Social distancing shifted working from the office to our personal homes and, as a result, created the need for companies to develop new resources. There was an initial shock that left many employees struggling to juggle the responsibilities of the office and personal life in one location. It turns out that so many of us were not set-up with home offices, so we quickly turned that kitchen table to a desk or the spare bedroom into an office.
Goodbye ergonomic chair, hello couch.
Team leaders are now in the process of reshaping wellness programs for professionals working from home and those who are beginning to reintegrate back into the office. In our pre-COVID world, many offices offered in-person fitness and mindfulness benefits onsite. However, the downside to these programs was that many team members were unable to access the benefits because they already worked remotely or at a satellite location. As we reconstruct tomorrow’s corporate wellness landscape, it’s vital to build programs that are accessible to all members of the team, regardless of their locations.
Just as employees needed to reimagine workspaces to make the most of a remote position, companies must transform their stress management programs.
As a result, Virtual Wellness Programs (VWPs) have surfaced as an essential resource for employees currently working from home. With VWPs, teams log on and recharge for half an hour with trained professionals. Companies are just starting to capture the emerging benefits of virtual workplace wellness programs. However, it is apparent this is the next wave of employer support of stress reduction.
Not convinced?
Here are our Top 6 reasons Virtual Wellness Programs are an asset for your team
1. Holistic Approach to Wellness
Wellness is not one size fits all and even varies day-by-day. Sometimes releasing stress means rising to the challenge in Boot Camp, other times it means letting go of muscle tension with a slow stretch. With virtual wellness accessible anytime, anywhere, taking a break to calm your mind with meditations or get fired up in a boxing class is as easy as clicking on a meeting link.
2. Focused on You
Some of the best virtual wellness programs are offering personalized care. That means you meet one-on-one with knowledgeable professionals in a convenient setting for both the teacher and student. All it takes is a quick note to share your aches and pains, and you’re ready to work through new techniques in real-time.
3. Respect for Social Distancing
For the time being, we all must continue to keep our social distance. A packed exercise class that has us breathing heavy and dripping sweat is far from ideal. Luckily, there is no need to take unnecessary risks because there’s the option to log in to a class from the safety of our own home. With virtual wellness, you can focus all your energy into your workout and never feel the need to skip that immunity-boosting session.
4. The Gift of Time
Eliminating travel to and from a wellness class creates more time to focus on other parts of the day. After all, logging on to a guided meditation geared for a midday recharge should be seamless. A quick click on a virtual meeting link means that the journey to inner peace just got a little faster, and there is more time to knock out that to-do list.
5. Integrate Health into Your Personal Space
Wellness does not live in a vacuum and neither should your routine. With VWPs, you learn to utilize your space to maximize wellness in your home. Over time, you learn to integrate small changes that transition to familiar, healthy habits.
6. Say Goodbye to Performance Anxiety
Trying something new can be scary. Trying something new next to your experienced peers is even more intimidating. With VWPs, you don’t have to worry about what others think. Most virtual classes offer the option to participate without displaying video content, so you don’t have to debut your Zumba moves in front of your coworkers until you are ready.
