Now more than ever, it’s something to seriously consider.
What is Corporate Wellness?
Corporate or Workplace Wellness is about bringing optimal health and well-being into the workplace. Today health is something many employees have to do on their own time. Most often, it is not involved in or associated with the workplace. But what if that were to drastically change? What if employees were given the opportunity to build their health through their workplace. It excites me to imagine this being the world we live in! Why? Well in short, poor health results in substantially higher levels of lost productive work. In fact in 2019, it was shown that for every $1 spent on types of wellness programs, $3.27 was saved due to reduced healthcare costs. There is a large body of evidence supporting the benefits of workplace wellness programs, and besides, we all deserve a bit more relaxation & enjoyment in our (work) lives, don’t we?
Types of Wellness Programs
Types of wellness programs include movement classes such as yoga or tai chi, mindfulness or meditation sessions, educational workshops on nutrition, stress management or exercise and even on-site massages. The goal should be to create a work environment that encourages and incentivises employee well-being. It has been shown that on-site corporate wellness programs boost productivity, reduce stress and improve communication. Just think of a time that you and your team have done anything remotely relaxing or enjoyable together, it of course feels great to have those experiences! Regularly bringing health and wellness into your workplace could provide a host of benefits for both employers and employees.
Why Workplace Wellness?
In 2019 the World Health Organization recognised “burn-out” as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. How can you evaluate and understand “burn-out”? Many of us have been there, and it’d be great to learn how to recognise and successfully address the feelings of “burn-out”. Learning how to manage stress, self regulate, and utilise techniques to transition emotional states is critically important in and out of the workplace. A focus on workplace wellness helps to support a healthy mental state and overall well-being and encourages employees to feel and perform at their best at work. A holistic outlook to managing wellness will not only improve engagement, it will drive productivity and create a positive environment for all team members.
Breath Education Workshops
A simple way for teams to connect, grow, and learn an efficient stress management tool is by breathing together. We are all breathing, some fast, some slow, some deep and some shallow. Each variation produces a different response. A breath education workshop shares the basic underpinning of how breathing affects our internal state and is an underutilized resource on the path to wellness. When a group breathes together with intention, they come to the same page, assisting with decision making, problem solving, and planning.
Furthermore, it’s lovely to connect together on a deeper level, even if just for 30-minutes in between all of the other busy calls. Lately, with the current state of the world, it seems teams need more connection points, even if just on Zoom or Hangouts. Bringing mindful breathing into team practices as a sort of “breath break” could be just what you and your team need.
Some benefits of connecting to your breath, with your team include:
Stress Management
Access Group Flow
Improve Concentration and Productivity
Mindfulness
Improve Mental Health
Unique Team Building Experience
If you really think about it, health and wellness in the workplace should be accessible by all. Simple steps can be implemented to ensure employees are supported on their health journey. If you’re interested in breathing with me, or even just some corporate wellness program ideas or team building workshop activities don’t hesitate to contact me. I am passionate about facilitating novel and lasting team building experiences that help manage stress and improve health in the workplace.
Happy Breathing, Happy Living!