When planning workplace wellness initiatives and activities, a lack of physical space is a common obstacle for some of our clients. Whilst some lucky clients boast dedicated wellness and relaxation rooms, rooftop terraces for al fresco yoga classes and spacious boardrooms for wellbeing workshops, others simply can’t spare a sq ft of space.
It’s a crying shame if a lack of space deters well-meaning clients from investing in employee wellbeing, so we’ve shared our top 5 suggestions for going big on wellbeing, even in the smallest of spaces:
Pound the pavements and take in the sights with an office running club
If your office lacks a rooftop running track (à la Adobe’s London office), gather a group of colleagues for a lunchtime run, job or brisk walk. At our ‘Office Running Club’, a running coach meets clients outside their building before taking them on a local 3-5km running route.
Subscribe your staff to wellness apps
In the absence of office yoga or boardroom meditation classes, pay for your staff to subscribe to fitness and wellbeing apps. We love FIIT for home workouts, Strava to clock our running and cycling mileage and Movement for Modern Life for yoga and Pilates. Headspace, Buddify and Calm are favourites for some sleep-inducing meditations. Communications agency, Manifest who have won multiple ‘best places to work’ awards the take this one step further, offering staff subscriptions to Spotify, Netflix and Audible – because good books and films are important for mental wellbeing too.
Bread Bread & Bond
A recent study found that eating alone is one of the biggest causes of unhappiness (other than having a mental illness). Add in the fact that socialising with colleagues is a proven mood-lifter and it’s no surprise that we’re recommending a regular staff lunch. Order some healthy haul from Ocado and prepare and enjoy lunch together in the office, or head out to a local cafe or picnic in the park.
Start all meetings with a stretch
At online yoga retailer, Yogamatters, all staff meetings begin with a couple of gentle yoga poses and breathing practices to help centre everyone before the meeting begins. You may prefer simply taking a few mindful moments. It’s a great reminder that our personal wellbeing and mindset is just as important as the business agenda.
Treat your team to an office massage
There are few people who will turn down the offer of a neck and shoulder massage. A mobile chair massage takes up very little space and can be placed behind a privacy screen if a small meeting room isn’t free. Many of our clients have a monthly chair massage booking. If office massage still isn’t an option, vouchers to a local salon for a relaxing treatment will no doubt be welcome. Check out our office massage, Indian head massage and reflexology services here.
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