Every HR professional knows that a well-hydrated workforce is more alert, more productive, and experiences fewer health issues. While employers are legally required under the 1992 Workplace Health and Safety Regulations to provide safe drinking water – dehydration remains a persistent problem in UK workplaces.

The problem lies not in accessibility but in palatability. According to Kantar research, only 43% of consumers cite “enjoy the taste” as a driver of plain water consumption. 

This seemingly simple insight reveals a profound disconnect in our approach to workplace wellbeing initiatives: we’ve been solving for access when we should have been solving for desire.

Follow the path of least resistance

When we examine workplace hydration through the lens of behavioural science, the problem becomes clearer. Behavioural economists like Richard Thaler have long emphasised that human behaviour follows the path of least resistance – both physically and psychologically. 

If drinking water feels like a chore rather than a pleasure, even the most health-conscious employees will unconsciously limit their intake.

The real life data supports the theory

Across installations of Aqua Libra Flavour Tap systems in office environments within the UK, flavoured options now account for approximately 45% of all beverages dispensed. This insight isn’t merely a preference, it’s a revelation about human behaviour that should reshape how we approach workplace wellbeing.

The concept of “Norman Doors” – named after design theorist Don Norman – offers a valuable perspective here. A Norman Door is one whose design gives users the wrong intuitive cues about how to use it, creating unnecessary friction in everyday interactions. 

Time to rethink the watercooler?

The traditional office water cooler, isolated in a kitchen area and offering only plain water, is essentially the Norman Door of workplace hydration.

When employees need to interrupt their work, walk to a distant kitchen, and consume a beverage they find unpalatable, we’ve created multiple barriers – both physical and psychological. This design approach fundamentally misunderstands human motivation.

Expanding hydration choice

By offering sugar-free, naturally flavoured options – such as watermelon, mango, raspberry & peach, and cucumber mint & lime – employers can transform hydration from an obligation into a pleasure.

These appealing flavours provide employees with the all-important dopamine hit that encourages repeat behaviour. The brain’s reward system is activated by the sensory pleasure of these flavour options, creating a positive feedback loop that makes healthy hydration something to look forward to. Unlike sugary drinks that provide a short-term dopamine release followed by a crash, sugar free options deliver that feel-good factor while fueling a genuinely healthy habit.

The Flavour Tap data shows that offices implementing its flavoured water options, as well as multiple “Nano” hydration stations strategically placed throughout the workplace – beyond conventional kitchen areas – see more consistent hydration patterns throughout the workday. 

It’s all about the 1%s

By removing both the geographical and taste barriers, employers create what behavioural scientists call a ‘path of least resistance’ to healthy behaviour. This approach aligns perfectly with the framework James Clear introduced in his bestselling book, Atomic Habits, where small environmental changes lead to significant behavioural shifts through the Cue, Craving, Response, Reward model.

Just as this model demonstrates how repositioning water bottles in a canteen increases employee hydration, Aqua Libra Nano stations strategically placed throughout the workplace make healthy hydration not just easier, but more appealing.

As workplace wellbeing initiatives become increasingly sophisticated, perhaps it’s time we all ask: are we creating Norman Doors to health, or are we paving the path of least resistance?