What if productivity is not just about tools, meetings and KPIs, but what's in your glass?

During our first Health @ Work webinar "Science of Nutrition & Productivity," we sat down with Karin Van Roy, CHRO at Arvesta to discuss something everyone senses but rarely looks at strategically: the link between nutrition, energy and performance in the workplace.

🌱 Health as a corporate culture, not a bonus

Karin puts it sharply, "You can have two people selling an iPhone, but the difference is in the people. In energy, conviction, connection."

At Arvesta, therefore, health is not an isolated action but a fundamental part of their vision for sustainable growth, both ecological and human.

From hydration to exercise, sleep to mental well-being: everything has a place. Not in a stand-alone program, but in an ongoing culture of care and awareness.

💧 Hydration as leverage

Hydration may sound trite, but according to Karin, it is not at all. Arvesta chose Dripl because it fits perfectly with their vision:

1. Easily accessible

2. Delicious without artificial additives

3. Fully reusable

"With Dripl, we make drinking water something people like to do. Without having to force it," Karin said.

🍏 Facilitate healthy choices, not mandate them.

We often talk about wellness as a nice-to-have. Karin thinks differently:

"Healthy choices are not more expensive than unhealthy ones. If you replace soda with something better, you don't spend more, but you choose smarter."

You can see this in their vending strategy: no more soft drinks in the vending machine, but flavored water, healthy snacks, short-chain products. Not as a ban, but as an invitation.

And with success: their engagement scores went from 69% to +90% in 3 years.

🔋 Energy is contagious

One of Karin's most powerful insights? That energy in the workplace spreads. A manager who comes in with gusto pulls the whole team along, and vice versa.

That's why Arvesta launched the Energy Academy: an internal course on sleep, exercise, nutrition and self-insight. For all employees, from worker to manager.

"People become aware of their own impact. And that translates into behavior, mood and even retention."

🎯 No extra budget? Look into 'good money'

Karin's vision of ROI is crystal clear:

Bad money = budget disappearing in processes with no return

Good money = resources you invest in people, returning in the form of engagement, culture and results

"We cut dozens of external partners. That saved us money, which we reinvested in welfare initiatives. And yes, that paid off."

With that regained budget, Arvesta invested in Dripl, among other things - no extra cost, but more health and sustainability in one move.

🛠 What can you do as an organization?

You don't have to have a big budget or wellness program because Karin once started out on her own too and this is how she approached it:

🔍 Look at what is already there: what is alive?

🎯 Start small: one action, one moment that touches people

🧃 Choose something tangible: a water moment, a healthy snack, an inspiration session

♻️ Make the healthy choice the easy choice

"Perfection is not a prerequisite. Consistency and persistence is what counts."

🚀 What do we take with us?

The link between nutrition, energy and productivity is not a nice-to-have, but a strategic advantage for companies that want to get ahead. And it starts not with plans, but with choices: what do you offer, what do you show, and how do you tell the story?

Or as Karin sums it up, "You don't need a gold seat at the boardroom table. But you do need to sit down.".

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