Workplace Wellness

Although the wellness industry has been growing rapidly for many years, it has only recently started to transform the corporate world. Corporations are still trying to figure out the best way to embrace this trend and some industries seem to be better at it than others.

Several trends are emerging from revamped offices to active client meetings and corporate wellness retreats. A number of corporations are choosing to bring wellness in-house and it’s creating a huge appeal, especially with millennials who tend to place a high value on these additional workplace perks. There are several fitness instructors who are willing to come to offices to teach yoga or workout classes during the day. Alternatively, just allowing employees to go to the gym or a class at lunch also goes a long way towards promoting physical and mental health and creating a better culture.

There’s no better way to create team bonding or client relationships than through group exercise. There’s something about sharing a particularly difficult sweat session which really brings people together.

Last year Bloomberg published an article titled Working Out is Wall Street’s New Steak Dinner. This highlighted the growing “sweatwork” trend. More and more business meetings are moving from restaurants and bars to fitness studios and gyms such as Barry’s Bootcamp and SoulCycle. Bankers are slowly starting to embrace the healthier lifestyle and combine fitness and client entertaining.

The business travel industry is also being transformed. I travel quite a bit for work and I have noticed that hotel gyms are no longer just a couple of treadmills and dumbbells. Hotels have started to introduce full gyms and studios which offer a variety of classes. Equinox even opened its first hotel in New York earlier this year which caters to business travelers wishing to have access to the luxury gym experience on the road.

The wellness industry continues to grow at a rapid pace and corporates need to embrace this trend if they want to attract and retain quality talent. Not only will this help from an HR perspective but it will also help with preventing burnout and increasing productivity.

Employers will have to create a culture where it is acceptable and encouraged for employees to prioritize their well-being. This can include anything from allowing employees to go to the gym during the day, offering in-house yoga or meditation classes or organizing group wellness events to (of course) wellness retreats!

Lisa Gordon
Co-Founder, Movement Travel