Wellness is not a luxury – it’s a necessity.
It’s 8:30 on a Thursday morning. Instead of heading into the first meeting of the day, colleagues in our Riga headquarters gathered on the terrace, rolling out yoga mats and taking a deep breath of fresh morning air. For the next 90 minutes, work could wait. This was our time to stretch, reset, and focus on well-being.
This simple yet powerful moment captured the spirit of our very first Wellness Month – a company-wide initiative across Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, France and Italy with nearly 40 activities dedicated to health, balance, and happiness.
A Month of Balance and Energy
Throughout August, colleagues experienced a wide range of activities supporting both body and mind:
- Morning yoga sessions on the terrace or in the office, plus MyFitness hot yoga and Verve trainings.
- Morning massages in the office and “Happy Back” breaks.
- Breathing classes that many described as “like therapy.”
- Gong meditations and cacao ceremonies.
- Private "F1"movie screening at Forum Cinemas.
- Mindfulness webinars and health coaching.
- Morning 5km runs and stretching sessions.
- A refreshing smoothie morning, along with healthy bowls and juices.
- An inspiring opening speech by Anastasija Danu-Žubule from the Stockholm School of Economics, who shared reflections on well-being and purpose.
- And one of the boldest experiments – No Meeting Thursdays. At first, it felt almost impossible in our fast-paced environment. But soon, colleagues began to see the benefits of uninterrupted focus time, and for many, it became one of the highlights of the month.
This month was about giving ourselves permission to slow down, try something new, and focus on what truly matters: our people.
Discovering New Experiences
Wellness Month also gave many colleagues their first experience of something completely new. Some rolled out a yoga mat for the very first time. Others learned breathing techniques that reduced stress and improved focus.
These moments of discovery reminded us that well-being isn’t always about big changes, sometimes it’s the small, simple practices that make everyday life better.
Feedback and Next Steps
The feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive, with plenty of warm thank-yous and appreciation across all countries. Most importantly, when asked to rate the activities on a scale from 1 to 5, the majority of sessions received the highest score, that is a clear sign that colleagues found real value in them.
In Estonia, colleagues described Wellness Month as “very engaging and exciting”, while others highlighted that “Smoothie Day was really nice – it would be great to organize such a day in the office from time to time as well.”
In Poland, relaxing activities stood out most: “The massage was very relaxing, and the exercises with the physio were great for my tired neck.” One colleague also praised the mindfulness session: “The webinar was wonderful, soothing, and relaxing – with lots of interesting topics.”
Our colleagues from HQ, Latvia, France and Italy kept the message simple but powerful: “Do not drop this initiative. It’s a wonderful addition within the company.”
In Lithuania, colleagues emphasized both calm and movement: “It really helped me relax and realize I need more movement in my routine. I truly enjoyed it.” and “It was a very good and calming experience – something new and unusual, but very close to me.”
Wellness Month showed us that even in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, caring for people must stay at the heart of what we do. When we create space for balance, focus, and joy, we don’t just support well-being – we strengthen our culture.
Looking Ahead
August may have been the last month of summer, but it gave us more than just warm days and sunshine. It gave us a fresh outlook, new experiences, and a reminder that wellness should be part of everyday life – not just a special occasion.
May we enjoy many more moments of balance, energy, and well-being together. Namaste.
