Why Yoga is Good for Office Workers
and how to do it effectively
If there is one single activity that most of us spend the majority of our adult lives doing, it is work and the chores around it.
As a natural consequence, it’s also one of the most common areas of our lives to be stressed about.
Yoga has been found to be an effective way to deal with a number of workplace issues:
- It helps decrease stress and aggression
- Reduce tension and anxiety
- Improve concentration and focus
- Enhance productivity and creativity
- and, by improving immunity and well-being, reduce absenteeism.
Phew!…
The question is, can we bring the benefits of yoga to the workspace?
In this article we cover just that…
It will also enable us to understand corporate yoga, see its benefits, its price (for companies), and end with suggesting simple poses you can do right where you are, even in your seat.
Here we go!
What is the importance of yoga for employees in the corporate world?
The practice of yoga is important for employees in the corporate world because it gives them tools to manage stress. In addition to that, it helps them improve their physical health, increases immunity, and improves posture.
Stress is something we have learned to live with.
It is no longer surprising when people say they are stressed.
As sad as that is, it has become an indicator of a busy and productive lifestyle.
Excessive stress can lead to minor and major health issues, in addition to impacting productivity at work.
Common problems include headaches, body ache, anxiety, lingering sadness, depression, heart disease, and lack of concentration.
The practice of yoga in the workplace has also been proven to enhance creativity, improve productivity, focus, and the work environment by reducing aggression, and enhancing mood.
What is corporate yoga?
Corporate yoga is taking yoga to the workplace. It is a holistic approach to wellness, and used to take care of both the physical health and mental health of employees. Generally, corporate yoga includes simple yoga poses that help relieve workplace stress, and boost overall health and productivity.
The focus areas for corporate yoga poses are the neck and shoulders, where stress tends to accumulate the most, the lower back, which often experiences pain because of long sitting hours, and the joints in the legs.
It also includes breathing techniques, meditation, and mindfulness techniques.
Some offices have a dedicated space and run classes where employees can take a break and practice as they please.
Others might only have the space for desk yoga, which can be practiced in your cubicle.
What are the benefits of corporate yoga?
Corporate yoga helps with both physical and mental health. Here are all its benefits:
1. Helps reduce back pain
Back pain is one of the most common problems faced by employees who work at desk jobs.
Research shows that yoga eases moderate to severe chronic low back pain.
A one-hour yoga session, once a week can be effective to reduce back pain by stretching and strengthening the muscles that support the back.
2. Lowers the risk of burnout and significantly reduces stress
Yoga practice helps to reduce cortisol and adrenaline, the stress-producing hormones, lowers feelings of anxiety, and calms the nerves.
Frequent and persistent increases in these stress-creating hormones can lead to high blood pressure.
Studies show that people who practice yoga have low cortisol levels, and therefore experience lower perceived stress and blood pressure.
3. Helps reduce negative behaviors in the workplace
Corporate culture can often promote behaviors that exhibit aggression, unhealthy competitiveness, and hostility.
Yoga can help keep these emotions in check by creating mindfulness that helps witness an act in a non-judgmental manner.
Studies show that workplace yoga helps boost positivity, reduce aggression, and improve interpersonal relationships.
4. Boosts immunity and reduces absenteeism
Regular yoga practice helps increase immunity, release toxins, improve blood circulation, and increase the blood flow to all the organs of the body.
Improved health of employees leads to less absenteeism, increased productivity, and a more positive work environment.
5. Increases energy levels and employee morale
Regular yoga practice increases energy levels and employee morale, both resulting in higher productivity.
Morale is correlated with productivity in the workplace. Employees who have higher morale show higher productivity and those with lower morale show lower productivity.
Yoga, through its dynamic movements and full body stretches, increases blood flow throughout the body, thus reducing fatigue and tiredness, and leaving more energy for work.
How much does corporate yoga cost?
Prices for corporate yoga vary to a large extent depending upon the quality of teachers, number of classes per week, duration of the class, number of employees, and length of the contract.
On average, a single corporate yoga class of 60 minutes can cost around $200 for all your employees. Prices can vary from $125 to $300 for a one-hour session and $60 to $150 for a 30-minute session for all your employees.
