliminating the need for bottled beverages and providing a healthier alternative to sodas and other sugary drinks.

Even better: The Lavit EcoCap is made from 100 percent aluminum—an infinitely recyclable material: Of all the aluminum ever produced, 75 percent is still in use today. Conscious wellness choices like these not only reduce environmental impact, but also send a positive message to employees about your culture.