Do you have a corporate wellness programme? Only 24% of employees strongly agree their employer cares about their wellbeing, which is a recipe for disengaged and unproductive employees who stifle business success.
Having a wellbeing strategy that includes benefits like office yoga is more than just a self-care exercise for your team, it actually has real commercial benefits for you.
In my latest blog, I'm breaking down nine powerful reasons to add workplace yoga classes to your corporate wellness programme.
1. Increased focus and productivity
Did you know the average office worker is only productive for 31% of the working day?
Realistically, people can't work solidly for eight hours, so they will naturally take time for coffee breaks, chats, and other distractions.
So, if that time isn't being used for work anyway, why not use it for a fun team event that will improve concentration and re-energise your team to be more productive once they're back at their desks?
2. Workplace yoga is cheaper than long-term sickness
In 2023, British businesses lost an average of 49.7 days per employee as a result of sick leave and poor health, according to a study by Vitality.
Now, I'm not saying the benefits of regular yoga are enough to eradicate staff absences altogether.
However, investing in initiatives that improve your team's mental and physical health does have a part to play in reducing the cost of absenteeism.
Yoga improves physical and mental health in so many ways - prompting better sleep, reducing stress and anxiety, and generally contributing to well rounded, motivated employees.
Therefore, it's a proactive step towards fitter teams who take less sick leave and make a positive impact on the financial health of your business.
3. Build your employer brand
Your employer brand is all about how you're perceived as a business - by the outside world and your own employees. 88% of job seekers consider employer brand when applying for a job, and Gen Z and millennial employees really prioritise culture and purpose.
A company that offers yoga tends to value its people, prioritise healthy boundaries, and have a bigger purpose than just profit, which speaks volumes for your culture and reputation.
4. Corporate wellness programmes are a great attraction and retention tool
In your last job vacancy, what did you write down under employee benefits? Many companies struggle to come up with a decent list to attract top talent in a competitive, candidate-driven jobs market.
Now, imagine being about to write "free weekly yoga session" or "monthly lunchtime wellness classes" in your job advert.
This will really set you apart from other businesses and get you noticed by candidates who believe in a healthy work-life balance and want to work for a company with a strong wellbeing culture.
5. Yoga reduces stress
Stress levels are at an all-time high for workers globally, with 44% of employees surveyed by Gallup saying they felt stress the previous day.
So, tackling stress and anxiety is key to building healthier and more successful teams.
Aside from the physical benefits of yoga, like increased strength and flexibility, there are so many incredible mental advantages. The state of deep relaxation you experience during a yoga practice, for example, improves stress management and stress reduction.
Life will always throw curveballs in our path, so yoga can't fix every problem. However, it can give your employees an effective tool to handle stressful work situations more easily and limit the impact it has on their wellbeing.
6. Corporate yoga reduces workplace hostility
Tensions can bubble away in any workplace.
Whether it's low key resentment over who used the last teabag or major showdowns over a big promotion, it affects morale and collaboration when cliques start to form.
Organising a wellbeing event for your team is a clever way to iron out those issues, foster unity and boost morale in your workplace.
7. Breathwork and mindfulness make employees happier and more confident
Breathwork and mindfulness are natural elements of yoga, and they're both proven to increase happiness, inner calm and confidence.
When people feel more confident and self-assured, they to do better work, nail those important pitches, and have the courage to voice innovative new ideas that will feed into your evolution as a business.
8. Virtual yoga connects remote teams
Yoga at work doesn't have to happen in a conference room. More and more companies are coming to recognise that online yoga can also have a powerful effect on team building and productivity.
If you have a remote or hybrid team, it's more important than ever to invest in keeping them connected and engaged with your business. This helps every individual feel a sense of belonging and value, wherever they are in the world. And in turn, this connectivity boosts overall effectiveness in the workplace.
I love making yoga accessible to everyone, creating inclusive in-person sessions as well as virtual group yoga for remote teams.
9. Taking a yoga class injects creativity into the workday
Creative thinking is essential for business innovation, yet we all experience mental blocks and brain fog at times.
Getting onto the mat for a yoga practice helps to clear the chaos in your brain, hit the reset button, and leave space for creativity to flow.
Workplace wellbeing is key to your business success - let's energise your individual and organisational growth
I'm Katy, and I've been teaching yoga in the workplace and online to Birmingham businesses for the past six years after leaving the corporate world and qualifying as a yoga teacher.
I'm passionate about the connection between yoga and business success, and my classes are designed to increase productivity, boost staff wellbeing, and nurture body and mind.
Office yoga is a relatively small investment if you have a corporate wellness budget, yet it can have a serious ripple effect in your organisation.
Whether you're looking to book a single yoga session for a special event, or a series of classes to see ongoing improvements, all you need is a space big enough and I'll take care of the rest.
Contact me to organise a free, no-obligation chat about introducing the benefits of yoga to your organisation.
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