j are an option to offer employees to make sure their health and wellbeing is being looked after outside of the office , too . w Yoga retreat . If your employees aren ’ t that keen on taking regular yoga classes , a yoga and meditation retreat could be an option that the whole office can partake in together . While logistically it may be harder to organise , setting aside a day or two for staff to step away from the office completely and focus on their wellness will only have positive impacts . While the retreat is short-term , the impact could last far longer and teach employees new habits they can carry with them back into their day-to-day lives .
w Reimbursement . Yoga and meditation might not be everyone ’ s cup of tea and that ’ s okay . But for those employees who do enjoy it and want to reap the benefits , perhaps reimbursement is a better option . By offering this benefit , it allows employees the freedom to organise their own classes and takes the pressure off your organisation to sort out the logistics of it all . But nonetheless , offering reimbursements could encourage employees to make a habit of it .
The benefits of yoga and meditation are both mental and physical . They help to relieve stress , enhance focus , and increase productivity . But they also improve your posture and digestion . Sitting or standing for long hours is hard on the body and improving posture will only make employees more productive . As for digestion , long and stressful hours in the office can lead to employees overeating or skipping meals , which confuses the digestive system and affects metabolism . Yoga is a great way to eliminate toxins and improve eating habits .
Team retreats An article by AJ Agrawal on news site Huffington Post outlined 5 simple reasons as to why corporate retreats are beneficial in the workplace . A corporate retreat isn ’ t easy to organise , and it might be difficult to nail down a day or two for everyone to step out of the office , but the benefits far surpass the negatives . If your organisation is serious about employee wellness , a retreat is the way to go . Here ’ s why :
w Team Building . Agrawal explains that the modern world is geared mainly towards the individual . It focuses on individual success and hard work and experiences — which can be problematic when trying to bring a team together . In the competitive world that is 2021 , people are always looking for better opportunities to progress in life and this can make retaining employees difficult . But an effective way to increase employee satisfaction and retention is to make them feel like they ’ re a part of a family . Retreats are a great way to bond and get to know one another outside of the office . Shared experiences always make a group feel closer and therefore , more trusting and productive in the office . And after many days in isolation last year , employees are craving connection . This is also something to invest in inside the office and on a regular basis , too .
w Escape the environment . While it may be easier for a company to offer on-site wellness benefits for maximum convenience , getting out of the stress ball atmosphere of the office is a valuable tool . Removing employees from a stressful environment allows them to fully relax and decompress , therefore making them happier and much more productive when they return to work .
w Boost company morale . The mindset of employees is the difference between succeeding and not . Just because someone is being paid to be there , doesn ’ t mean they ’ re happy to be there . A common employee mindset is that they ’ re doing their job because they ‘ have to ’ not because they ‘ want to ’. This mindset will never allow an employee to reach their full potential and will therefore prevent an organisation from doing the same . A corporate retreat shows that your company cares about the wellbeing of employees and is happy to reward its workers for all of their support and hard work .
w A chance to reflect . Employee performance won ’ t improve without some time to reflect . If staff are always on the go and working non-stop , there ’ s no time for reflection at all . Without looking back on their performance and considering things that went well , what didn ’ t and how they can improve , the organisation ’ s performance is bound to plateau , or worse . A corporate retreat encourages employees to reflect individually and as a team — which will set the performance of your company on an upwards trajectory .
w Get to know your team . With employees spending majority of their time around their peers only while at work , it doesn ’ t allow for the most authentic bonding experiences . They know each other ’ s work personality but that ’ s not necessarily who they are in life . Doing the same things day in and day out removes the chance to realise their peers ’ talent and potential or even friendships . Corporate retreats allow employees to engage in experiences that wouldn ’ t normally occur in the office . This allows people to bond over shared interests and get to know one another on a personal level . This creates trust in the team and helps employees feel more comfortable and happier at work .
Fitness and nutritional advice There ’ s no denying that nothing makes you feel happier and more productive than a rush of endorphins and healthy eating and water consumption habits . But as good as it feels to have a regular routine , it ’ s also one of the hardest habits to get into . Healthy eating and drinking along with exercising regularly have numerous benefits , both physically and mentally . When stress takes over , these particular habits seem to be the things that suffer first . Similar to the yoga and meditation option , there are a few different ways your workplace can incorporate fitness and healthy living into a wellness program .
w Reimbursements . This is always the easy option . If your executives and colleagues are interested , consider offering complimentary gym memberships or reimbursing them for any fitness classes they attend . After all , taking these steps to get their bodies moving will only benefit employee wellness .
w Nutritional advice . Nutrition is a highly underrated concept , especially to busy and stressed people . If your executives and colleagues are rundown or stressed , they ’ re most likely not drinking enough water and are just eating
30 Chief of Staff | Issue 1 2021