Forget Friday night after-work drinks; organisations should focus on keeping the workforce hydrated with plain old water to increase productivity, support well-being and save money, according to Hydrate the Nation.

Everyone knows people can’t survive without water, and residents of the UK are lucky enough to have safe drinking water. Yet dehydration is a major problem, with around 20% of the population being dehydrated and a high financial cost to organisations in the UK.

Hydrate the Nation is a campaign to help people form new habits around drinking water and is encouraging businesses and organisations to take part in the 30-day water challenge in a month which suits them, to encourage its workforce to create new habits to ensure they drink enough water, which can boost productivity, enhance memory and keep illnesses at bay.

The symptoms of dehydration include feeling lethargic, headaches, dizziness, a dry mouth, dark-coloured urine and dry skin. If the workforce drank the relevant amount of water, it could boost metabolism and reduce these symptoms, ensuring everyone is working at their most productive and helping the NHS under intense strain.

Findings from challengers who participated in the 30-day hydration challenge have noticed a massive improvement in these symptoms.

Hundreds of NHS staff have taken part in the challenge throughout May and June, reported extreme health benefits, and reported some alarming feedback.

Darren Rogers, colleague services manager at BeFit, Bentley Motors, quotes: “Hydrate the Nation has helped us to highlight to our colleagues the importance of hydration daily. Having a focused and dedicated hydration challenge delivered to our business has helped us educate and encourage colleagues to drink more and see and feel the benefits of good hydration levels regularly.

“We plan to continue highlighting this key health intervention as it’s a change anyone can make with the right guidance and education.”

Maria Davis, founder of Hydrate the Nation and Student Naturopath Nutritionist, commented: “Drinking lots of water every day is a necessity, and so many of us don’t drink enough.

“Water is nature’s number one medicine and has a pivotal function in our bodies. Water regulates temperature, aids food digestion, transports nutrients around our bodies and removes waste products. We should drink about two litres of water daily and aim to highlight the importance of true cellular hydration. Our cells want to be 75% water and our brain 80–85% for optimum function.

“We have launched Hydrate The Nation to bring wellness into the world, inspire, educate and encourage Great Britain’s people, and create a movement for greater wellness. We encourage individuals and businesses to take on the challenge to help employees create new hydration habits to improve staff well-being. This will make a massive difference to individuals and the economy. Our NHS is under a huge strain, and the act of simply hydrating contributes to the prevention of illness and chronic disease

“Mental health awareness is a huge subject with increasing workplaces supporting staff well-being. In many cases, hydration is the answer for individuals reporting stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue and menopause symptoms. Productivity in the workplace can also be affected by dehydration.”

Sally Gunnell, OBE and Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth medallist, backed the campaign and commented: “I am a proud supporter of Hydrate the Nation. In a time when our health has never been so important, there is no simpler way to take care of your physical and mental wellness than hydrating! This campaign is not only for individuals but for our world!”

If businesses and organisations want to get involved, send an email. Once signed up, each member of staff will receive a double-sided 30-day Hydrate the Nation Challenge Card to help you form new habits drinking water and keep on track with your progress, access to support videos, and you will also receive motivational messages from one of our supporters which includes Olympian Champion, Sally Gunnell OBE and BBC Mark Radcliffe. Our nutritionists will bring you a wealth of information about hydration.

Hydrate the Nation is an official supporter of WaterAid, and proceeds from people signing up for the Hydrate the Nation challenge will be going to the charity to help the 771 million people worldwide who don’t have access to clean water close to their homes.