Research shows that we will spend over 90,000 hours of our lifetime at work. Working and being in the workplace takes up more than 60% of our waking hours. As the pace of modern life has increased and advances in technology mean we are able to work anywhere at anytime, this has blurred the boundaries between work and play.
Stress is now a modern epidemic whilst stats show that musculoskeletal problems are disabling (excuse the pun), many workplaces. We take a look at the pioneering businesses revolutionising the workplace.
BEST FOR… WORKPLACE WELLNESS – WELL AWARE
Well Aware is the UK’s leading provider of innovative workplace wellbeing solutions. They believe that in order to make long-lasting positive change, it starts with education; engaging, equipping and empowering the individual with the necessary tools and skills so they can thrive at work.
With their own unique philosophy, ‘Well Mind + Well Body = Well Being,’ it’s this holistic approach which is embedded throughout their services that is part of the secret formula of their success. As the Wellness industry has become increasingly saturated, Well Aware have created their own programmes that cut through all the noise and pseudoscience, drawing on the latest scientific research. The result? A series of credible, accessible, and life-changing programmes which can be delivered in a number of formats to meet the demands and needs of your workforce.
Whilst they have global ambitions to become the world’s leading and most impactful corporate wellbeing provider, their founder Bex Fairbother explains that their “current focus is to make Britain’s workforce the healthiest, happiest and most productive it has ever been. In doing so, we believe everybody wins.” Bex is clearly onto something as Duncan Selbie, the Chief Executive at Public Health England recently remarked that, “Everyone benefits from a healthier workforce: employees, who will enjoy better health and be less likely to be off sick; employers, who will reap the benefits of increased productivity; and the NHS, which will have less poor health to deal with.” It’s the strong vision and unwavering passion that Well Aware has to transform the lives of the people they work with that had led to their success.
BEST FOR… COWORKING SPACE – HAUS
For the entrepreneurs out there looking for a fun and affordable place to work, HAUS may be the workplace for you. Creating exclusive spaces for working, meeting and socialising, Haus takes over restaurants, nightclubs and other hidden spaces, which are empty during the working day, transforming them into innovative coworking hubs.
Haus’ first ‘takeover’ is in Holborn, Central London at the restaurant Sway and already has a loyal client-base. Their aim is to build a community of members who not only share the same workspace but can also share ideas and feel inspired. No longer is there a need to work in a packed coffee shop with unpredictable internet connection. Haus guarantees space, reliable wi-fi and free coffee, all for £100 plus VAT a month – the start-up dream!
BEST FOR… TEAM LUNCHES – FEEDR
For those who are always tied up in back-to-back meetings over the lunch hours, often forfeiting your nutrition and potentially derailing your productivity in the afternoon, Feedr will ensure you and your team don’t have to compromise on a healthy lunch. Gone are the days when lunch was a rich source of beige, lacking in any greens or vegetables. We all now know the benefits of a diet rich in vegetables and Feedr wants to ensure you not only get fed but will also get the vital nutrients you need to stay focused throughout the day.
A curated online marketplace bringing together over 100 healthy, nutritious food and snack vendors, Feedr are creating a new way for people to access high-quality food on a regular basis at their workplace. They are the only aggregator focused on health and nutrition and use a distinct operations model to enable access to nutrient-dense meals at more affordable prices.
Since launching in early 2016, Feedr have grown rapidly, serving 1000s of meals to companies and employees in London. Pick from 100+ carefully selected caterers, restaurants and eateries including: The Detox Kitchen, Deliciously Ella Delis, Bel-Air and Farmstand. You can also customise group orders to the needs of your office – genius!
BEST FOR… INDIVIDUAL, TAILORED NUTRITION – SPRING GREEN LONDON
Do you lead a busy lifestyle and struggle to find time to meal prep but want to keep on top of your nutrition? Spring Green London is the brainchild of Bonnie Stowell, a Michelin-star-trained-chef who has seen first-hand the positive and transformational effects a good diet can have on you.
Spring Green London came to inception after Bonnie took it upon herself to devise her father an eating plan rich in plant-based food when he was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. Years of working late, relying on pre-packaged and processed foods had contributed to her father’s disease and it was through her low sugar, nutrient-rich meals that Bonnie helped reduce his symptoms; normalising his sugar levels, leaving him looking younger and feeling better than ever.
Bonnie’s experience of the power of fresh, nutrient-rich, multitasking foods and this keen awareness of the power of food to shape our health has fundamentally shaped the ethos of the company. Spring Green London is not about fads or quick fixes; it’s intelligent eating for the future, the perfect antidote to busy modern lifestyles where good nutrition can sometimes be overlooked and sidelined when work and other commitments take over. Where do you we sign up?
words by Rebecca Fairbrother