THE WATERCOOLER

Then: When Luther Haws created a portable waterdispensing machine in 1938, the office watercooler—a spot where employees gathered to gossip and brainstorm—was born. It wasn’t long before “watercooler talk” entered the vernacular, and studies revealed that informal gatherings around watercoolers or coffee increased worker productivity by 10–15 percent. Now: Apps like WaterCooler connect co-workers virtually for informal conversations.