By Rachel Holmes
Corporate yoga programs have seen a huge rise in popularity in the last few years and many progressive businesses these days are embracing this concept of yoga and wellness programs for their employees wholeheartedly. A quick peek at the statistics will tell us why. According to a study report published by the University of Michigan Research Center, a business can expect $3 in return (benefits and cost savings) for every $1 invested in wellness and corporate yoga programs for its employees. These programs, seen as part of stress management training, help the office workers cope more effectively and creatively with work-related stress, help them retain their focus, reduce risks of physical hazards such as back pain and fatigue, and therefore, help in increasing the overall productivity at the workplace.
Injury Prevention
Back pain is the most common injury reported by office workers, especially those working in a corporate setup. Working long periods sitting in the same place results in a sedentary lifestyle and can soon lead to back pain and other health hazards. Businesses in the UK lose as much as 119 million workdays each year on account of employee back pain. In the US, work injuries cost businesses as much as $121 billion every year in lost productivity, medical care, and wages. The yoga programs are enjoying the kind of popularity they do on account of the fact that these programs have the ability to turn this whole situation on its head and reverse the trends in a way that will be hugely beneficial both to the business and the workforce individuals.
Health Benefits
Let us see in some detail what kind of benefits one can expect from such corporate wellness programs and how they help increase productivity and work efficiency. Corporate yoga programs offer a number of health benefits for employees. First, they can help to reduce stress and improve mental focus. Second, they can improve flexibility and reduce the risk of injuries. Third, they can boost energy levels and improve overall well-being. Finally, corporate yoga programs can promote team building and improve communication among employees. Corporate yoga programs improve posture, increase flexibility, and reduce anxiety. They can also help to improve concentration, which is a plus for productivity. Corporate yoga programs can be tailored to the needs of the company and the employees. They can be held in the mornings, during lunch breaks, after work, or even on weekends.
Prevention
Yoga helps revitalize our major body organs and our immune system. At the same time, it helps flush the waste products from our system. Alcohol and other such waste products will be released from our bodies almost 3-4 times more quickly when we are practicing yoga. Yoga also helps detoxify our muscles and tone them and relieves insomnia, back and neck strain, high blood pressure, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other physical irregularities. For a business, all this injury prevention translates to reduced absenteeism and lower healthcare costs for the companies.
Creative Thinking
Apart from injury prevention, yoga also helps the workers to become more creative and efficient. Yoga is known to harmonize the two sides of our brain. The left side of our brain is known to correspond to logical thought and the right side to creative thought. A harmony between the two leads to more creative and fruitful decisions. Corporate yoga programs can help employees boost their creative thinking. Yoga helps to increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain, which can improve cognitive function. Yoga also helps to reduce stress and anxiety, which can allow people to think more clearly and creatively. Corporate yoga programs can offer a variety of benefits to employees, including improved creative thinking.
Coping with Stress
Yoga also improves flexibility and posture and helps infuse a general sense of well-being among its practitioners. Apart from injuries, coping with work-related stress is another big challenge for the employees. Different kinds of pressures are common in today’s work environment. Some of them include interpersonal conflict, stringent deadlines, and other stresses. Since yoga relaxes our nerves and transforms depression and apathy by oxygenating our brain, workers are better able to cope with work-related stress when practicing yoga. This again improves personal performance and helps increase overall productivity and efficiency.
Retaining Quality Employees
One of the benefits of corporate yoga programs is that they help retain quality employees. Studies have shown that employees who feel healthy and happy are more likely to stay with a company. Corporate yoga programs can help improve employee morale and reduce stress levels. They can also increase productivity and concentration. By investing in corporate yoga programs, companies can help ensure that their employees are happy and healthy, and less likely to leave. For this reason alone, forward-thinking companies need a positive environment that attracts the best people. In effect, companies cultivate their own culture. For example, a company with a negative atmosphere is cultivated by encouraging gossip.
Creating a Positive Atmosphere
Of course, corporate yoga programs help create a positive atmosphere in the workplace. After all, raising morale has many positive side effects. Ultimately, yoga helps create a positive atmosphere of improved focus and concentration, and it can also reduce stress and anxiety. Therefore, employees who participate in corporate yoga programs will feel more relaxed and more productive. As has been noted, corporate yoga programs promote team building and communication.
© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
Click here to see our online Yoga Nidra teacher training course.
Are you an experienced teacher looking for YACEP credits or continuing education?
Subscribe to Our Newsletter for Special Discounts and New Products
Related Resources
Yoga Nidra: A Meditative Practice for Deep Relaxation and Healing
Yoga Nidra Scripts: 22 Meditations for Effortless Relaxation, Rejuvenation and Reconnection
52 Essential Principles of Yoga Philosophy to Deepen your Practice
by Rina Jakubowicz
A Relaxing Way to De-stress, Re-energize, and Find Balance
by Gail Boorstein Grossman
YOGA: THE PATH TO HOLISTIC HEALTH
by B.K.S. Iyengar
TEACHING YOGA: Essential Foundations and Techniques
By Mark Stephens
Thank you, Rachel, for this article about corporate yoga programs! This was very interesting because my company is talking about bringing this into our facility. I’ve been doing my daily yoga for months and I feel great, great-great, all yoga teachers at Aura are awesome! 🙂