by Fern Shaw | Jun 19, 2024 | water cooler, Water Coolers
In today’s fast-paced work environment, it’s easy to underestimate the power of casual conversation. But in the break room or that quick chat by at the watercooler station – these seemingly unproductive moments can hold immense value. Here’s why:
Building Bridges, Boosting Culture
Water cooler chats create space for informal interaction between colleagues. Sharing stories, jokes, or even weekend plans help employees connect on a personal level. This fosters a sense of camaraderie and strengthens company culture, leading to a more positive and collaborative work environment.
Innovation Through Interaction
Sometimes, the best ideas spark during casual conversations. Discussing a news article or a shared hobby can lead to unexpected connections and fresh perspectives. Chats at the water dispenser can be a breeding ground for creativity and innovation, as employees from different departments exchange ideas and challenge each other’s thinking.
Problem-Solving Power
Stuck on a project? A quick chat with a colleague from another department might be just what you need.
Water cooler conversations allow employees to tap into the collective knowledge of the team, offering a chance to brainstorm solutions or get a second opinion on a tricky issue.
Employee Engagement and Retention
Feeling like just a cog in the machine? Casual chats with coworkers can help combat feelings of isolation and boost employee morale. These interactions create a sense of belonging and value, leading to higher engagement and lower turnover rates.
Breaking the Ice, Building Trust
New hires can often feel overwhelmed in a new environment. Water cooler chats offer a chance to connect with colleagues in a relaxed setting, easing them into the company culture and fostering trust within the team.
The takeaways here are that these casual interactions can be powerful tools for building relationships, sparking creativity and ultimately, driving success in the workplace.
by Fern Shaw | May 14, 2024 | water cooler, Water Coolers, water dispenser
There’s no avoiding it. Work an eight-hour (or longer) day and you’ll have to stop to eat at some point. Be it a questionable sandwich or a lavish lunch, workers need grub. But what should you eat to achieve maximum results? And is skipping lunch to reply to those e-mails really such a bad thing? In this two-part series, we have a look at both sides.*
Eating in the office canteen is good for you. In Finland, at least.
The Finnish have done a lot of research into workplace eating habits. One study by the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare found that workers who ate in office cafeterias, compared to those who brought in packed lunches, were eating more fruit and vegetables. This has a lot to with the fact that in Finland, food provided in canteens must meet national nutritional guidelines.
To be sure, the wisdom of eating in a canteen does depend on the quality of what’s on the menu. Staff interviewed at Barnsley Borough Council in London described the food in their cafeteria as ‘stodgy’ and more suited to those performing manual work.
Skipping lunch is bad for you.
As explained in his book about workplace eating habits, Christopher Wanjek found that workers who skip lunch are more stressed, less productive and only end up snacking in the afternoon anyway.
The endless cycle of bad nutrition and low national productivity.
Poor eating choices affect productivity. In fact, it causes this shame spiral:
There’s a lot that has gone into this debate. In Part II, we’ll thrash this out further. For now, at least one thing is crystal – keeping yourself hydrated at work can only be good for you.
While we wait for the next instalment, remember to repeatedly recharge your water glass or water bottle using your desktop water dispenser or zeroing in on your floor-standing water cooler.
*source: from an article in Quartz.
by Fern Shaw | Nov 14, 2023 | mains fed water cooler, water cooler, Water Coolers, water dispenser
The majority of people are under the impression that dehydration is something that happens only to athletes. The truth is that it happens to everyone, across all lifestyles and of all ages. Athletes just experience dehydration faster, with signs that are more visible.
Whether it is during a long walk to the office or during physical training, our body heats up when it works hard. To try to cool your body down enough to prevent heat stroke and to reduce core temperature, our bodies have to perspire. The perspiration evaporates to assist the body to reduce temperature. The drawback is that during warmer weather or constantly being in heated environments the perspiration is not efficient, and your body continues to sweat to try to reduce heat. As a result, dehydration accelerates.
There are a few tips that can assist you in avoiding dehydration during your exercise and fitness training and daily life. The most important tip is to keep hydrated, and not to wait until you are thirsty.
Drink water often, and at regular intervals. By the time you feel thirsty, you are already short of close to 1.5 litres of body fluids. It can take over a full day to recover from that type of dehydration. If you continue to work, train or exercise without sufficient hydration, your body can suffer from heat stroke. Dehydration affects everyone however; it usually affects unfit, elderly adults and overweight individuals far more quickly.
