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I’d like to think we would agree that getting physical activity in our lives is important for our wellbeing. And the kind of activity is really up to the individual. For years, Mr. Bartender and I went to Pilates classes, and we loved them. Then when the pandemic hit, we couldn’t spend time in a Pilates studio, and we had to find something else.
We spent a lot of time looking at options and finally decided to buy a Peloton. Now, I must admit when we first started looking at Peloton, we were concerned about the price. But then we did the math and discovered that a Peloton was cheaper than the Pilates classes we were going to. And the Peloton app offers us other programs like strength training, Pilates, Yoga, stretching, and more. It was a big decision for us to buy a Peloton, but we’re glad we did. It allows us to get the type of exercise we want, when we want, and where we want.
“As the workplace evolves towards a flexible and distributed structure, the ability to connect with your coworkers and teams through shared experiences like fitness is key to addressing feelings of isolation, burnout, loneliness, and depression.”
— Cassidy Rouse, Peloton
I was recently reminded about the importance of employee wellness during SAP’s SuccessFactors event. One of the speakers was Cassidy Rouse, Peloton’s global general manager of corporate wellness, who talked about the connection between wellness programs and employee engagement. I’ve read some articles indicating that getting employees to participate in wellness programs can be a challenge so I asked him if he would share his thoughts here as well. Thankfully, he said yes.
Cassidy, thanks for being here. Let’s start by talking about the connection between employee wellness, engagement, and business outcomes?
[Rouse]It is more important now than ever before for companies to be committed to providing employees access to innovative mental and physical health resources. In a recent study, 77% of employees say that new benefits would help improve wellbeing and ease stress. Investing in the health and wellness of your people is no longer an option. It is a requirement.
We believe that the wellness of any company’s employees is prerequisite to positive business outcomes. That’s why we started Peloton Corporate Wellness to enable other companies to grow into their best selves – starting with the wellness of their own team members.
Peloton goes way beyond just fitness as members not only gain physical benefits, but also reported improved mental health, higher workplace engagement, and productivity. We surveyed members in the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany, and 83% of respondents felt more accomplished, 65% reported better mental health and over 60% felt more productive and focused on work when using Peloton.
When some people think of Peloton, they might immediately think about the Bike. How is Peloton contributing to employee wellness beyond the Bike?
[Rouse] We go beyond being just a ‘Bike’ company – we’re a health and wellness company that uses a thoughtful integration of hardware, software, and content to empower our 6+ million community to be the best versions of themselves. And as I mentioned, we’re hearing from our member community that Peloton is having a remarkable impact on their physical and mental wellbeing.
Peloton’s inclusive community is what makes us unique, and ultimately the best member experience in wellness. Peloton Corporate Wellness has the unique opportunity for organizations to bring benefits that prioritize their workforce’s overall health and wellness – while also investing in company culture – by helping drive employee engagement and retention.
You mentioned the Peloton community. One aspect to Peloton is the “leaderboard,” which tracks our individual progress and within the group. How can organizations use leaderboards to help promote individual wellness? How can individuals use the leaderboard to improve their personal wellness?
[Rouse]If you’re a Peloton member, you’ve likely heard the phrase ‘together we go far’ during one of your classes. It’s one of the core values that guides our organization, and it perfectly sums up how a group of individuals working hard towards their goals can ultimately work together to reach an even bigger one.
While the Peloton leaderboard allows for some friendly competition among members, it also enables members to connect, support and inspire each other through high-fives and #Tags – a popular feature where members can create or join a group. We’ve heard that many colleagues – whether they were on different teams or continents – began creating company and team-based tags to connect with their colleagues and others within the same industry.
As the workplace evolves towards a flexible and distributed structure, the ability to connect with your coworkers and teams through shared experiences like fitness is key to addressing feelings of isolation, burnout, loneliness, and depression. Peloton’s community-based approach is perfectly positioned to drive this new wave of corporate wellness programs.
I believe that one of the challenges when it comes to wellness is travel. Sometimes our schedule isn’t our own. Travelers might be reluctant to work out in a hotel gym while we’re still in a pandemic. How can people bring (and keep) wellness in their lives when traveling?
[Rouse] Nothing can disrupt your fitness routine like a busy travel itinerary. At Peloton, we believe in meeting our members wherever they are and making it easy to find the right workout that fits your schedule.
- If you feel comfortable heading to the fitness center, our Hotel Finder tool will help you find all the hotels that have Peloton Bikes at your desired destination. Or if you prefer the comfort of your hotel room, the Peloton app – which is available on phones, tablets, smart TVs, and the web – provides access to thousands of live and on-demand classes – including yoga, HIIT, strength training, and meditation – with no equipment needed.
- Also, if you happen to be a Delta flyer – you may notice that you’ll be able to meditate and stretch while in the clouds with free Peloton classes on all Delta Air Lines flights equipped with seatback entertainment globally.
It’s one thing to initiate a wellness program, and it’s another to get employees excited about participating. What are 2-3 things that organizations can do to get employees committed to using a corporate wellness program?
[Rouse]There’s never been a more challenging time to be a people leader as it has forced companies to rethink what employees need to be happy, healthy, and productive. Because when there’s a theme of uncertainty, which is what the pandemic brought, the biggest resource someone can be provided is flexibility – especially as people rightfully prioritize their mental health and wellness.
- Employee wellness programs cannot be one-size-fits-all. They need to provide personalized experiences that are accessible across multiple devices and platforms, and inclusive of all lifestyle and fitness preferences. So, whether you’re at home or in the office – and no matter where you are in your wellness journey – you should be able to access the physical or mental exercise that fits your schedule and level.
- The program needs to be rooted in a community-based approach. One of the unfortunate results from the pandemic was employees’ increased feelings of isolation, being physically fatigued, stressed and disengaged from work. For several months, we were hearing from organizations that their employers were using the Peloton platform to maintain company culture and build a community within their organization by interacting with colleagues, combat burnout, and fatigue.
- Lastly, the program needs to be fun and intuitive. Employees are consumers too and they have high expectations for the products they use – even in the workplace. Peloton provides the best experience in fitness by making it entertaining, approachable, engaging, and convenient. And the results speak for themselves, with over 16 workouts per connected fitness membership per month, and as of last week, our members have taken over 1 billion classes!
I want to thank Cassidy for sharing his knowledge about corporate wellness programs and educating us on the Peloton brand. If you want to learn more about Peloton’s Corporate Wellness offerings, you can check out their website. Organizations like Accenture, Nasdaq, and Samsung are offering Peloton wellness options to their employees.
As Cassidy mentioned, employee wellness programs need to be flexible for them to be utilized. And we want employees to use them – not just because we’re paying for an employee benefit – but because wellness benefits both the individual and the bottom-line.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby somewhere off the coase of Miami, FL
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