The warmer weather allows to move the companies’ wellbeing programs outdoors.
Many wellbeing activities can be adapted to this outdoor format.
The physical, cognitive and relational benefits are numerous,
profoundly changing the atmosphere at work.
The warmer weather allows to move the companies’ wellbeing programs outdoors.
Many wellbeing activities can be adapted to this outdoor format.
The physical, cognitive and relational benefits are numerous,
profoundly changing the atmosphere at work.
As the temperatures rise and the days lengthen, a discreet but powerful invitation is felt: to get out!
Out of the office, out of gray, confined environments, out of artificial light, out of the hustle and bustle. To enjoy the sunshine, the fresh oxygen, the gentle wind on one’s face, the green, soothing nature, the open and quiet spaces.
These revitalizing outdoor activities don’t have to be restricted to after-hours team recreation.
On the contrary, many companies are taking the opportunity to move their quality of working life programs beyond the office walls – into a park, a forest, an inner courtyard, and so on.
These moments in the open air, even if they’re only occasional, have surprisingly profound effects on the body, mind and collective dynamic.
According to a study published in Nature Scientific Reports, spending even just two hours a week in the great outdoors has been shown to significantly improve physical and mental wellbeing.
The effects are even more marked when the natural environment is combined with a gentle activity such as walking, yoga or meditation.
Reaching this target of two hours a week is perfectly feasible for companies, where these moments of wellbeing in open air act as natural levers for stress regulation.
The benefits of such a breath of fresh air can be as great as those of a multi-day seminar, and at a completely different cost!
Practicing a wellbeing activity outdoors acts as a spontaneous form of digital detox. By leaving the screen and the digital environment, attention is refocused on the body, breathing and the landscape.
This temporary technological distance regulates stress and restores cognitive capacity.
A very natural moment of mindfulness, with all the senses awake.
There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest.
Use both and overlook neither.”
— Alan Cohen
Four days spent in nature without exposure to screens results in a no less than 50% increase in creativity and problem-solving performance.
Even in much shorter formats – such as two hours in the forest – the benefits of a “digitox” can already be felt.
The benefits are not limited to the cognitive domain. They can also be observed in the body.
A study on forest bathing, for example, revealed a significant drop in cortisol levels – a stress hormone – after two hours spent in a natural environment, compared to an urban environment.
Other research by Prof. Craig Anderson points in the same direction: natural environments activate the parasympathetic nervous system, linked to rest, digestion and empathy.
The effect is direct, profound and long-lasting.
These outdoor wellbeing activities are also an opportunity to meet in a different way, without hierarchies or agendas, in a calm and stimulating setting. Bringing a breath of fresh air into business relationships as well.
By getting away from the usual framework, each one can show himself in a different light: more relaxed, more available, more willing to listen. Barriers come down, exchanges flow more smoothly, and bonds are forged.
This human reconnection nurtures trust, a fundamental element of good collaboration.
Some companies even observe, after these moments shared in nature, a revival of creativity in meetings, better inter-team cooperation, and more authentic day-to-day communication.
All tangible benefits that extend beyond the activity itself.
The idea of creating wellbeing activities for teams is appealing, and the effects are obvious, but is it really easy to implement?
Outdoor wellbeing activities adapt easily to different settings and formats.
From simple, short daily recharging moments, to activities to boost employees’ slumbering energy, to staff days with a teambuilding in nature, the range of possibilities is wide.
Some activities require no equipment at all. Others require only a gym mat or a massage chair, easily transportable and supplied by the wellbeing provider.
Even under unpredictable weather conditions, certain activities such as walking or forest bathing are perfectly feasible. Often, all you need is a good coat.
“It’s amazing how much better you
breathe when there’s no ceiling!”– participant in a Yoga@Office
wellbeing day in a park
Organizing this type of outdoor wellbeing activity is both simple and highly beneficial.
Whether you want to offer yoga classes or massages organized by professionals like Yoga@Office. Or simply take a lunchtime stroll with a few colleagues, or organize a picnic under the trees.
It’s even possible to organize certain meetings in this way. After all, a meeting standing under a tree isn’t weird – it’s trendy!
Not to forget of course the importance of an attractive and effective internal communication around this. In the end, the point is to capture as much of the teams’ interest as possible and encourage them to participate fully in these outdoor wellbeing activities.
Need inspiration for organizing
these moments of wellbeing in the great outdoors?
Get in touch with us!
We’d be delighted to discuss
how to pamper your teams.
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