4 Reasons Why You Should Keep Your Workforce Well-Watered
Aside from improving physical performance, keeping your workforce well-hydrated has numerous other benefits. Not only does keeping them well-hydrated help balance their blood pressure and blood volume, but it also helps maintain their body temperature. Moreover, keeping them properly hydrated prevents dehydration, affecting their overall health. So, why should you make an effort to keep your employees well-hydrated?
Below are five reasons why. These reasons will help you understand the importance of ensuring that your employees are well-hydrated.
1. Keeping employees hydrated helps balance blood volume and blood pressure
Water in the blood is essential for balancing blood pressure and volume. Dehydration can lower blood pressure, as red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen to the rest of the body.
Dehydrated workers can experience various symptoms, including confusion, fatigue, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Water intake should be monitored regularly to prevent the effects of dehydration. For employers, providing water to workers is one way to prevent dehydration-Related illnesses.
Water is essential for workers with physical labour jobs. When employees are dehydrated, their performance will suffer. Studies have shown that athletes’ performance drops by 2%. Their muscles also feel fatigued. Dehydrated employees may also experience muscle cramps and feel weak and tired. In addition to fatigue, employees who suffer from dehydration may also experience low energy and poor mood.
These effects could compromise their performance on the job and affect their productivity. Water has many health benefits. In addition to flushing out bacteria, it assists in digestion and helps prevent constipation. Water also helps balance blood pressure and blood volume, cushions joints, and protects organs.
Moreover, it also has a significant impact on employees’ performance. Employers can promote a wellness culture among employees by providing clean drinking water at work. Moreover, water is a natural remedy for dehydration.
2. It helps maintain body temperature.
Ensure your employees are adequately hydrated to reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses in the workplace. Water makes up more than 50% of the human body weight. When people are dehydrated, they tend to lose water through breath, sweat, and visits to the bathroom. This makes it even more important to encourage employees to drink plenty of water to keep them hydrated. When employees become dehydrated, they are likely to become tired, irritable, and even ill.
Regardless of job duty, employees should drink water throughout the day. The recommended fluid intake varies by age and physical activity, so encourage your workforce to drink at least eight glasses of water throughout the day. Ideally, they should drink one cup of water every 15 to 20 minutes. Be careful not to serve sugary or caffeine-containing drinks to your workforce, as these can increase urine output and even more significant dehydration.
While working outdoors, it’s best to make sure your employees have access to cool water. While cool, potable water is sufficient for short jobs, employees should have access to electrolytes in the form of electrolytes. Keep in mind that a person’s thirst alone is already two per cent dehydrated.
Drinking water every fifteen to twenty minutes is ideal for hot work environments. Moreover, employees should aim to drink eight to ten glasses of water each day. Employers should provide water and electrolyte-containing beverages during work breaks. Workers lose electrolytes through sweat, which can cause cramps and other health problems. Water can’t replace electrolytes, so employers should provide these beverages regularly during the workday.
The drinks should be readily available and provided where workers can easily access them. In addition, if workers are wearing protective clothing, water must be provided at specific locations. Sweat-soaked clothing can also hinder the body’s ability to cool itself, and evaporation is impeded.
3. It improves physical performance.
Keeping your workforce hydrated can increase productivity, from promoting mental clarity to preventing illness. Proper hydration can fuel the body with energy and boost the immune system. It also contributes to a healthy immune system, making any employee wellness program more effective. Employees who are adequately hydrated will be happier and more focused, leading to greater overall productivity.
Keeping your workforce hydrated is an essential part of your office strategy. Dehydration has been linked to a significant drop in workplace productivity. According to Dr Tony Ronay, even one per cent of workers is under-hydrated on any given day. Even one per cent of dehydration can impact productivity by 12 per cent. And if you add three to four per cent dehydration, the drop in productivity rises to 25 per cent.
Studies have shown that workers with low fluid intake are less alert, have reduced concentration, and experience slower reaction times. Water is vital for employee health. Studies show that employees need at least one gallon of water per day to maintain optimal performance. It also aids digestion and improves energy levels. In addition, hydration improves the performance of employees, reducing heart rate, temperature, and mental ability.
Just one per cent of an employee’s body weight may decrease productivity by up to 25 per cent. So, drinking water is critical to your company’s success. Water is a vital nutrient for brain health. A hydrated body ensures optimal brain activity and intellectual level.
Furthermore, an adequately hydrated mind is ready to tackle challenging tasks. This means an efficient workforce. It will help increase productivity and keep employees happy. And in the long run, water will boost your bottom line. In addition to improving physical performance, water will also boost your employee’s overall well-being.
Keep workers prepared for a hot working environment by providing water to drink. It is important to educate workers about the symptoms of dehydration and provide them with cooling measures such as water-dampened clothing. Make sure workers are well-rested by allowing them to take frequent breaks and reward them with healthy rewards. Ensure your workers stay hydrated by offering them free cold water and other hydrating beverages.
Avoid giving employees drinks with high alcohol and caffeine content, as they increase urine output, contributing to dehydration. Avoid giving your workers alcohol before, during, and after work. Alcohol consumption increases the risk of dizziness and fatigue.
Encourage workers to drink plenty of water to replenish body fluids lost through sweat. The increased need for water is also related to high temperatures, humidity, and protective clothing. Sweat-soaked clothes hinder the body’s ability to cool itself and evaporate sweat. Workers should take frequent breaks during peak temperatures, preferably in the shade. Always ensure workers wear a hat with a brim. Provide reusable water bottles and cool water stations around the worksite. Also, provide trained safety personnel to monitor workers and administer first aid if necessary.
4. Keep your workforce hydrated to prevent dehydration.
A recent study found that up to 75 per cent of the American workforce is not drinking enough water daily. Additionally, workers exposed to outdoor work are at a higher risk of dehydration. In addition to reducing employee productivity, proper hydration can prevent workplace injuries. For example, workers with outdoor jobs should drink an 8-ounce glass of water every twenty minutes.
They should also be aware of signs of dehydration, such as excessive sweating or a decreased energy level. Heat-related illnesses are a significant hazard on outdoor summer work sites. Dehydration can affect workers and affect their ability to focus, maintain posture, and function. For workers in dry climates, it’s especially critical to keep them well-hydrated. In addition to helping workers avoid dehydration, water also provides vital nutrients, such as vitamins A and C. Besides water, workers must also drink at least eight glasses per day.
Providing ample water should be part of your employee training and safety seminars. Remind workers to stay hydrated and avoid dehydration. Provide information sheets and posters to encourage employees to drink more water throughout the day. Display these posters at company meetings, so they can monitor each other’s body temperature and encourage them to drink every 15 to 20 minutes. It’s also essential to promote employee education about heat-related illnesses.
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