The Hottest Place to Network Is an Ice Bath

“The amount of meetings is actually absurd, considering this is a spa,” said Jonathan Leary, the founder of Remedy Place.

Part of the appeal is straightforward: As the world attempts to emerge from the pandemic — and as viruses such as RSV and those that cause the flu and Covid-19 continue to heavily circulate — companies know it makes business sense to prioritize the health of their clients and employees. A 2022 study conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management in collaboration with other groups, for example, found that 88 percent of H.R. professionals believed offering mental health resources could increase productivity, and 86 percent said it could increase employee retention.

“People are sicker than they’ve ever been,” Dr. Leary said. “Business owners are starting to realize how backwards it is to say, ‘OK, for our Christmas party or team gathering or corporate retreat, let’s go booze them up and make them overindulge, which is a depressant and will slow them down.’”

Another part of the appeal is novelty.

“No one is interested in team yoga anymore,” said Kane Sarhan, a founder at the Well, a retreat with locations in New York City and Washington, Conn., which attracts companies from Boston. “It’s much more dynamic stuff like IVs, group support circles, sound baths, energy work.”

Mr. Sarhan said Fortune 100 companies and big financial firms are using the Well’s facilities for sales meetings, team events and client get-togethers.

“We’ve been teaching them tapping and palm reading,” he said. “People are exhausted and people have been sick. It’s the responsibility of leaders to help teams deal with it, and giving a discount on a gym membership or a quiet room in an office isn’t cutting it so they are coming to us.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/31/business/wellness-retreats-business.html