5 Unique Ways to Help Employees Drink More Water

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Are your employees dragging without caffeine or coffee all throughout the day? Or do they keep crashing due to an after lunch slump of energy? Here’s how to help employees drink more water. Encouraging them to drink more water will not only give them more energy naturally, they’ll be healthier and perform their job functions better.

Benefits to Help Employees Drink More Water

Water has been shown to increase energy and improve mental function without the negative side effects of coffee and sugary drinks. Incorporating water intake into your company wellness program is very beneficial and hopefully a standard for you already. Many benefits include:

greater energy levels
increased cognition and focus
increased metabolism
decreased calorie intake
flushing out toxins
healthier fat storage

In order to keep the conversation more engaging, we put together a list of our favorite ways to help employees drink more water. These ideas came directly from people we’ve worked with. We know that if they’ve helped before, they’ll help again!

Drink Water Instead of Soda at Least 4 Days Each Week

If someone is a regular soda drinker, quitting entirely may not be possible or easy at first. Making smaller shifts toward choosing water instead is better than none at all. One employee achieved drinking water instead of soda four days per week and felt better than they had in a long time.

Drink Water Instead of Another Beverage When Eating Out

It’s very easy to have a high calorie drink dining out than most any other time. Switching to water will not only save on money, but also keep work meetings at restaurants more on point. Building that habit while on the job helped one employee do the same when also eating out with friends and family.

Stay Hydrated With Increased Quantities of Water

Almost 80% of American workers admit they don’t drink enough water. It’s recommended that you drink half your weight in ounces daily. So for a 150 pound person, at least 75 ounces is where to start. That may be a huge jump for some, but working up tp it is worth it for more benefits than just hydration. One employee committed to drink 64 ounces of water most days and achieved their goal.

Consume Less Than 3 High Calorie Drinks Weekly

Unfortunately, when some people quit one type of drink, they often replace it with something else just as bad with too much sugar or calories. However, taking that step to drink less than 3 high calorie drinks per week helped one employee immensely. Water was part of their new choices and they still had benefits from focusing on just the calories aspect.

Have a Glass of Water Before Drinking Anything Else

One study showed that 37% of Americans make the mistake of thinking they’re hungry, when actually they’re thirsty and dehydrated. One employee wanted to help prevent dehydration, but couldn’t quit cold turkey on their favorite drinks.

They said, “I drank a glass of water before having any other beverage every day.” They didn’t realize it would also decrease their cravings for anything else as an added benefit.

How Companies Help Employees Drink More Water

Talking about these ideas and benefits is one thing. Showing your employees how you are taking an active role in supporting their health this way is even better. Beyond providing information and ideas, try some of these actions to provide a better impact.

only provide water at lunch meetings
have water coolers or free bottled water in lunch rooms
have wellness campaigns and challenges around water (your WellSteps guide can help you)
hold contests and reward teams that fully participate
gift high quality water bottles to everyone
charge more for soda in vending machines

Most importantly, make sure that your managers and leaders are a direct example of drinking more water for better health. When employees see their CEO and bosses drinking water, or taking steps to drink more, there’s more support and comraderie around bettering their health.

Next Steps to Help Employees Drink More Water

Putting more emphasis on bettering your employees’ health is vital for a successful company. Without health employees your organization will suffer. Implementing and maintaining an impactful wellness program that incorporates healthy habits such as drinking enough water is paramount.

Don’t worry if you aren’t sure where to start. You’re invited to schedule a free demo with one of our WellSteps guides. Come discover how to take your employees’ health to the next level and see your entire company flourish.