Nowadays, we live in a constantly changing, fast-paced, and extremely dynamic environment in the world as we know it today. Everyone is so caught up in their own bubble, chasing whatever they’re running after, fearing that if they stop for a moment, the opportunity may slip away. This tendency is even more noticeable when you live in the heart of endless opportunities and humongous corporations: London. The vibrant, multicultural capital is not only my home but home to more than a million businesses with a record-breaking 285,548 startups in 2022. I know that numbers look scary, and it may sound more like a mathematical equation, but I want to stress how busy and business-oriented London is.

However, although the corporate world welcomes a great number of possibilities to develop career-wise, it comes at a price. Being in such a rat race environment, a lot of people experience high-level of stress day to day: Early business calls, long work hours, quick coffee, tight deadlines, microwaved food, pressure, late-night meetings, stress… Does that sound familiar to you?

I can recognise my old daily life here. This way of operating our lives can eventually lead to chronic stress, anxiety, and burnout. This can manifest as irritability, difficulty concentrating, insomnia and consequently impact both professional and personal relationships. Constantly being on the go and pushing oneself to do more and work faster is the ultimate mindset in the business environment. Busy, busy, busy. To the point where we are not only exhausted and overwhelmed, but unhappy and dissatisfied, ultimately affecting one's overall well-being and mental health.

Fortunately, more and more companies nowadays are starting to recognize this issue and emphasize employee well-being as a key component of a happy workforce and, consequently, of business success. The adoption of wellness practices in the workplace is highly recommended to keep the work environment stress-free and the employers satisfied, as more people are interested in finding employment that offers a work-life balance and supports their own health and wellness.

Why is wellbeing at work important?

Of course, it is very important to highlight why work wellness is crucial not only for the employees as individuals but also for the company as a business force. Spending almost one-third of our lives at work (around 90 000 hours over a lifetime) is enough to prove that the environment we work in, should stimulate the brain, productivity, and the overall mental and physical health of its employees. It should also be prioritizing their personal satisfaction and engagement. That way businesses can contribute to creating a resilient and focused workforce, improving the overall work efficiency. 

Team productivity & its difficulties

A proactive and efficient team consists of motivated and active members, right? Well, imagine if these team members are stressed, exhausted, overwhelmed, and unmotivated. How can they make a good team? Especially nowadays it is much harder to connect with your colleagues, because of the busy schedules, different tasks, or simply the lack of opportunity outside the workplace or desire. Usually, the topic of discussion between colleagues is one: work. And no one wants to talk about work more than they need to. So, the connection is lost, right there. However, a company’s team is like its heart – a business cannot survive if the heart does not operate well. Building a sense of community and connection within the workplace is vital to help employees feel more appreciated and supported and therefore make the processes within the organization run smoothly and efficiently. The more cohesive, motivated, and productive the team is, the more successful the business will be. How to create this dream team and enhance team productivity? The answer is simple: through corporate wellbeing workshops . The variety of different activities can stimulate productivity, boost satisfaction, and lead to more engagement both at an individual level and as a team member.

How do corporate wellbeing workshops help team productivity?

Let me give you a real-life example that showcases the importance and effectiveness of implementing corporate workshops in the workspace and its effects on team productivity:

Nike, Inc.

Starting with a well-known company, NIKE, Inc. great teamwork is a core value incorporated into all aspects of the teammate experience. Being the huge corporation they are today, Nike understands the need to support its employee’s wellbeing through multiple wellness programs and workshops including sports activities (obviously), mindfulness, and coaching sessions. Because of that, their team productivity has increased, as well as they successfully provide a healthy environment while proudly praising the title TEAM.

Innovative X

This is a story of success. This startup company located near the "Silicon Roundabout," is a quickly expanding tech start-up that struggled to keep its innovative edge and collaborative culture as it grew.
The workforce was diversified, with individuals working remotely as well as in-office, and traditional team-building activities were not working well. Working in a team with diversity in terms of location, working styles, cultural backgrounds, and professional disciplines is not always smooth sailing. However, after conducting an intensive survey and research about corporate workshops, they found a way to strengthen these connections. After incorporating wellness workshops focused on collaboration and teamwork, not only the workshops were welcomed with great enthusiasm and positive feedback, but employees noticed a major improvement in interdepartmental cooperation and communication. Thanks to that, the barriers that had previously hindered project advancement were eliminated.

Google

Lastly, I will briefly mention the company giant that successfully mastered prioritiseing employees well-being: Google. Google provides a remarkable variety of wellness services, such as healthcare providers, chiropractors, and massage therapists on-site for team members. It also has community bikes, classes, and a fitness center. However, without praising the facilities that the employees can enjoy, the company incorporated a corporate wellness workshop focusing on mindfulness, stress reduction and teamwork. Based on data research, Google's study discovered that teams function best when their members feel empowered to take chances, are dependable, have specific objectives, and feel that their work matters. So, this is what they started doing and by all means; successful.

I will conclude by saying that nowadays people are not motivated to work solely for money. They want their efforts to be noticed, their work to be a force of good for others, and therefore the social aspect of teams carries a great importance. This however is not so easy to achieve if employees feel stressed, always on the run, and constantly pressured.

I believe that living in a vibrant city like London has its perks, but the hustle and bustle could be overwhelming. Just like every big corporate city striving for success. It’s our responsibility to acknowledge the importance of well-being in such a busy environment and corporate wellness workshops are the first step to improving it.