Free yoga and meditation at work doesn’t seem to be beneficial for workers, a study has found.But the pay could be better

In the 2010s, Silicon Valley startups became known not only for product innovation but also for transforming office culture. Specifically, the idea of ​​offering “wellness benefits” has become the norm. Since then, dozens of companies have gone viral for offering in-office yoga, its mental health benefits, ball pits in the break room, and even nap time. Although a bit infantilizing at times, the aim was to improve employee happiness and productivity, as stress, anxiety and burnout have become frequently discussed phenomena over the past decade.

Yet another study published last month found that these so-called “wellness perks” that have dominated work culture for the past decade do not improve happiness and perhaps serve as the final nail in the coffin for a new chapter in health care. It turned out that it was. It is inseparable from work.

The study, published in the Industrial Relations Journal, examined the outcomes of 90 different health interventions across 46,336 workers in 233 organizations. In the study, author William J. Fleming, a fellow at the Center for Wellbeing Research at the University of Oxford, asked, “Do participants in individual-level mental well-being interventions at work have higher levels of well-being? ?” he asked. If so, and if not, how and why?

Using data from responses to the UK’s Healthiest Workplaces survey in 2017 and 2018, the study looked at the benefits of relaxation practices, time management, coaching, financial wellbeing programmes, wellbeing apps, online coaching, sleep and more. types of health interventions have been found to be effective. Apps and sleep events – Employee health did not improve.

In an interview, Fleming told Salon that his results were surprising because these programs were so popular. Individually, many of the benefits offered have been shown to have positive effects on people’s health.

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“But personally I can’t say I’m that surprised,” he said. “There was quite a bit of criticism of personalized approaches in general, and there was a hunch that these programs were not compatible with working conditions.”

In fact, this study is not the first to examine the impact of wellness benefits in the workplace context. In 2022, the Illinois Workplace Wellness Study, a large-scale randomized controlled trial of wellness programs at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will track approximately 5,000 employees and provide them with wellness programs such as exercise, tai chi, and financial wellness classes. We looked into how different focused programs work. It affected their health and had equally disappointing results. Another study published in 2019 also raised concerns about the effectiveness of such programs. Fleming’s research suggested that organizational and structural changes in the workplace, such as changes in schedules, management practices, staff resources, performance appraisals, and performance reviews, would lead to happier employees.

“The biggest lesson is that individualized strategies do not improve employee happiness,” he said. “Without first seriously addressing working conditions, organizational practices and culture.”

Remarkably, the only “perk” that improved happiness was volunteering. Asked why this worked while others did not, Fleming said it was likely because it increased “workers’ sense of purpose.”

“By making their work more meaningful or giving them meaning outside of their work,” he says. “It can also give you time away from your regular job, increase your social opportunities, and develop new skills. It depends on the type of volunteering opportunity.”

Ryan Farley told Salon in an email that he previously worked for a company that offered mental health and wellness benefits as part of its benefits package. While he was grateful to have access to them, he said at the end of the day, he wanted to make more money.

“The health benefits that were available to me included an in-office masseuse, guided meditation sessions, and access to therapy,” he said. “But in the end, I think making more money would have made my life easier in more important ways than doing meditation sessions in the office.”

Lindsey Lalonde, a Canadian resident, told Salon in an email that workplace health for her would mean “flexible work hours, increased paid time off, and recognition.”

“Many wellness benefits are targeted at specific types of people, typically health-conscious people who are interested in meditation, yoga, fitness, etc.,” she said. “That’s great, but not everyone thinks about health that way. And who has the time for that?”

A growing body of research supports the case for the four-day work week. A study published last year in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that employees are more likely to engage in physical activity on their days off, which makes them physically healthier. Another study found that higher minimum wages were associated with better health outcomes. Although some studies say that money does not equate to happiness (though there is some debate about that), access to basic needs and social determinants of health such as housing and education can improve health. There is an international consensus that it is good.

Fleming said the study further strengthens the argument that work should be considered as a “determinant of health and well-being.”

“I think in the future we will see a reconsideration of the fundamental aspects of work: pay, contracts, schedules, management, relationships with colleagues, workload, etc.,” he said. “Workplaces have been part of public health policy for decades, but [and] I don’t think that will ever go away. ”