Yoga at work

“80% of people feel stress on the job, and nearly 40% say they need help in managing stress.” – Gallup Poll.

Yoga is becoming increasingly popular in the workplace. Many companies now recognize the value of yoga and are offering free classes to their employees as part of their stress reduction and corporate wellness programs during the workday. A study released this year by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine found 62 percent of all companies – ranging from small to medium and large -offer some type of wellness program, most including yoga and/or meditation. According to Yoga Journal, such companies include Chase Manhattan Bank, Forbes, HBO, GE, Wall Street brokerage firms, and dozens of Fortune 500’s like Nike, Apple, Harpo, Motorola, Google, Forbes, and General Motors. The benefits that yoga offers employees can translate into valuable assets for businesses; namely, higher employee morale, increased productivity, and fewer sick days and disability claims. Yoga can be a positive influence on ones ability to concentrate, gain confidence, and reduce stress.

All these things lead to more a more productive, harmonious work environment. But that’s not the only benefit to companies. Providing yoga for employees can significantly cut operating costs. Recent research indicates that companies who offer yoga and wellness programs to their employees reduce their annual health insurance premiums, and thereby improve their bottom line. According to a recent study on worksite health programs, corporations realized $3 – $6 in savings for every $1 invested in wellness programs. The same study showed more than a 25% average reduction in health-care costs for well-designed programs (American Journal of Health Promotion). Why offer Yoga Classes at Work? Offering yoga classes at work is a low-cost and innovative solution for companies wanting to reduce health care expenses, relieve workplace stress and promote employee well-being. The performance of a corporation depends on the performance of its key assets—employees. Healthy employees are more productive and more cost effective.

Benefits for the Company:

 • Job stress costs U.S. companies about $300 billion annually through absenteeism, diminished productivity, employee turnover and direct medical, legal and insurance fees. (The American Institute for Stress)
• Stress is the cause of nearly 90% of doctor visits in the U.S. (The American Institute for Stress)
• Companies lose $2-$3 in productivity for every $1 spent on direct employee medical costs. (National Safety Council)
 • Companies spend $14,000 per employee per year on medically related productivity losses.

(CorSolutions, Inc.) Benefits of Yoga for Employees:
• Improves concentration, decision-making skills and ability to multi-task
• Reduces multiple costs of stress-related illnesses and absenteeism
• Improves employee alertness and productivity and ability to react more calmly in demanding situations
• Relieves head, neck and back strain, carpal tunnel syndrome, insomnia, high blood pressure and work-related injuries from repetitive motion and/or lifting and moving objects
• Creates better customer service
• Enhances employee attitude and outlook
• Promotes well-being in the workplace and reduces employee turnover