I launched a discussion last year on Linked In with various Corporate Wellness and Yoga related groups asking people how to tap into the Corporate Wellness space in Los Angeles. Until recently my questions went unanswered.  Interestingly enough my discussion is now generating eyeballs and things are getting juicy! I wanted to share some of the insights coming through.

First of all, I see a few things happening in the marketplace resulting in this shift of interest.

On the Yoga side of things…

1) Yoga is a huge business and growing rapidly

2) Teachers are graduating teacher trainings at a rapid rate and can’t find work in studios anymore

3) Studios aren’t paying well so Yogis are turning to Corporations with larger budgets

4) Yoga instructors are getting more business savvy and joining Linked In and other social media platforms to help them grow their business

On the corporate side of things…

1) Employees are generating more demand for wellness since they spend so much time at work

2) In general people are becoming more aware of their health and wellness

3) Health care and sick days are expensive for the employer so it benefits corporations to keep their employees healthy

4) Yoga is now an accepted, respectable and understood practice, which helps the HR department to sell it

According to leading wellness industry consultant and prolific writer John Bates, “most people spend more hours at work than anywhere else in addition to the time they spend commuting each day. In fact, the typical American works approximately 47 hours a week which is at least 164 hours more than the average 20 years ago.”

If we are spending so much time at work, don’t we want to feel good? I ask my friends every so often if their companies would support a wellness program. Usually, I get these answers:

1) I don’t know

2) It’s not my job, maybe…

3) They are too cheap

4) They don’t know what Yoga is

5) I don’t think anyone has much time

Maybe my friends don’t care much about Yoga or maybe they don’t care much about their bodies. Or, if they do care about their bodies and Yoga perhaps they prefer to get the hell out of work and go to the studio for some peace and quiet!  But, my friends may not have kids, play dates, partners, and countless other things to rush home to that keep them from exercising.

I’ve decided now when I go to a party I am going to ask my friends for the name and number of their HR Director.  You ask, “Why should an HR person care about all this?” and I respond with more of John Bates’ great information!

“Given these statistics (referencing 47 hours a week average time spent at work), it is easy to see why maintaining a healthy work / life balance is becoming increasingly important. Corporate wellness programs are important tools to establish this balance. Programs that emphasize the benefits of corporate wellness can be implemented in a variety of ways.

However, they all share a common goal – to promote the well-being of their employees, employers and organization in general. Many companies are starting to realize the tremendous benefits of corporate wellness.

One of the primary benefits of corporate wellness involves a reduction in the rates of illness and injuries among employees. Unhealthy employees experience a wide range of work-related injuries such as muscle strain, carpal tunnel syndrome, stress fractures or back pain. These individuals are also susceptible to developing complications such as diabetes, heart disease or a stroke. Employees without the opportunity to participate in corporate wellness programs may develop serious illnesses. Consequently, they could find themselves on long-term disability for an extended period of time or be forced to discontinue working entirely.

In addition, …corporate wellness programs also lead to a reduction in employee absenteeism. Employees who are stressed, unhealthy or overworked tend to become sick much more often than healthy employees.

When programs that focus on the benefits of corporate wellness are implemented, this rate can be drastically reduced. For example, Coors Brewing Company experienced a remarkable 18% decrease in employee absenteeism after implementing a corporate wellness program within their workplace.

Another benefit of corporate wellness programming is a reduction in the cost of healthcare. When employees are healthy and less stressed they tend to rely less on costly programs such as disability insurance and sick leave.

Companies will notice a significant decrease in healthcare costs once they incorporate wellness programs into their workplace. For example, after implementing a fitness program in which only 60% of the employees participated, Coca-Cola was able to save $500 per employee every year.

Increased productivity is another benefit of corporate wellness. Employees who are happy and healthy tend to produce a greater volume of work at a higher quality than unhealthy employees. Employers need to realize that implementing programs that lower fitness and stress levels will increase the overall output of their employees.

Corporate wellness programs also contribute to the enhanced retention of key employees. Companies that implement wellness programs normally experience a much lower rate of employee turnover. Recruiting, marketing and advertising for vacant positions are very costly, not to mention time-consuming. If your employees are happy and healthy and enjoy working at your company, you will be able to focus more time and energy on actually getting the job done.