About 0.5L of water 1-2 hours before your exercise should assist you to stay cool, increase your performance and reduce your risk of heat stroke and dehydration dramatically. Avoid coffee, teas and any drink with alcohol in it, as these will cause you to urinate more often, and increase your fluid loss. Remember that after your exercise, long walk or strenuous activity to drink lots of water. Do this as soon as possible to give your body the help that it needs to recover.
Need access to a constant supply of refreshing drinking water but don’t currently have a water dispenser?
There is an easy solution. Contact AquAid’s experienced and professional in-house agents. We offer a free on-site survey to assess your water dispenser requirements. This obligation-free service helps establish whether you are best served installing bottled or mainsfed water coolers.
by Fern Shaw | Oct 24, 2023 | aquaid, water boiler, water cooler, Water Coolers, water dispenser
There are a number of positives to installing an AquAid Hot & Cold Water Dispenser or Hot Water Boiler. The most common reasons are piping hot water constantly available for whatever hot drink you enjoy – tea, coffee, hot chocolate, hot lemon water – the list goes on.
Often though there seems to be a hot water drink (meal?) that is oft forgot but just as vital to getting you through the working or school day, albeit in a heated hydration method.
Nothing equates to a soup made from scratch, but as we go about our daily business or busy school day, there often is only a minute or two available to dispense piping hot water for a nourishing mug of soup. And instant soups hit the spot perfectly.
Instant soup has been around for decades, with firm favourites remaining popular however, tastes have broadened where we now have soup from further afield gaining popularity. Although there may be plenty people for whom a spoonful of Bovril or Marmite in hot water will suffice, there are other consommés that are just as nourishing and healthy. Think miso soup for example!
Whatever your favourite hot water brew, AquAid has a boiling hot water drink dispenser to meet your requirements.
If you’d like know more about AquAid hot & cold dispenser and water boiler products as well as our life-saving charity partnerships, please * e-mail or ☏ us on 0800 772 3003. It will be our pleasure to assist you.
by Fern Shaw | Oct 4, 2023 | mains fed water cooler, water cooler, water dispenser
Whatever your preference, AquAid supply a wide range of water dispensers and water coolers to our customers.
Installing a water dispenser makes sense as they offer the user the best quality water at convenient temperatures.
AquAid is one of the largest water dispensing companies in the U.K. Established by Paul Searle in 1998, who went door-to-door selling bottled water coolers and bottled water to home customers, our business has
has grown exponentially since these humble beginnings. We now offer a high quality range of water cooler dispensers to all industries, including small, medium and large companies, construction sites through to schools and dentists; doctors; fitness centres and production companies.
Having a water dispenser on site for any organisation means they are able to offer cool, fresh drinking water to whoever visits them, as well as being able to keep all those in their organisation properly hydrated.
Numerous studies have shown that keeping hydrated can increase one’s mental and physical performance by as much as 20% – thus enabling employees to keep properly hydrated throughout the working day and for schools, it means that both the staff and children keep themselves hydrated, all while helping the children better concentrate in class.
The health benefits from proper hydration are manifold. People often mistake thirst for hunger. This can adversely affect health as instead of drinking water, people may overeat as they don’t realise they are, in fact, dehydrated. Dehydration can have a negative effect resulting in poor concentration, headaches, feeling tired and listless and poor health overall.
Having a water cooler dispenser in your office, workplace, site, rooms or school means you’ll be able to offer everyone the opportunity to drink water and keep hydrated.
AquAid supply a wide range of water cooler dispensers available in bottled or mains fed.
The bottled water cooler dispensers are perfect for the smaller businesses or work environments that do not have hundreds of individuals to service.
For larger offices, business centres and schools, the mains fed water coolers are the most practical and cost effective. These units filter and purify the water that comes out of your normal taps, giving you clean and safe water whenever you need it.
Furthermore, having adjustable water temperatures your AquAid water dispenser offers a choice of piping hot water for hot water drinks or chilled drinking water throughout the year.
With all the benefits that water cooler dispensers offer, why not install one today?
Give the fantastic team at AquAid a call and they will gladly assist you with all your water cooler dispenser needs.
To call us at AquAid: 0800 772 3003
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