A competitive workspace, deadly deadlines and a stressful environment are realities of our time. Our connected lifestyles have magnified work stress with long working hours, disturbed sleeping patterns, sedentary lives and lack of relaxation.  Result: Most working professionals today are stressed and suffer from symptoms such as backache, neck pain, headaches etc. 

This not only causes chronic diseases like hypertension, it also becomes a reason for declining productivity, and attrition rates in organizations. Additionally, organizations also suffer from loss of millions of working days due to stress-related illnesses.

For a long time,HR managers didn’t pay much heed to this concern, and they failed to reach out to employees’ wellbeing. But today things are slowly yet positively changing. Most organizations  are realizing that employees are not replaceable property but they are resource and need to be valued. Efforts are being made by corporate houses to help employees achieve wellness, health and reduce stress. Setting up of gyms inside office campus, official tours, yoga classes and socially relevant activities are some ways organizations are improving their employee engagement and wellness.

At Koenig, we offer regular everyday yoga classes to begin the day at workplace, and our employees tell us that this makes a huge difference in their overall physical and mental well-being.

Here are some effective methods that workplaces can adopt:

Reflexology 

Reflexology is a non-intrusive procedure to wash away the stress from the body. Effective pressure is applied to the reflex points in hands, feet and out ears by professional reflexologists. The pressure points, when carefully stimulated further correspond to different parts of the body, and offer relief. The process does not require much space and can be performed in-house. Primarily, all that this treatment needs is a special chair. Additionally, a proper reflexology session needs 30-45 minutes. A once in a month session with a reflexologist can rejuvenate your employees and can minimize their mental and physical stress. This can help reduce stress and provide adequate rest amidst the stressful working condition. The treatment further ensures better sleeping patterns and boost energy that help the employees to remain focused and productive at work.

Yoga

Globally, people practicing yoga have discovered various psychological and physical benefits including improved strength, flexibility and general well-being. Thus, arranging yoga sessions once or twice a week can help the employees de-stress, calm their pressures, and burden. Conducting a yoga session requires a hall or a large room where at least a section of employees can be accommodated together. Your conference room or board room can be used once a week for this purpose. Yoga is known to combat fatigue, generate energy that further leads to increased productivity and morale, and reduces sick days and stress.

Work out sessions

Many organizations, inlcuding in India have incorporated a gym with state-of-the-art equipment within the office premise. While the long office hours increade sedentary lifestyles, a gym can help them to attain fitness. Many people skip physical exercises, and this exposes them to the risk of developing lifestyle diseases such as obesity, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Experts believe that 30-minute workout a day not only combats stress but also helps with clarity of mind.

Off-site gathering

Often, hectic schedules distance employees from their personal lives and leisure activities. Additionally, the competitive work environment creates fissures among the employees. Therefore, arranging occasional off-site gatherings can help employees mingle with each other and also help them de-stress by having fun and not work. A short trek, a visit to a historical monument or an evening at a cultural program can work wonders to the mental state of stressed-out employees.