The bottom line is you should take advantage of the benefits of corporate wellness. Make it a goal to implement a program as soon as possible – don’t wait until most of your employees are stressed, sick or applying to other jobs. You will experience a reduction in employee injuries, illness, absenteeism and healthcare costs, as well as an increase in employee retention and productivity. Assuming responsibility for establishing a healthy, harmonious working environment will allow everyone to enjoy the benefits of corporate wellness.“

There are great websites out there like John’s that provide HR leaders with presentations, information and proposals for download that will help sell these programs to their company!  Can it get any easier than that? If the HR Director doesn’t have time to put a presentation together then as Yoga Instructors we can be proactive and create one for them.

For the HR leaders out there, Yoga instructors can be flexible with any working arrangement.  Not only are we flexible on the mat, we are in the mind!

Now, I want to share some of the great feedback that I have received on this discussion just to get the wheels turning for both Yogis and HR Directors!

From a member of the Linked In Group who is an ex HR Director:

1. Be very clear about what you can offer and what it can do for individuals and therefore, the company. Find and sell benefits – not just features! Don’t take on more than you can effectively deliver, so find companies with a head count that you can properly manage, evaluate and report back on.

2. Determine what kinds of problems companies need to resolve; some will just want to comply with regulations: some will be running employee engagement programs – some may have issues with absenteeism, sick days, low morale – find the problems that you confidently feel your offering addresses and align with those.

3. Create ways of delivering your work that will be acceptable to the client at an operational level, (e.g. flexible timings, a mix of delivery options) and also find ways of showing results. This is usually very important to organisations – not always of course – some will invest for pure altruism – but most will find your services easier to justify when they can easily justify what they have spent on you.

4. Align yourself with professional bodies in your specialist field to increase your credibility.

5. Budget – well, you’re the one who has to determine how much money you want to make. Once you’re clear about this, you need to calculate how much your programs will cost and then you can more easily identify who can afford your services. The best thing is always to ask – “How much have you in your budget for this” – once you get face-to-face with a potential client. Ideally, you are probably looking at organisations who have a legal duty of care to their staff, and there is no doubt a minimum headcount for that in the U.S. as there is in the U.K. which would at least give you a criteria to search on, when you start to identify your potential clients.

Another great participant in the discussion:

“It really helps having a business background as you can relate to the needs of the business and deliver something that fits in with a busy, buzzy office world.”

A Linked In member offered this:

“I teach regular weekly classes at a health club and a community center. From time to time I mention to my students that I am available to come to their companies or organization for a private class. Even without mentioning it often, I have had students approach me asking for it. Once you develop loyal students who appreciate your teaching style, they will want to share you with others.

I have found teaching in the corporate environment very rewarding. As a former corporate person myself, I can relate to the stress levels. You can see a visible difference in the energy they bring into the room, versus how they leave the practice. Yoga is for everyone, but especially needed in this environment. And, it is a nice way to be well compensated as a teacher. Win-win.”

I love this idea too:

“What I think would be great is some sharing of real-world “case studies” and examples of how the disciplines of yoga have been successfully integrated into a corporate environment, with evidence of the benefits [ideally in terms of increased productivity, improved relationships and collaboration, improved organizational performance, etc.].”

Thank you to everyone for participating in the Linked In group forums.  I really find the discussions to be so rewarding, purposeful and enlightening.

On a final personal note, I have an interest in this topic because I started my Yoga practice as a result of being overworked, stressed and in lots of physical pain while in a corporate environment.  So, I get it!  I really want to help people find the peace, happiness and joy that I did. That is why I got my teaching certifications.  I want to give back what I so humbly have received from this amazing Universe!

Thank you to John Bates for your wonderful information!  John is a leading wellness industry consultant and prolific writer about all aspects of health and wellness programs. His work can be found on numerous wellness websites including his own: Wellness Proposals, Infinite Wellness Solution’s and Infinite Health Coach.

Blessings!

This came into my mailbox this morning from Manifest Mastermind’s Steve Pohlit and I just thought it was fabulously well put! I wanted to share it with you!

“How Unconditional Love Raises Your Internal Thermostat For Success”

A previous message  focused on the importance of a positive vibrational state. In summary, when we are in alignment with the energy vibration that comes from the feelings we know we would have when our dreams are manifest, then those dreams are manifest and will show up. There are no exceptions although it can seem like there are.

