Water is a free commodity but many people still don’t drink enough to stay hydrated. Considering the traditional 8-hour working day – and the fact we spend more half of every week at work – there is an increasing emphasis on employers to keep their workforce hydrated. In fact, drinking more water is a massive part of the health and wellbeing movement. Businesses should play their part and they can make it easier to stay hydrated by looking at interior office design London solutions.
The issue is of such importance that Facilities Management Journal ran a whole feature on drinking water in the workplace, highlighting that ‘nearly two-thirds of the human body is composed of water, and even a reduction of as little as 2% of body weight in hydration levels can influence mood, lead to greater feelings of fatigue and a reduced state of alertness’.
It’s this link between hydration and professional output that can be addressed using MPL’s office fit out London & UK services. Workers can stave off feeling sluggish and tiredness by upping their fluid intake. The key lies in making water freely available and in some cases, more interesting. A different approach when refurbishing an office can have a huge impact, as can some really simple tweaks and thoughtful gestures.
Here are MPL Interiors’ corporate office design ideas and advice to ensure everyone is water smart:-
Provide the best water possible - sometimes there is a stigma attached to what comes out of the tap, leading people to buy bottled water, but there really is no need. The installation of a chilled mains-fed filtered drinking water system will change perceptions and can easily be part of a kitchen revamp.
Install a water fountain - water fountains have moved on from school playground days and they now provide filtered, chilled water together with a bottle refill outlet. Fountains work in a reception, where they can be used by guests too.
Discourage single-use plastic bottles - provide enough clean glasses for people or commission a batch of branded ‘smart’, re-usable bottles. These are available with markers that show how much water should be drunk during the day and by when.
Provide ingredients to ‘pimp’ plain water - one of the most comment complaints about water is that it’s boring. Adding fresh fruit, slices of cucumber and even herbs can increase H2O’s appeal and get people drinking more.
Offer sparkling alternatives - did you know some mains-fed water coolers come with a fizzy water option? Alternatively, provide a carbonated water machine. These small kitchen top devices, from the likes of SodaStream and KitchenAid, will make water more fun.
MPL can help you plan in water-smart features – please contact us for advice.
