The workplace is forever transformed: we are no longer pressured to sit at a desk every day. Rather, the office is becoming an exciting, action-packed facility to visit, demonstrating the seamless integration between work and home. As a destination of choice, the workspace is offering compelling reasons to feel a sense of excitement about going into work.
Employees commuted to a good job with decent benefits in a fun environment with a level of socialization. And while strong connectivity remains at the heart of the human experience, COVID-19 has only re-enforced the desire to be with others. Today’s environment is worthy of a solid work / life balance, offeringprograms that boast performance, support mental health, and shape the workspace into a destination worthypromoting productivity and wellbeing.
The work-from-anywhere model requires that corporate offices and physical footprints be financially scrutinized. C-suite, HR, space planners and facility teams are creating program strategies to manage safe socialization.
Smart companies have enhanced corporate wellness programs that stimulate the mind and calm the psyche. Just as computers require an occasional reboot, humans also thrive from a turn off and turn back on. Guided positivity sessions are a great way to both minimize stress and fortify emotional immunity. Mindfulness exercises decrease sickness, anxiety, inflammation and depression, while promoting better sleep and improved quality of life.
Smart business will expand the basic concept of workplace inclusion, encouraging teams to support office positivity. Consider the following:
- Offer health and wellness portals for accountability: schedule telehealth appointments and group sessions
- Implement fitness challenges that foster a sense of community and reward results
- Swap recipes, host tasting contests; offer healthier food choices, deliver quality food to virtual teams
- Schedule information filled webinars, newsletters and remote instruction on a variety of topics
A destination workplace attracts, retains and motivates. Careful planning, mindful thinking and user-centric designs provide quality space for employees to engage in mindful conversations. Employers are offering more on-site events that introduce a blend of food and retail venues to create a dining community; on-site training kitchens will allow staff to self-prepare foods; spa services will enhance existing on-site facilities; rooftop terraces with outdoor gardens will be open to all.
Some locations are more experiential in their offerings: rock climbing walls, meditation rooms, full-service salons, personal errand staff and robust childcare. Health coaching, nutritional support and management tools for chronic conditions will contribute to improved health initiatives.
Employers will encourage on-site activity participation that whollyinclude virtual teams: fitness classes pit on-site exercisers with living room fitness fans as a way of encouraging team building.
Current experiences have pivoted our focus to corporate wellness initiatives that meet mental and physical health needs: consequently, employers will need to modify their corporate offerings.
Employers should change space for the greater good, hosting family or community gatherings for education, collaboration, and socialization purposes. Headquarters will be places to work, whether intensively and intermittently. Available amenities and services will create a destination, blurring the lines between work and home.
Health challenges also reveal gaps in programming; although a select group of businesses have:
- Implemented fitness classes, incentivized fitness challenges, offered free access to fitness videos
- Hosted virtual happy hours, game nights, on-demand webinars, concerts
- Offered group support sessions, positivity forums, coached meditation, face to face wellness time
- Provided financial support; gratis days off, unlimited PTO for mental health
Healthy initiatives motivate teams with challenging goals. Introducing corporate wellness programs requires a focus that reduces anxiety and improves sleep quality. The Pandemic highlighted how wellness initiatives can continue play a key role in the future of corporate wellness.