We all have those days where we feel out of sync with who we’d like to be. Whether it’s slipping up with your new commitment to healthy foods, letting that little voice in your head talk you out of going to the gym, or just feeling overwhelmed and uninspired with life, the truth is sometimes we all need a little help and support to thrive and be our best selves. When we spend roughly 50% of our waking hours at work, is it unreasonable to look to our workplaces as a source of support in leading inspired, healthy, and fulfilling lives?
That is exactly what “workplace wellness”, or corporate wellness, aims to achieve. Traditionally, workplace wellness is a concept that encompasses any activity a business undertakes to promote employee health & well-being. The rise in the number of companies that have wellness at their core reflects a clear increase in public awareness and demand for lifestyle and wellness services and products.
ADAY, a New York-based clothing company, is harnessing intelligent fabrics and sustainable partnerships to make wardrobes clean and simple, while Xtend Barre, the US-born Pilates-based workout and fitness brand, recently opened their first UK studio in London. The numerous meditation and yoga apps available, like Headspace and Pocket Yoga, are making it easier for individuals to take their wellness into their own hands.
That being said, it has been shown that companies providing some form of workplace wellness benefit from healthier, more productive, and more inspired employees, translating ultimately to greater business success and a healthier work culture.
How are companies implementing workplace wellness?
The good news is companies are taking action against these draining behaviours. Take Perkbox for example, a company on a mission to increase employee engagement and happiness, by providing teams who sign up with perks such as discounted gym memberships, and health and dental plans. Increasingly, companies are harnessing the power of FitBit to promote employee wellness, often turning its use into a game or competition, with some companies getting very creative. One company went so far as to celebrate the 2016 FIFA World Cup by challenging employees to collectively walk the distance from the company’s HQ to Rio de Janeiro (some 5,547 miles!).
Feedr’s Approach to Wellness in the Workplace: Case Studies from Luxury Brand Chanel Wellness Week and Media Giant Hearst UK
Chanel’s Wellness Week
Employers are also becoming more aware of healthy eating habits and the benefits they bring on employee performance. Luxury brand Chanel, with its Headquarters based just off Bond Street, has created a beautiful and visionary space. They hold a Wellness Week every quarter, hosting talks from a range of speakers covering various aspects of workplace wellness and its associated benefits.
This past November, Chanel partnered with Feedr for their Wellness Week, commissioning us to provide a South African-inspired healthy eating experience for their staff. We curated a lunch buffet menu from a range of local vendors, including Farmstand and Fork Deli, much to the delight of the staff we served. The feedback from Chanel was overwhelmingly positive. “Everything was delivered on time and tasted delicious! It was a pleasure to work with Feedr’s team,” one staff member noted.
Feedr curated a South-African-themed healthy eating experience for Chanel’s wellness week
Bringing Wellness to Hearst UK
Media giant Hearst UK is a magazine publishing company, working with brands such as ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, and Cosmopolitan, among others. Recently, Hearst hosted a staff meeting of about 800 employees in the impressive New London Theatre, and decided to partner with Feedr for the event. We provided Christmas-themed savoury breakfast options from wellness vendor Maple & Co, such as Christmas tree avocado and chili toast, mini raw cacao and matcha energy balls, and mini bircher apple chai pots. To satisfy the sweet tooth, My Baker provided delicious nibbles, such as vegan mince pies and spiced caramel macarons, among other creations.
Beautiful sweet nibbles by My Baker for Hearst UK
Pulling it all together…
It is important to celebrate companies like Chanel and Hearst, who recognise the value of affording employees healthy food options. As public perceptions surrounding what it means to eat well change, and the amount and variety of special dietary requirements continues to rise, being able to cater to employee’s desires will confer advantages to employee satisfaction and wellness. And with companies like Feedr making it easier than ever to curate a specific, tailored food service experience, there’s no reason not to embrace workplace wellness in 2018.
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