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"A hydrated workforce is a healthy, alert and productive workforce and the workplace should be used more to promote this essential health message.

Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day contributes to worker’s health and safety, by reducing the risk of cancer and chronic diseases including colon cancer and coronary heart disease as well as reducing tiredness, irritability, and increasing concentration. Overall it contributes to a more settled and productive environment. Considering the 168 million working days lost in 2004 to sickness absence at a cost of £12bn a year to UK employers the promotion of good hydration is mutually beneficial to employers and employees. At a time when the nation’s health is at risk from unhealthy lifestyle choices shaped by our environment employers through the workplace can promote a simple health solution to reduce the barriers to good hydration and promote awareness of good hydration.

Employers are obligated to provide staff with an adequate supply of wholesome drinking water but the Royal Society of Health (RSH) would encourage employers to take this one step further to actively promote good hydration in the workforce.

The RSH is a multi-disciplinary membership organisation that works to promote the public’s health. Throughout every aspect of our work we actively promote health and sustainable development as well as the health impact of climate change. As such we encourage water either directly from mains-fed taps or from mains-fed units that supply chilled and unchilled drinking water that is of the highest standard in Europe and is without the environmental damage of bottled water.

Health and well-being is a full time job. Making up 65% of the human body water is an essential nutrient for the human body and critical to human life. As an estimated 60% of our waking hours is spent in the workplace this is a key setting to promote good hydration as part of a healthy workforce. We look forward to working with UNISON on the water@work campaign".

Professor Richard Parish - Chief Executive, The Royal Society of Health

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