One of the most important things event planners can do is ensure employees stay well-hydrated when attending corporate events.
Dehydration prevents employees from performing at their optimal levels and risks attendees’ physical health. Providing hydration during large events is a must for all planners.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re planning a big event or in charge of corporate wellness at your next event.
Why Is Hydration So Important?
Hydration is always important, but it’s especially important when attending an event. People tend to get distracted at events and forget their usual routines.
Even if they are regular water drinkers, they might fall behind on water intake when distracted all day at an event.
Add to that that people might be outside in the sun and more active than they would be during a usual day, and you have a dehydration recipe for disaster.
Risks of dehydration include:
- Impaired cognitive function
- Dry skin and lips
- Decreased physical performance
- Heat-related illnesses
- Electrolyte imbalances
- Kidney issues
- Increased risk of urinary tract infections
- Digestive problems
- Headaches and migraines
- Dizziness and fainting
What Are the Challenges of Keeping Employees Hydrated at Events?
It might seem simple enough to keep people hydrated during special events. However, if you’ve ever planned an event or dealt with corporate wellness issues, you know it’s never easy.
Challenges of keeping event attendees hydrated include:
- Limited access to clean water
- Large group of attendees
- Ensuring access to water is convenient and accessible
- Addressing diverse preferences (not everyone likes the taste of water)
- Managing costs associated with providing hydration
- Maintaining hygiene and safety standards with shared hydration stations
- Monitoring individual hydration needs (different people need different amounts of water each day)
- Adapting hydration strategies to varying weather conditions
- Educating attendees about the importance of staying hydrated
The good news is there are ways to combat these challenges and keep everyone healthy, happy, and hydrated at your next event.
Strategizing Hydration
Planning is the best way to avoid dehydration issues at corporate events. Companies should create a plan for keeping people hydrated and think of ways to implement that plan. Remember, even the best-laid plans can fall short if people don’t work the plan.
A few questions to ask yourself about hydration at your next event when planning include:
- How many people are attending your event?
- What are your hydration needs? How much water is needed for the entire event and day-by-day?
- How will you provide access to drinking water?
- Is the water clean drinking water?
- Will you provide water for free? (Water provided free of charge is ideal for people attending work events.)
- Will water be provided in single-use bottles or refillable bottles with access to filling stations?
- How will you balance hydration with logistical constraints?
- How many “distribution points” will there be for attendees? Will there be one or more water stations?
- Is any staff needed to monitor the water stations?
- How will you encourage water consumption?
Solutions for Drinking Water at Large Events
One of the best options you have for providing water to employees attending corporate events is hydration stations.
A hydration station typically includes dispensers or stations that offer water. Some stations provide not only water but also electrolyte drinks or infused water.
Hydration stations serve as central hubs designed for convenience where attendees can easily access refreshing drinks to stay hydrated throughout the event.
Ideas for Getting People to Increase Their Water Intake
Hydration stations are ideal for providing access to drinking water at events, but how do you ensure people actually drink the water?
You have several options.
Event attendees are focused on more than their water intake during corporate events. Even in the most laid-back environments, people are still working and not necessarily focused on staying hydrated. This means that in addition to providing drinking water, you need to make sure people drink the water and stay hydrated during the event.
Some of the best ways to encourage water drinking during corporate events include:
- Providing free refillable water bottles to event attendees
- Including encouragement to drink water in marketing materials and other handouts
- Hosting a contest for people who drink a certain amount of water during the day (It’s best to set a healthy goal and reward everyone who meets that goal instead of offering a prize to someone drinking the most water. This avoids overall health risks from overdrinking.)
- Offer tracking tools so people know how much they are drinking throughout the day (some people don’t realize they aren’t drinking enough)
- Schedule water breaks throughout the event
Providing Hydration Solutions for Employees
Staying hydrated and keeping employees hydrated during corporate events is an integral part of event planning and event success. Far too many things can go wrong if event attendees get dehydrated during an event.
There are plenty of simple ways to avoid dehydration and it’s a negative impact. One of the easiest and most convenient ways to do this is by providing hydration stations at corporate events.
To learn more about hydration stations or to find out how we can help you keep employees hydrated at your next event, give us a call.