Unconditional love is a way to elevate your positive vibrational energy to the stars. Being in a state of unconditional love is also a challenge for many of us depending on what we are experiencing.

Think about this, if you are man (or if not ask one of your male friends) how comfortable you are saying I Love You to anther male?Consider the last time you heard about a tragedy. Could be abuse,murder or some other act against life’s right to live in freedom and peace. Imagine being able to say I Love You to the cause of that act which is opposite your value system.

Here is the lesson and opportunity for us all. Understanding we are all one at the level of Source energy is very helpful. In our culture and belief system we have many names for this Source including, God and Divine Energy. Every resource book in the Manifest Mastermind library refers to this Oneness and one in particular spends quite a few pages on this topic.

The book Conversations With God by Neale Donald Walsch provide great insight as well as the books by Esther and Jerry Hicks. The Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton may help those who would like more scientific evidence of our Source energy.

Once you believe Oneness in the literal sense meaning you understand that the Divine Source Energy is in all then it is easy
to express and feel the words “I Love You” because we are expressing that love for the Divine Source energy in another even while possibly being repulsed by the physical act of that person.

You have just received very important information. By practicing the deep feeling of I Love You for another regardless of their
appearance and actions you will naturally raising your vibrational level. You have heard “what goes around comes around.” In this instance we are sending out positive vibrations when we say I Love You even if it is silent. As you learned these positive vibrations are multiplied and come back to us.

Practice I Love You. If you are a man, go ahead and tell another man I Love You. Get out of your comfort zone. Women do this also but normally this seems easier for woman. Also the next time hear of a story or see something that is just not right, send love to essence of the people involved.

Manifest Mastermind teaches and provide you all the tools,processes and resources for you to transform your life. It is your responsibility to follow the guidance to allow your pure potentiality to flow free without the blocks of fear, stress, anger and other negative emotions.

When you are in the positive vibrational state, then you are in the best place to help another achieve what they want and allow the multiplier effect to kick into high gear.  You’ll have the cooperation of the Universe. You simply have to play your role.

Sending you energy of peace, happiness, prosperity, unconditional love…

Steve Pohlit, Founder
Manifest Mastermind

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This email came to me today and I wanted to repost it, cause it was really nicely written and a great reminder for us of why Spring is really the new year, energetically!

REPOST:  From the Editor of LA Yoga Magazine

The spring equinox, the first full moon of the season, Passover and now the renewal weekend of Easter are all part of our current experience. In many ways, this season is the true New Year, and we feel this intention with the day lengthening upon each sunrise and sunset. We have the opportunity this season to commit and recommit to what is important to us and to plant seeds in our lives just as we take these moments to plant seeds in the ground that is becoming warmer and more inviting each day.

We also have the opportunity to pause and take a deep breath and ask ourselves how we are nourishing and nurturing ourselves and our community amidst the messages around us of despair and division. We can give into the confusion that is part of what many people see as shifting paradigms and priorities or we can be creative, valuing collaboration and cooperation. We ensure that we are taking good care of ourselves first, getting the rest we need, in order to support our family and community. We can come back to our practice, whatever it may be, as an anchor of support, as a way that we positively cultivate the relationship we have with ourselves.

The relationship we have with ourselves is the longest-lasting and most powerful relationship we have throughout our entire lives. And this relationship informs all of our other relationships, so let it be a healthy, joyous and nourishing one.

In collaboration and with wishes for a creative spring,

Felicia Marie Tomasko, RN
LA Yoga Magazine, Editor in Chief

We did a little newsletter revamping recently, creating a NicolePresents Version 2.0. It’s cool ’cause its our second year in business as of March 17th, so it all worked out quite nicely.  Yeah, we’ve been working in this industry for a while, but we got official with the government license on St Patty’s Day last year…in a drunken stupor…no, not really, but sounds good doesn’t it?

Our newsletters, depending on which one you sign up for may include witty banter, event listings, recommendations, guest list spots, free giveaways and more! We only send it out 2x’s per month. Sign up below!

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Wellness Millionaires ~ This can be you!

Reposted …by Glory Ramsey