September 29, 2011 is National Coffee Day. Ahead of the highly-anticipated day, CareerBuilder and Dunkin’ Donuts have released their second annual list of professions that “rely” on coffee the most to get through the work day.
Considering the negative affect caffeine has on our bodies, the findings are pretty alarming. In fact, I’m kind of frightened that the educators teaching our children, the physicians scanning us for cancer, and the politicos trying to fix our economy, are all addicts.
But wait, the word caffeine is conveniently absent from the press release. I’m sure these folks are all drinking decaf. Not!
Am I calling for a ban on caffeine in the workplace? Of course not. While I admit I am a tea snob, and someone who is hyper-sensitive to caffeine, I am also a huge proponent of all things in moderation. I don’t like the fact that people feel they need to “rely” on anything other than oxygen to get through the work day.
And if you think the ill effects of caffeine create more productive workers, think again. Caffeine consumption can lead to…
– Sleep for a shorter period of time.
– Crave fat and carbohydrates
– Be irritable when your dependency is interrupted
– Suffer from headaches
– Increased level of stress
– Restlessness will keep you from focusing
A survey of 4,700 workers nationwide yielded the following key findings:
– Nearly one half of all workers claim they are less productive without coffee
– Sixty-one percent (61%) of workers who drink coffee actually drink two cups or more each workday. Twenty-eight percent drink three cups or more.
– Geographically, workers in the Northeast stated they are the most dependent on coffee, with 49 percent of people claiming they are less productive without coffee, compared to the West at 47 percent, and Midwest and South at 45 percent.
– Thirty-six percent (36%) of American workers aged 18 to 24 claimed that coffee has helped their career by providing an opportunity to network with other co-workers.
We know that caffeine tends to disrupt our sleep, and according to new Harvard Medical School research, lack of sleep costs U.S. companies $63 billion a year in lost productivity.
I realize that someone who relies on their morning cup of java is now going to rip me a new one. I understand I’m in the minority here. Dunkin’ Donuts has 4,585,275 more Facebook likes than I do! But I’m just glad you’re leaving a comment and not putting your coffee breath directly in my face.
P.S. – Just to show you that I’m not that much of a caffeine Nazi, here are a list of places where you can snag a free cup of coffee this National Coffee Day. If you know any others, add them in the comments section below.
Free coffee spots:
7-11
Thorton’s
Klatch Coffee
Krispy Kreme
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