Why Water Quality Matters in the Workplace

Most believe creating a sustainable life starts at home. However, everywhere else must align its values with the planet’s well-being, especially where you probably spend the second largest chunk of time — work. Waste disposal, product usage and energy consumption are all significant ways workplaces expend resources. Water quality is perhaps one of the most essential of these.

Employees need access to safe drinking water and be able to use it for work if necessary. So, trusting its filtered, safe and drinkable should be priorities of environmentally-aware employers and workers. To do this, you can examine how much water quality matters in the workplace and why it affects sustainability and your health.

Improving Employee Health and Performance

Drinking clean water is one of the most proactive ways to keep your health in shape. Coming to work with enthusiasm starts with feeling great. For example, staying hydrated with top-quality water filtered from excess contaminants like lead can help staff’s health in countless ways, including:

• Lubricating joints and muscles experiencing pain.
• Assisting with mental health and mood.
• Decreasing intensity or presence of headaches.
• Lowering blood pressure and risk of hypertension.

The list goes on. But, there are other ways health boosts performance apart from keeping you happy and healthy.

Reduces Sick Time Used

Being hydrated boosts immunity, which can help the performance of a workplace because clean water keeps employees at work. Sick day reduction is the most tangible proof of how providing clean water helps performance. If humans drink adequate water, it helps their bodies fight illness and dehydration, which cause short and long-term health issues.

Increases Relationships and Morale

Though many businesses see “water cooler chat” as a deterrent to productivity, it creates the foundation for many relationships in the office, improving collaboration and communication. So why not invest in great water to build the team up? This investment proves your attentive organization cares about staff well-being.

Reduces Brain Fog

Productivity increases by even the smallest amount with water’s help. Water helps blood flow consistently through the body so you can function at your best. According to a famous 2013 study, production can reduce by as much as 12% if workers are dehydrated. Suppose workplaces encourage people to keep water at their desks or take breaks to drink. In that case, it can also decrease fatigue while increasing memory and vigilance.

Creating Trust With Employers

Employers who take responsibility for maintaining water quality in the workplace understand their employees’ well-being is a priority. Not only does it affect physical health, but environmentally-aware team members can worry less about their work’s impact on the planet. Installing efficient filtration methods that capture pollutants reduces waterborne illness and the propensity for dehydration.

There is also a professional level of respect earned when employers solve problems to follow all regulated safety protocols and implement safe treatment systems. It creates stability in team members’ minds knowing their work follows OSHA standards and they can trust their workplace for years.

Employers add another layer of trust when the workers know their management has similar values. It maintains retention, increases dedication and provides more fulfillment in work. It never hurts to ask management how they assess this, like if they’re performing regular water quality tests or maintenance.

Impacting the Planet Positively

Depending on your workplace situation, water could be a resource in the breakroom and bathrooms or it could be what goes into your products. Water at work can affect every industry, from tourism to agriculture to real estate. Every drop affects the planet, so why not make them the best?

There are plenty of ways clean water can improve the planet:

• Protects wildlife and their habitats from pollutants, especially aquatic species.
• Grows healthy crops so access to healthy food improves.
• Creates greater access for more humans, reducing fears of water scarcity.
• Reduces costs for water treatment, allowing companies to allocate funds for more significant impact.

Especially in headwater states like Minnesota, understanding how your water connects with the rest of your neighborhood and surrounding states grants a healthier perspective. It is the workplace’s responsibility to ensure waste, chemicals and other pollutants do not end up in waterways.

Caring About Water Quality

Every employer and employee has a hand in the water quality effort. Excellent water is a non-negotiable for a clean and healthy work environment. Though people overlook water quality because utilizing water is second nature to many, they shouldn’t ignore it. Employees and the planet will be grateful you paid attention because you understand how it affects everyone and everything.