Yoganomics In The Corporate Age

Jetsetting corporate employees are turning to yoga as much as ergonomics in the office environment to fight work pressures. Reema Sisodia navigates through the corporate jungle to find yogic relevance in the stress-saturated workplace

From the much publicised strict routine of Ashtanga Yoga that Madonna so famously adopted to having October 3 being declared as BKS Iyengar Day by City & County of San Francisco in honour of the famous Indian exponent, the 5,000-year old yoga tradition has definitely come a long way. More and more people are going back to their roots to look for answers that promise to solve their 21st century complaints.

What is cementing its position firmly as the numero uno stress buster among working men and women is that yoga is seen as a definite, albeit gradual, healing process. This all-in-one formula that is acting as a soothing agent for the burned-out Indian corporate is only growing on the popularity charts.

Aspiring High

This newfound allegiance to yoga is not without any actual realisations. "I was slipping into acute depression and could not take the work pressure. Then I was introduced to yoga through a workshop organised by my company and it actually saved me." This statement comes from a 31-year old MNC banker and not a sexagenarian approaching the threshold of retirement. Madhuri Kumble (name changed) from Hindustan Lever Limited can't stop raving about how yoga helped her fight health disorders and stress, which she describes as hidden costs and part of the corporate deal. She feels most people in corporate India live with them, knowingly or unknowingly. "From a chain smoker to no cigarettes at all, the journey could be made only through yoga," she exclaims.

High aspiration levels such as quick money, fast cars, instant success and fighting through neck-break competition seems to be the new age mantra of today's go-getters forcing them to be super-achievers. Nandita Gopalan, co-founder of VibrantLife, an organisation that conducts yoga and stress management workshops especially for the corporates, underlines the importance of making yoga a way of life. "The philosophies that people follow these days often land them in a hole. They say 'who wants to wait for tomorrow, I want everything now or probably yesterday'", she emphasises. The pressures of today's corporate world, which are the result of consumerism, bring with it mental stress, physiological disorders, depression and an early burn out.

Sharing one of her client's experiences, Nandita narrates, "A 23-year old boy from a BPO company could not do a simple wrist stretch due to severe pain and was planning to see an orthopedist. I suggested that he practice the yoga techniques for two months and then decide. I met him again after about five months and he told me that the pain had completely disappeared."

Breaking Away From Prejudice

Convincing patients about the advantages of yoga is not the only hurdle for practitioners. They must also break down prejudiced thinking. Sushila Hariharan, co-founder of VibrantLife, says that when they ask their corporate participants how they perceive yoga, they get some very interesting responses. "For them yoga means doing some convoluted poses like the head stand, a physical exercise and helps in losing weight, quitting the world and going to the Himalayas, a therapy for those who have some physical ailment, a form of breathing exercises." She recalls an incident, "Once I called up a software firm asking if they would be interested in doing stress management through yoga. The HR head's response took me by surprise; she said that they will not look at yoga as it is "Hindu"! I then explained to her that yoga was as much Hindu as Aerobics was “Christian."

Yoga means different things to different people because it encompasses various aspects that affect an individual's life.

The techniques of yoga comprise physical postures (asanas), breath expansion and enhancement (pranayama), relaxation techniques, meditation, lifestyle manage-ment and philosophies to live a positive life.

It has been attested by many as a complete all-in-one holistic formula for stress management.

Nandita explains, "Stress manifests itself physically, mentally and emotionally; it lies within and not outside. We need solutions that can mange stress at all levels of the body, mind and emotions. Often, we try to tackle it at only one plane and fail to find relief. For example, many turn to physical exercises as a coping mechanism, or others only resort to meditation. These are piecemeal techniques and are not complete solutions. Yoga, by nature, is one of the most productive techniques of stress management as it deals with stress on various planes - physical, mental, emotional, attitudinal and lifestyle, thus having a holistic approach. Today, it is growing fast as the most popular tool for stress management in the corporate world and elsewhere."

Corporate World, A Fast Follower

Statistics reveal that the corporate segment is one of the fastest growing clientele for yoga and stress management institutes. Companies are beginning to realise that their employees need a structured solution to manage stress and large corporates, multinationals and employee-friendly companies have already set the ball in motion. With the influx of foreign companies, the organisational culture is changing and companies are becoming more open to trying out new methods to boost employee productivity and morale. As a result, yoga is gaining acceptance as an effective tool, which can well be the beginning of a health revolution.

