Tea and Coffee In The Workplace

According to a survey of 1000 people the average British worker loses 24 minutes a day to making tea and coffee. This equates to £400 per year in lost hours, an average of 190 days of “lost productivity” over the course of a lifetime.

Statistically speaking tea and coffee breaks sound like a waste of time and money, however these breaks can actually improve productivity and performance.

Many of us spend all of our working hours staring at our screens and emailing people in the same building. A short tea break provides us with the opportunity to speak to people who are not in our day to day network or circles. A similar survey also suggested that ¾ of employees chat to colleagues while the kettle is bubbling and 69% shared knowledge about work related issues.

Our mental concentration similar to our muscles can become fatigued after sustained use and needs a rest period before it can recover. Taking a tea break between tasks can reduce stress levels, increasing concentration and motivation when people resume work.

Let’s not also forget the health benefits associated with drinking tea and coffee. Coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of depression as well as a host of other physical benefits such as a lowered risk of diabetes, stroke, heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Tea contains an amino acid called theanine which can actively reduce blood pressure and have an overall relaxing effect on the consumer.

Therefore, rather than seeing a tea break as a drop in productivity, we should see it as an important and integral part of working life. Stress and fatigue can hinder your productivity and if you do not take regular breaks then your work will suffer. A tea break is a great way to get up from your desk and give your brain a rest.