The modern office isn't exactly the picture of health: Most of us spend 8+ hours a day tethered to our seats, fixated on our screens, and sheepishly trying to avoid break room donuts and friendly co-workers' candy jars.
But more and more companies know that healthy employees mean happy, productive employees—and so they're offering programs and perks to encourage wellness all day long (think treadmill desks and free stress-relieving massages!).
If you're looking for a new place to call work-home, check out these benefits that make the office a much, much healthier place to be.
1. Get Some Shut-Eye
It's becoming common wisdom that getting enough sleep is important to functioning at your best (AOL exec Arianna Huffington often speaks out about the issue!).
So, we love that companies are now offering "nap rooms," where employees can take a quick, refreshing siesta any time of day. We'd love to curl up in one of these sleep pods that are stationed at the offices of AOL and NY-based startup Yext.
2. Stay Healthy at Your Desk
Feel like you never have time to get to the gym? At Palo Alto-based startup imo, employees have the option to use treadmill desks, so they can get some exercise while they're reading or stuck on the phone. Can you say multi-tasking?
3. Take a Break
Remember recess? Sometimes, you'd want to run around and get crazy, and others, you'd just want to play some games with your friends. At education company Chegg, staffers can do both: The Silicon Valley office boasts a world-class gym, plus a mini-golf course, an oversized chess board, and a billiards table.
4. Downward Dog All Day
Is there any better remedy for hours of cubicle time than a little mid-day shavasana? We think not. And plenty of companies agree with us: Staffers at San Francisco-based social media agency Livefyre and Los Angeles startup Factual offer free on-site yoga for their teams, giving employees the opportunity to take a break from work and center their minds, bodies, and backs.
5. Work Hard, Play Harder
It’s not about all work and no play at Intel: The company makes sure that employees get to exercise their bodies as well as their minds. At the Portland campus, there's a basketball court outside—complete with the company’s logo emblazoned at half court—plus a gym, outside volleyball court, and disc golf course that all employees have access to.
6. Relax & Regroup
NY-based Shutterstock is full of passionate people who love to work hard. But it doesn’t go unnoticed, nor unrewarded: The company offers free weekly massages to make sure employees have a chance to unwind and de-stress.
7. Sharpen Your Mind
Lumosity creates mobile games to keep your mind sharp, and the company's staffers love enjoying some brain-twisting games of their own. A crowd favorite is the office crossword puzzle: Put up each week by five-time national crossword champion Tyler Hinman, the team works collaboratively to successfully finish the puzzle. The thrill of the challenge (and some healthy competition) keeps employees sharp, but also gives them a much-needed break.