For about as long as anyone can remember, people have gathered at the water coolers in their workplaces to talk about the latest interesting things. We'll talk a bit about how this tradition has evolved over the course of the last several years. Water Coolers are where the “Real Meeting” Happens Many would argue that real work is born out of true collaboration. Arguably, it's a lot easier to collaborate with someone—whether it's on something like a brand new ad campaign, or a new account pitch—when you have a good understanding of that individual's personality. The tradition of water cooler chat is a great way for individuals working in an office together to understand more about one and another. It also helps establish personal connections at work, so employees can begin batting around ideas in a creative fashion. Business individuals that take the time to meet around their water coolers get to know each other better.

office water cooler

Water Cooler Chat Boosts Morale Employees that have the chance to hang out for water cooler chat are always going to be more relaxed, and a bit happier as they go about doing their job five days a week. Over the course of the last several years, it's arguable that water cooler chat has changed in a serious way. The argument might even be made that the Internet has replaced the water coolers in most offices, at least when it comes to interpersonal connection and constant communication. No matter how much someone loves Facebook, though, there's no way to replace the benefits that come from plain, old-fashioned human interaction. Chatting around the water cooler, it seems, will be around forever. The Internet and Water Cooler Chat Now that we have the Internet, it's a lot easier to see the ways in which chatting around the water coolers at offices around the world have changed. Back in the day, chatting around the water cooler was a great way for people to share their personal experiences, and discuss other things like cultural events. Nowadays, it's arguable that there are some fundamental differences when it comes to the things we might talk about, but the practice of chatting around the water cooler has remained. The World is a Somewhat Smaller Place Now, water cooler talk can involve a much wider variety of topics. Thanks to the Internet (especially its social media channels like Facebook), personal comings and goings are shared on a constant basis. Now, chatting around the water cooler is a way for workers to talk about the latest episode of Breaking Bad, or about the most recent events in Egypt or Syria. Information flows freely over the Internet, and the world has become a much smaller place. The only effect this has had on the tradition of chatting around the water cooler, however, is to give it a wider range of subject matter. The world continues to grow and change, and the workplace definitely evolves along with it. The way people share and connect with one another, at least in person, will likely remain largely the same for a long time to come.