The trend of focusing on the wellness lifestyle approach has been gaining popularity as millennials, a generation putting importance on balancing self-care with work-life, come into positions of leadership in their various industries. Over the past few years, we’ve seen this trend grow exponentially, and with exciting results.
Wellness as a part of one’s overall lifestyle began as a set of activities distinctly separate from work: going to the gym before heading to the office, meal-prepping on Sundays for weekday lunches, getting a monthly massage at the spa down the street, meeting your mentor for coffee or a drink after office hours, pitching in at the local nonprofit every other Saturday, etc. As millennials reached their 20s and 30s and started to become business owners, entrepreneurs, and executives, they began integrating these separate wellness activities into the workplace, and the larger world is catching on.
In addition to integrating aspects of wellness into existing workplaces, we’ve seen a movement towards creating businesses with wellness integration already in mind. Millennials are looking to build workplaces that encourage team members to create a community inside the building but outside of traditional work interactions (such as meetings, corporate-type team building activities, or simple team lunches). The idea is to enjoy a work-life balance that includes an office and community that offers a sort of one-stop-shop for wellness and individual prosperity.
Among the types of businesses spearheading this marriage of work and life are co-working spaces, tech-minded companies, and establishment in industries already focused on some kind of wellness or relaxation (spas, gym, etc.). As the trend grows further into the public consciousness, the idea of what can be added is expanding. Some of the popular offerings include yoga, mentorship groups, fitness programs, meditation, access to other wellness activities, and even co-living opportunities. In many cases, trainers, nutritionists, and organization gurus are signing on to join teams of wellness experts, adding another layer of integration to the more tangible offerings.
This trend is expected to continue. Millennials are now the largest demographic in the labor force, and they tend to prize experiences over material things. As they increase their positions in business and services, we see the landscape of work-life balance continues to evolve. Rebecca Parekh, the founder of Manhattan’s The Well, is fond of saying that “it takes a village” to stay well. It looks like all of our villages are going to grow a bit more in the foreseeable future. We definitely think this is for the best.
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