Institutional Health & Wellness Program
Across the globe, corporate wellness programs are increasingly being viewed as ‘good-to-have’ rather than as a ‘need-to-have’ and the same applies to India as well. Employee health & wellness has become a strategic imperative for most organizations across the board and not without reason. Many a studies have been conducted, globally, emphasizing on the positive & quantifiable results on ‘effects of workplace health & wellness programs on employee health & productivity’, and hence, clearly, the returns on a well planned wellness program with a minimal investment go a long way, much beyond, healthy, wealthy and happy employees.
Longitudinal studies such as ‘Workplace Wellness programs Study’ conducted by independent researchers for RAND Health Quarterly or Randomized control trials such as ‘Effects of a Workplace Wellness Program on Employee Health and Economic Outcomes’ conducted by researchers affiliated to Harvard Medical School, University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and National Bureau of Economic Research Cambridge etc. conclude with evidence the importance of such programs that help in reducing many risk factors associated with non-communicable diseases and increase healthy behaviours such as exercise & meditation, effects of which are highly sustainable & clinically significant for leasing a stress free & content life.
The big question no longer is 'why employee wellness' but 'how?'
Since Covid-19 has struck the world, it is inevitable that merely offering membership passes to a fitness centre may no longer be enough to generate and sustain employee interest in wellness. Employers are now riddled with the need to offer creative and comprehensive wellness facilities in order to bring about a real difference in employee health and more importantly, motivation to keep continuing the ‘good work’ even during unforeseen circumstances like a ‘Covid-19 global lockdown’.
Importance of India's Own ‘Yoga’ in Reviving Workplace Health & Wellness
There is now a trend towards enhancing onsite programs aimed at stress management and holistic wellness. Since almost about 50% of corporate healthcare costs are said to be, lifestyle related and therefore, potentially preventable, organizations would want to spend more on prevention & good health rather than only wanting to spend on cure. It is in this context that the ancient science of Yoga has found preference in the corporate world as a comprehensive wellness prerogative, replacing all other healthcare investments.
A growing number of businesses are finding that offering Yoga to their employees is a low-cost, preventive and holistic healthcare measure, making the discipline a resonating success with human resource teams looking for strategic returns on their wellness investments. Regular practitioners of Yoga would stress that its many benefits include emotional wellness, improved strength, flexibility, balance and postural alignment amongst others.
In the boardrooms of companies, Yoga adds dimensions such as stress reduction, energy-enhancement, enhanced creativity and focus and healing for employees, convenience, and increased productivity for the employer.
Yoga is not just about being able to perform difficult & not so difficult poses and movements. It is a holistic approach to physical and mental health, as well as a person’s well-being and personal growth. Corporate Yoga is the extended concept of working peacefully in the midst of a hectic corporate environment. An international report by the World Health Organization reveals that depression is the most disabling illness for the corporate sector, second only to cardio-vascular diseases.
Long hours, multi-tasking, stiff competition, rigorous commute, irregular eating habits, sedentary desk jobs and bad sitting postures, all combine to create a pool of highly stressed, inefficient and thus despairing workforce. There are many independent studies that concur that despite of having one of the largest & cheapest workforce globally, Indian productivity is simply not comparable with the rest of the world, with reasons such as motivated workforce, absenteeism due to high stress & lack of health well being & disabilities caused by mental distress.
The benefits of corporate Yoga to encounter this malaise are unmatched by other wellness programs, as the very crux of the Yogic discipline is a mind-body balance. It is the only form of exercise known to increase flexibility, strength, balance, concentration and breath capacity while reducing stress and anxiety. Yoga also helps building morale and interpersonal communication – which for an employer means no more bickering teams or dissatisfied individuals, power struggles or dirty politics.
There is conclusive evidence supporting the fact that offering even one Yoga session in a week brings about noted changes in employee behavior by helping them manage stress better, enhance clarity and creative thinking, improve communication skills, cultivate leadership and teamwork, and increase overall effectiveness in the workplace.
Most Importantly – An exercise, a regime, anytime, anywhere
Perhaps the strongest reason for incorporating Yoga into your employees’ wellness routine is the ease with which a corporate Yoga program can be implemented with any kind of resources. The only equipment required for a session of Yoga are some floor mats and a bunch of willing participants with a strong desire for a healthier, more fulfilled life. A Yoga program can be conducted just about anywhere such as a conference room or an empty lunchroom.
What is even most interesting now is the development of both offline/online Yoga training that is fast gaining popularity with organizations across the globe. The offering has added a new perspective to corporate wellness by making available world class Yoga training by experts in the confines of an office cubicle in any corner of the world. Live and interactive Yoga sessions delivered right to the company’s conference room with an assembly of participants is a glove-in-hand fit for most corporations as the sessions can be personalized to suit the timings and space constraints of companies as also the individual needs of participants.
Yoga in general is geared for people of all levels and age groups and can be tailored to address the needs of people with completely different fitness levels. Although it may sound simple, the creation of a yoga program, if you want it to be successful, requires serious commitment.
Here is what we manage while developing a corporate Yoga program:
- Assess Employee Interest – This is to ensure that there is sufficient interest and that enough number of people will sign up for Yoga classes once organized.
- Employing an experience corporate Yoga instructor- This is an extremely important process, as your Yoga instructor needs to be an experienced and capable person. We ensure that the instructor have at least five to ten years of experience in teaching Yoga. Once again, there are both options; online and offline Yoga sessions; Online options are highly beneficial for the reluctant employee yet to join back office post Covid-19 conundrum apart from the issues of geographical and other boundaries becoming irrelevant, Offline options are beneficial for employees who get the actual ‘feel’ of being among a ‘meditation session’ & for having a broader option of asking anything ‘under the sun’ to the instructor.
We also offer personalized sessions plainly to ensure that interested participants get to spend individual time with the instructor & reach a level of learning wherein an instructor may not be necessary. It is important for every employee to take back something positive at the end of each class. Continuous monitoring through pre-assessment and post-assessment measurements to track improvements is essential.
- While it is possible to accommodate effective a few Yoga poses even in a 15-minute session, a 60 to 90-minute devoted practice works best for Yoga as it helps participants establish proper breathing and connect with the instructor. Eventually you need to remember that corporate Yoga should be designed to increase well-being for employees’ optimal health, productivity and performance. It must thus be made accessible to people at all levels and offered in a safe and comfortable environment to pursue balance, healing and inner strength.
Finally, ‘the advantages’
Yoga helps in reducing stress & anxiety thereby further reducing absenteeism & increasing workplace productivity and confidence amongst employees. It also helps in regulating ‘breathing techniques’ through ‘deep inhaling & exhaling’.
Complications like back pain, joint degeneration, spinal dysfunction & even potbelly are linked to poor posture, while at work. Yoga helps relieve pain through its numerous poses & stretches.
Yoga also increases focus & concentration among employees and needless to ass that increased concentration leads to innovation & higher productivity. Many a postures in Yoga helps in reducing common problems like ‘heartburn’, ‘indigestion’ and helps in enhancing body metabolism & detoxification processes.
All of the above, further leading to fewer cases of absenteeism.
