Many research articles have focused on the behavioral impacts of caffeine on productivity. The rate of caffeine consumption worldwide has increased, resulting from population growth (Qaudra, 2020). Some people in organizations are more frequent consumers of caffeine than others. The consumption of caffeine has several benefits of productivity. However, the amount of caffeine consumed determines the impact on output. Moderate caffeine consumption enhances productivity, while excessive consumption of caffeine is likely to lower productivity. Consumption of a high dosage of caffeine tends to increase productivity by raising the energy level and boosting an employee's moods. Productivity can be optimized after caffeine consumption by limiting the amount of caffeine consumed.
Consumption of caffeine has various cognitive effects (Irwin et al., 2020). There are various ways in which coffee impacts an individual's productivity. Consumption of coffee increases alertness and mental performance. According to Rodda et al. (2020), caffeine acts by blocking adenosine receptors, one of the components that create drowsiness. When consumed in low doses, caffeine reduces tiredness which enhances productivity. Caffeine affects the quality of sleep. Excessive consumption of caffeine makes it harder for individuals to sleep at night. This results in an unhealthy sleeping cycle, which disrupts an individual's productivity.
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Method
The research methodology used to source information from primary and secondary sources of secondary was a systematic literature review. The study picked articles giving primary data on the impact of caffeine consumption on productivity from PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Search terms caffeine consumption, productivity, response time, reaction time, and alertness. The inclusion criteria are published peer-reviewed articles published in the last five years with relevant content to the study’s subject matter. The exclusion criteria was papers published with relevant content to the subject matter, but lacking statistical data to substantiate findings.
Results
Coffee & Health (2017) conducted a survey to establish the reasons employees consume caffeine at the workplace. Below is a ranking of their responses.
To understand the impact of caffeine consumption on productivity, Clingan (2020) conducted a correlational study, where they correlated caffeine consumption at the workplace with employee age and gender. Chi-square test revealed that age and gender did not impact caffeine consumption. Furthermore, logistic regression results indicated that productivity after consuming caffeine increased (β = 0.884, SE = 0.42, OR = 2.42, p <0.05). Additionally, employees (N=424) who consumed caffeine to start their day were 9.23 times more likely to be productive (β = 2.22, SE = 0.34, OR = 9.23, p <0.01). The tables below summarize the participant’s demographic profile and statistical findings.
The results by Clingan (2020) are corroborated by a literature review and meta-analysis conducted by Irwin et al. (2020) to establish the impact of caffeine consumption on workplace productivity. By using 327 effect estimates (EEs), Irwin et al. (2020) demonstrated that caffeine consumption improved response time (44 EEs; g = 0.86; 95 % CI: 0.53–0.83) and accuracy (27 EEs; g = 0.68; 95 % CI: 0.48–0.88), executive function (38 EEs; g = 0.35; 95 % CI: 0.15–0.55), reaction time (12 EEs; g = 1.11; 95 % CI: 0.75–1.47), and response time (20 EEs; g = 1.95; 95 % CI: 1.39–2.52).
Discussion
From the results of the systematic literature review, caffeine consumption was established to have significant impact on employee productivity. While productivity is a general term, two metrics used to quantify it are alertness and mental performance. In the workplace, employees must be skillful and creative in solving various work-related issues. This requires enhanced mental performance and a high level of alertness. For instance, Calingan (2020) demonstrated that people who consumed caffeine to start their day were 9.23 times more likely to be productive (β = 2.22, SE = 0.34, OR = 9.23, p <0.01). Caffeine consumption was discovered to be especially essential to employees who worked long hours or had to concentrate on their tasks for extended periods of time. Irwin et al. (2020) proved the value of caffeine by improving the individual’s response time (44 EEs; g = 0.86; 95 % CI: 0.53–0.83), accuracy (27 EEs; g = 0.68; 95 % CI: 0.48–0.88), and executive function (38 EEs; g = 0.35; 95 % CI: 0.15–0.55). These are all positive qualities of a highly productive employee.
Note, however, that there is a law of diminishing returns with caffeine consumption. When taken in in small to moderate doses, caffeine boosts productivity. However, caffeine consumption has two major disadvantages that impact employee productivity. First, when consumed for extended periods of time, caffeine creates a dependence. As a result, the employee’s productivity will drop when they do not take their regular doses. Secondly, when taken in large doses, caffeine disrupts sleep patterns (Doty & Collen, 2020). As much as caffeine is an effective productivity boost, sleep is an essential physiological need that enables the body to sustain high productivity in the long-term. Therefore, there is an imperative to moderate caffeine consumption to the range through which it boosts productivity.
Conclusion
Statistical results from published literature supported the position that consuming caffeine boosted productivity significantly. Even then, increasing productivity is not the only reason why employees consume caffeine. For instance, some employees consume caffeine because they like the taste of coffee. On the one hand, caffeine could increase or deter employee or individual productivity depending on the amount of caffeine taken and the time of the day when it is taken. Individuals who overuse caffeine by consuming high caffeine content in a day are likely to suffer from reduced productivity in the workplace. However, employees and individuals who take moderate caffeine content are likely to demonstrate increased productivity in the workplace. Therefore, there is an imperative to moderate caffeine consumption to the range through which it boosts productivity.
References
Clingan, P. D. (2020). Caffeine Impacts the Critical Thinking Skills in Employees A Practice and Limited Quantitative Descriptive Comparative Research Study. Journal of Medical Biomedical and Applied Sciences , 8 (5), 409-428.
Coffe & Health. (2017). The good things in life: coffee in the workplace . Coffee & Health. Retrieved from https://www.coffeeandhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Coffee-in-the-Workplace-report-FINAL-250917.pdf
Doty, T. J., & Collen, J. F. (2020). Buzzed before bedtime: hidden harms of late-day caffeine consumption. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine , 16 (S1), 23-24.
Irwin, C., Khalesi, S., Desbrow, B., & McCartney, D. (2020). Effects of acute caffeine consumption following sleep loss on cognitive, physical, occupational and driving performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews , 108 , 877-888.
Quadra, G. R., Paranaíba, J. R., Vilas-Boas, J., Roland, F., Amado, A. M., Barros, N., ... & Cardoso, S. J. (2020). A global trend of caffeine consumption over time and related environmental impacts. Environmental Pollution , 256 , 113343.
Rodda, S., Booth, N., McKean, J., Chung, A., Park, J. J., & Ware, P. (2020). Mechanisms for the reduction of caffeine consumption: What, how and why. Drug and Alcohol Dependence , 212 , 108024.
