The Benefits of Live, Ongoing Employee Wellness Classes

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Companies looking for ways to help employees maintain physical health, address mental wellbeing, and build stronger connections with their co-workers have many options to choose from, including wellness apps that provide everything from on-demand content like guided meditations and yoga classes, to biometric tracking.

While these solutions have their benefits, companies that are looking to shift company culture, by taking a holistic approach to employee wellness should consider the benefits of live, ongoing virtual classes aimed at developing the mind-body connection, as well as a sense of connection with co-workers.

This includes offerings such as yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi & Qigong, dance fitness & conditioning (Zumba, Ellové), HIIT (or strength and conditioning formats), and meditation & mindfulness sessions.

With virtual wellness here to stay, here are 5 benefits to adding live, weekly classes into your workplace wellness program.


Employees can join from anywhere

One of the beautiful parts of online classes is that some of the participation issues that arise in on-site wellness classes, such as vacations, business trips, and employees working different shifts, are no longer as much of a barrier to participation. Whether your team is hybrid or fully remote, employees leave for business trips or vacation, or even if they relocate, they can still join their Pilates class or build that regularly scheduled group meditation session into their day. We’ve heard first-hand from employees in our live classes that they enjoy the convenience and flexibility that accompanies such offerings.

Easy implementation

From a business perspective, live, ongoing wellness classes are relatively easy to implement. Once you determine which class to offer and set the schedule, encourage employees to schedule their classes into their calendar. Working with a company that handles the administrative side, including marketing and employee communications, means wellness coordinators can “set it and forget it”.

They provide a built-in space for connection

Live virtual yoga and movement classes offer an element of connection and community that is especially essential with so many employees now working in hybrid or fully remote environments. In addition to interactive and engaging class content, many mind-body wellness instructors, especially those trained to teach yoga & meditation, are skilled at encouraging connection not only through their teaching but in the spaces before and after class.

Having a weekly time and date to attend class vs. participating via recording encourages employees to be consistent and accountable. Knowing there is a live group they’ve committed to provides many people with motivation to stay engaged.

They offer little something for everyone

Many of today’s group fitness and wellness classes include mixed-level instruction, making them appropriate beginners and the more seasoned practitioners alike. In a live setting, teachers build relationships with the employees who come to class regularly and can offer specific instruction based on what they see. In this way, live classes make it easier for teachers to meet employees where they are and to deliver an experience that differs from the on-demand classes.

A connected, engaging solution to employee burnout

Virtual fitness and movement classes help employees to address common physical issues, such as poor posture, stiffness, neck and back pain, as well as the mental stress that comes with working long hours in a hybrid or fully remote work environment. Mindfulness and meditation sessions can also help employees to create space in the course of a stressful day where there otherwise may have been none.

 

 

In Conclusion:
There are benefits to engaging with wellness offerings no matter the frequency, however, based on positive outcomes with our clients, we are strong advocates for weekly, ongoing corporate wellness programming whenever possible.

Live wellness offerings help to bridge the gaps inherent to a distributed workforce. This type of programming encourages consistency, connection, and community, all of which helps employees stay accountable and reach their wellness goals.

Visit our website to learn more about the full array of yoga and movement classes Urban Balance delivers.

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Urban Balance is the premier provider of comprehensive on-site corporate wellness services including massage in the Portland, Oregon metro area, and offers virtual workplace wellness programming worldwide. We deliver livestream and on-demand classes, webinars, and special events to the workplace environment for happier employees and a healthier bottom line.


Browse our catalog of virtual wellness services with offerings including yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Zumba, HIIT, Barre Sculpt, meditation, nutrition, learning opportunities, and more.

 

 

4 Ways Yoga Can Help You Feel More Connected in Your Life

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The word “yoga” is a Sanskrit word meaning to yolk, unite, or connect – and it’s not a wonder so many people have begun turning to yoga in recent years, since this definition names the primary benefit that many yoga practitioners experience.

It was predicted several years ago that something like 55 million people worldwide would be practicing yoga by 2020. A significant portion of that growth has occurred in the last decade alone. According to a Yoga Alliance study, there are over 36 million active yogis in America. Between 2012-2016, the number of Americans practicing rose from roughly 20 million to 37 million, raising the participation rate by around 50% over those 4 years. People are practicing in settings from studios to on-site corporate wellness spaces, to even their living rooms, especially here in the age of Covid. Read more

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With unfamiliar names like “Ashtanga,” “Bikram,” and “Vinyasa,” it can be hard for beginners to keep all the schools of yoga straight. But if you can remember that Vinyasa means “breath-synchronized movement,” you’ll know everything you need to about this fantastic style.

Whether you’re just starting out with yoga, or you’re looking to try something new, there are tons of great reasons to try Vinyasa—which is one of the most popular styles among yogis of all experience levels.

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We humans, we love stories.  I read this this engaging article, featured by Power More Dell that discusses the importance of a good story when developing a company face. It brings up many good points and, as a corporate yoga instructor, I would love to discuss them, because developing a culture of healthy and passionate employees is part of a good origin story. But I’ll save that for another blog post.

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Originally Published on yogajournal.com by Ray Long, MD

Each time you vinyasa your wrists bear weight. Without the proper support, this can lead to injury. Use these poses to help build strength in your wrists and core.

The key to protecting your wrists is—surprise!—a strong core. Evidence-based medicine demonstrates that a strong core can increase the efficiency of your rotator cuff muscles, which stabilize your shoulders, and decrease the load that is transferred to your wrists. Picture the ubiquitous Down Dog–Chaturanga–Up Dog-Down Dog sequence. Each time you repeat it, your wrists bear weight throughout. Over time and without proper support from the core and shoulders, this can lead to injury.

Use this simple four-step program to strengthen your core, rotator cuff, and wrist muscles. Step four integrates steps one through three into Down Dog. Ease into all of these poses using smooth gradual engagement of the muscles. Prepare the body in this sequential way, maintain awareness of the core-cuff-wrist connection, and infuse these actions into every vinyasa to keep your wrists healthy and pain-free.

Note: People with wrist pain should consult a medical professional. Avoid weight-bearing in the wrists until pain subsides.

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Originally Published in Mind Body Green by Jen Kluczkowski

Notice the position of your body right now. Are you slumped over in a chair? Are your shoulders collapsing in towards each other? Is your neck tilted down? If you’re sitting at your desk, chances are high you answered yes to all. This body posture literally closes off our centers for communication and intuition.

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