There are also online corporate yoga classes available that employees can take either in the office or at home if they are working from home.
Online corporate yoga classes can also be cheaper, costing on an average $100 for a 60-minute class, for all your employees.
Is corporate yoga accessible to small and medium companies?
What makes corporate yoga accessible is the fact that no other equipment is needed, other than yoga mats and comfortable clothing.
Specialized space and shower facilities are also not required – some corporates host yoga classes in boardrooms, lunchrooms, or empty office spaces.
Is corporate yoga a good investment?
Corporate yoga also helps employers save money as back pain and musculoskeletal conditions negatively affect the health-related quality of life of employees and generate substantial costs to employers.
A study showed that the probability of yoga being cost-effective for companies was 95%.
After only 6 months, electronic staff records showed that yoga participants missed a total of 2 working days due to musculoskeletal conditions compared with 43 days for usual care participants.
Let us now see what science has to say about the effectiveness of corporate yoga.
Wanna know more? 👉 Here How Much Does a Personal Yoga Instructor Cost? (Avg in USA, Australia, and the UK)
Studies on yoga in the workspace
Several studies have been conducted to prove the effectiveness of yoga in the workplace.
Here are some of them:
- Studies on stress reduction. This study suggests that yoga has a positive effect on health in the workplace, particularly in reducing stress.
- Studies on aggression reduction. Another interesting study shows that yoga can cause a significant reduction in aggression and significant enhancement in positive affectivity.
- Studies on health improvement. National Health Service (NHS) employees in the UK were evaluated for several factors in an 8-week yoga program. The findings show that yoga for NHS employees may enhance health-related quality of life, reduce disability associated with back pain, lower sickness absence due to musculoskeletal conditions, and is likely to be cost-effective.
- Studies on yoga as preventive therapy. This detailed study shows the preventive and therapeutic value of yoga relating to work-related stress, respiratory disorders, cardiovascular disorders, digestive disorders, and genitourinary disorders.
5 Yoga poses to do if you work in an office
Sitting at a desk can be exhausting and stressful.
If you find yourself in front of a screen for most of your waking hours, here are 5 yoga poses that can help you beat the blues.
1. Experience diaphragmatic breathing
This is the easiest, most accessible, and quickest thing to do when you feel that stress might be building up or simply to refresh and rejuvenate yourself.
Sit at the edge of your chair without back support with your back erect.
Make sure your feet are placed flat and firmly on the ground.
You can place one hand gently on your abdomen, close your eyes, and begin to experience your breath.
Find your breath make its way into your belly as you breathe in, and feel your belly collapse as you breathe out.
Repeating this a few times can significantly reduce stress and anchor you to the present moment.
2. Do a few neck and shoulder rolls
Simply make slow and gentle neck rotations, clockwise and then anti-clockwise.
Draw your shoulders up and down a few times.
Stretch your arms in front of you at the level of your chest, clasp your hands when you get there, and then raise your arms up with your hands still clasped.
Repeat this a few times.
These stretches help in relieving tension from the neck and shoulders.
3. Twist on your chair
While seated on your chair, twist on either side, and then hold the pose for 30 to 60 seconds. Remember to breathe deeply while you are there.
You can place your hands on the arm-rest, and if you do not have one, you could hold the back of your chair.
4. Cradle your legs and bend forward
Place the ankle of one leg on the thigh of the other.
Place both hands on the leg that is on top, straighten your back, and slowly and gently bend forward, going only as far as it feels comfortable.
Repeat with the other side.
5. Bend forward
Make some distance between your knees and feet, so they are wider than your hip.
Place each hand on the corresponding thigh.
Straighten your back and on an exhale, and gently bend forward.
If you are able to touch both hands down on the floor, go for it.
Stay there for a few breaths, and slowly, roll up on an inhale.
The takeaway
Yoga in the workplace is the healthiest and least expensive way to boost energy levels, get the creative juices flowing, and also transform the energy in the workplace.
As an employee, the next time you feel like your energy is dipping and you find yourself craving coffee or candy, try a mini yoga break instead!
If you are looking for more yoga in the workplace ideas, this is an interesting sequence to follow.