The statement made by Balvinder Chandiok, an Art of Living Foundation Course teacher reiterates this fact. According to him, the number of corporate classes in Mumbai has jumped from around 70 per year since 2000 to 100. (Source: CNN News). The government-recognised The Yoga Institute in Santacruz, Mumbai, founded by Shri Yogendraji in 1918, also holds sessions for corporates. According to research conducted by the institute, more than 90 per cent of ailments emerge in the mind that get reflected in the body. A yoga trainer from the institute says, "For more than 10 years now, we have been holding workshops for leading corporate houses ranging from BPOs, entertainment industry, media, etc on stress management. We have a special cell with experienced teachers who conduct such workshops. Our aim is to introduce them to the wonders of yoga and make it a part of their daily life."

Working people, especially the young blood, are now realising the importance of the age-old traditional art and science of yoga and are ready to make that 360-degree turn. An executive of Tata Motors, who experienced a two-day workshop with VibrantLife, says, "This was the first time that I was introduced to yoga and relaxation techniques and I can feel the difference in just two days." A key lesson his colleague says he learned is that self control rather than control of others leads to better stress management. Executives from JM Morgan Stanley, when interviewed after a half-day session with VibrantLife, too felt that the relaxation technique were an absolute winner. Some even admitted that yoga actually showed them the extent to which they had abused their bodies.

Nandita explains that it is vital that the workshop offers techniques that can be done at the workstation itself without laying down the mat or looking for a secluded corner or room to practice. "Most of our waking time is spent in office and it is important to introduce techniques that are simple, practical and effective. Hence, we turn the workstation to a fitness station," she adds.

A Part Of Company HR Policy

Organisations such as ABN AMRO Bank have laid increased emphasis on fitness and health of their employees. Kumkum Nongrum, head (Learning & Development) at ABN AMRO, says, "Our leadership programme `fit-in-job' module is based on the thought that a fit body is a fit mind. Yoga has been an important aspect of our company fitness programme apart from other fitness regimes that we offer our staff. We outsource the yoga programme and hire experts in the field as well and insist on the combination of mediation and nutrition with our yoga curriculum. Our staff has taken very well to yoga as we have recorded a 40 per cent participation increase between two yoga modules, which are designed across a certain time frame."

The Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research also offers a wide variety of MDP (Management Development Programs) for corporates. The participants are executives who have demanding work life and are under continuous stress. "We wanted to offer them solutions to help them manage their stress levels and our programme specialists VibrantLife were able to structure programmes suitable to our needs. The techniques of workstation yoga, asanas, pranayamas, relaxation and meditation appealed to the participants because they are simple, effective and practical," explains Prof V H Iyer, dean of MDP Centre at Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research.

International Popularity

Yoga's popularity has transcended borders and made its impact felt even in the corporate sector of the western world. Sizable amounts are being spent on yoga workshops in Europe, US and China. Phil Aston, a yoga expert based in UK has been conducting workshops for many years now and confirms the fact that yoga has all the answers with regards to stress management. He believes that the demand for corporate yoga is definitely on the rise and trains others to conduct corporate yoga sessions.

In this fast world, the word patience still holds value. Itee Dewan, a New Delhi-based journalist, says, "It is definitely not a quick fix method but a steady process that provides amazing results." Yoga has brought in a sea change in the performance of the individual, which has its ripple effect on the company's productivity. Keeping up one's balance and working effectively under pressure is what yoga has helped corporate workers achieve.

Piyush Wadhwa, vice president of ICICI Securities agrees. He says, "Yoga has helped me handle my professional life with greater ease and the technique of conscious relaxation has helped me sail through work pressures." The Art of Living corporate workshops provides practical and effective training program that empowers employees to be more centered and balanced throughout a business day. The seminar has been developed to strengthen managers and employees so that they can experience unshakable calmness and inner clarity in the midst of any business crises.

Gopalan concludes saying, "Yoga is beautiful as it shows results even through simple methods like breathing the right way. The technique of conscious relaxation has proved to be popular among corporates. Many participants have got back to us saying that it refreshes and rejuvenates them to face the remaining part of the day without fatigue." But she warns readers that little knowledge can be dangerous. Yoga should be learned and practiced only under professional guidance especially for beginners, and she recommends joining only reputed institutes and experts with credibility.