The power of caffeine for better communication in the workplace

Ah, tea! Or perhaps Ah, coffee! Where would we be without it? No morning routine is complete without a solid mug of caffeine to blast us into the day. Tea and coffee could help in more ways than helping us feel more alert, too. Did you know that the caffeine in tea and coffee may even lead to improved communication?

Now, it’s important to stress that when we talk about the benefits of caffeine, we’re strictly talking about tea and coffee. Monster and RedBull, we are not promoting! This is all about caffeinated drinks that you can easily serve with a chocolate biscuit on your cherished morning break!

So grab yourself a HobNob and your favourite caffeinated hot beverage, and settle in for a quick rundown on the perks of tea and coffee for better communication…

Getting into the tea and coffee of it all…

For a seriously comprehensive breakdown on the effects of caffeine, check out the Tea Advisory Panel. We immediately noticed the section entitled ‘Cognitive function and performance’, where they go on to write: caffeine ‘boosted subjective feelings of energy and good mood’.

Additionally, feel free to check out this study that suggested a cup of coffee can help communication go more smoothly.

Caffeine for the laypeople

Okay, so we’re grouchy when we haven’t had enough sleep. That’s most of us and is normal. The problems start when we snap at people or mis-speak and upset our colleagues or under-report because we can’t think clearly. That’s where that good ol’ caffeine comes in.

It’s important to note that caffeine doesn’t make you less tired – it makes you more alert. But we rely on tea and coffee to keep us going – they’re warm, comforting, and very convenient (you can find them anywhere!). We think that that nice combination, plus the illusion of that small energy boost, is what gives us that little improvement in communication skills. We might be more patient, relaxed, and in an overall better mood thanks to our tea and coffee.

Having said that, it’s important not to overdo it – caffeine, like any other substance, needs to be used in a controlled amount, and there is an optimal zone in which the benefits of caffeine begin and then taper off. You’ve likely had too much caffeine if you get headaches, shakes, or mood drops when you try to cut down. Additionally, if you feel ‘tired but wired’, and are struggling to sleep, that could be a sign that you need to switch out a few of your cuppas for decaf!

Caffeine has a half-life of about six hours so it’s important to start swapping it out for non-caffeinated drinks as the day goes on. Caffeine in the system can be very disruptive to sleep, and at Shooksvensen we firmly believe in the cumulative benefits of good sleep in support of great overall brain function and communication skills.

It’s all a big cup of coffee

So there you go – now you don’t have to defend your tea and/or coffee habit (unless you’re drinking the two at the same time – we’re not sure about that!)

Tea and coffee, in moderate amounts, contain just the right amount of caffeine to have a lively, productive chat – not too little to let us fall asleep on the keyboard, and not too much to send us bouncing off the ceiling. Neither of those sound great for communication, anyway.

At Shooksvensen, we’re all about bettering communication for a happier, healthier workplace. If you’d like to find out more about our programmes that radically overhaul your team’s communication styles, click here to make an enquiry.

How do I understand and interact better with neurodivergent people?Stop treating people the way you want to be treated (i.e., break the “Golden Rule”!)