4 Corporate Wellness Programs To Inspire Your Coworking Wellness Initiatives

This article was written by Kayleigh Alexandra from microstartups.org

• Wellness programs have become a must for businesses across the globe.
• Wellness programs have been shown to improve productivity, morale, talent attraction and retention, and worker motivation.
• Below are four corporate wellness programs that coworking operators can use to inspire their wellness programming.

Corporate wellness programs are fast becoming a must for businesses everywhere. A happy employee is a productive employee, and companies around the world are now implementing different strategies to ensure their staff are happy and fulfilled at work.

These wellness programs can provide valuable inspiration for coworking spaces too. Below you will find 4 corporate wellness programs that will motivate you to rethink how you approach wellness.

Google

No mention of corporate wellness programs would be complete without a mention of Google. Renowned for its spacious, modern office and unique perks, Google is a leader in employee wellness.

Google takes the work-life balance of its employees seriously. Its sprawling campuses include onsite physicians, physical therapists, and masseuses to tend to fatigued Google workers.

On top of that, Google also lay on a variety of classes for the personal development of its employees. As well as industry-relevant classes like coding, Google staff can learn how to cook and even play guitar.

What you can learn from it

Work hours don’t need to be all work and no play. Incorporating personal care and development activities into the workday can actually boost overall engagement and wellbeing.

You don’t need to have a masseuse or physical therapist onsite everyday of course. But paying for someone to visit once a week, or even once a month, can go a long way in improving the overall workplace experience and the personal lives of professionals. Besides, these types of amenities can also help boost productivity.

Create opportunities for workers to develop themselves on a personal level too. Classes, lectures, workshops, or even an onsite library of business books is enough to nurture your coworking members’ personal growth.

Goldman Sachs

At first glance, the high-powered corporate world of banking might not sit comfortably alongside the hip tech brands in this list. But Goldman Sachs is no stranger to the value of corporate wellness.

The investment bank’s perks include a range of wellness activities. Tai chi, meditation, pilates, health screenings, and other soothing wellness initiatives are available to Goldman Sachs employees.

Further to this, the bank also provides resilience training too. Classes designed to improve employees’ strength in the face of adversity are held on a regular basis. Goldman Sachs even holds a regular “Resilience Week”, with guest speakers invited to discuss a range of topics from happiness to success.

Banking is a stressful industry, and these activities cater to the daily stresses that Goldman Sachs’ employees face on a regular basis.

What you can learn from it

Stress is a huge factor that negatively impacts employees and their work, and one that often goes unconsidered. This is especially true for entrepreneurs (often a significant portion of coworking space users), who are more likely than any other work to experience stress, anxiety, and burnout.

Give employees the opportunity to indulge in regular, de-stressing activities. Meditation and tai chi are just two examples. Bring therapy dogs into the office for the chance to play and unwind or maybe even consider having a frustration zone, where members can de-stress by shouting and hitting or breaking things — the calming benefits are enormous.

As well as stress-releasing activities, give coworking users an avenue to talk about stress too. Stress coaches are good for this, teaching staff the skills to deal with the strains of work themselves.

Asana

We often dream of taking a nap at work. That sweet spot post-lunch is perfect for a quick siesta — but for many, it remains just a dream.

That’s with the exception of Asana’s employees. A rested employee is a happy employee, and Asana knows it. The project management tool provider has dedicated “nap rooms” for its staff to take advantage of so they can keep performing throughout the day.

Suggested Reading: “Feeling Stressed? Clock in Fewer Hours and More Zzzz’s”

Further to this, Asana also gives each employee a whopping $10K to spend on their office. Ergonomic keyboards, multiple screens, comfortable desk chairs — whatever they want, Asana’s employees can have it.

What you can learn from it

Gone are the days of cramped cubicles and generic desk setups. People work better when they’re in an environment that they feel comfortable in, and coworking spaces should take heed.

Obviously, not everyone has the kind of budget Asana has. But allocating a portion of your budget towards creating a positive working environment is worth doing. It boosts productivity, encourages collaboration, and creates an environment that employees want to be in.

Technogym

The health risks of office jobs are well known. Sedentary desk roles that require you to stay sitting for prolonged periods increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and even some cancers.

But the Italian fitness equipment brand Technogym is leading the way in the fight against this. The Technogym offices are equipped with standing-only meeting rooms, and sit on specially-designed balls instead of restrictive desk chairs.

In addition to this, all Technogym staff receive a compulsory two-hour lunch break in which they can enjoy the onsite gyms and sports facilities provided.

And to keep track of all this exercise, Technogym employees are given a unique key that monitors their activity throughout the day. This data is then uploaded to a shared database, so Technogym staff can track their progress over time.

What you can learn from it

A good working space is one that incorporates positive working practices into its design. An office should give employees the time and space to get up, move around, and help people stay healthy while working.

Suggested Reading: “The Office is Killing Us: How Workplace Designs Helps Combat Sedentary Behavior”

It’s not always financially feasible to spend hundreds of dollars on exercise facilities or specialist equipment. But there are affordable ways to incorporate this into the working day.

Flexitime is one option — it gives employees the option to visit the gym before or after work, or take an extended lunch in which to work out. But desk setups should also be looked at. Regular desk assessments are often seen as a distraction, but they go a long way towards mitigating the risks associated with prolonged desk work.

Not every coworking space or business has the budget of the companies on this list. But the wellness programs above still provide some useful lessons that you can affordably incorporate into your office.
If you need more inspiration, check out these 20 wellness initiatives for your coworking space.