That First Cup of Coffee Critical for American Workers

The U.S. workforce loves its coffee. In fact, 37% of American workers say they can’t even get dressed for work without their first cup. Nearly half of American workers consume at least three cups of coffee a day, according to a survey by Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of the office supplies vendor.

Before their first coffee, 44% of American workers say they can’t have a conversation or commute to work, followed by checking email (40%) or eating a meal (38%). No wonder so many companies provide coffee in a breakroom: it’s an easy and relatively inexpensive way to ensure happiness and productivity. According to Chris Correnti, vice president and general manager, Staples Facility Solutions, Staples’ Workplace Index found that Millennials value office perks and break time.

For a significant portion of the workforce, one cup a day is not enough. In fact, more than half need at least two cups of coffee to feel productive and alert. In today’s always-on work culture, coffee has become even more essential.

As essential as social media, apparently. Americans in 2015 are obsessed with all things social, scanning their channels and posting updates multiple times a day. Even so, three out of four U.S. employees said they would give up social media instead of coffee.

During an online gathering to discuss the importance of coffee, along with self-described Post-It addicts and Keurig lovers, people told Staples on Twitter they’d be “grabbing a cup of joe and settling in for a productivity chat” or planning to “drink some French Roast coffee so I’ll be caffeinated and ready!” Finally, one commenter admitted, “Yeah I definitely think giving up social media would be easier than giving up coffee.”