Advertising and public relations agency Havas has opened a new wellness lounge for the 2,000 employees working at its Kings Cross office, as part of its broader wellbeing programme, Havas Equalise.
The HKX Wellness Lounge was officially opened on Wednesday 16 January 2019. It aims to provide a dedicated, technology-free space to help staff switch off and take time away from technology and screens during the working day.
Havas Equalise is a broader initiative that seeks to help employees achieve balance across their work and personal lives, in both mind and body.
Ewen MacPherson, people director at Havas Group Media, said: “This is the latest initiative to launch as part of our ongoing holistic health and wellbeing programme, Havas Equalise. The wellness lounge is a place our people can retreat to, to unwind and recharge as and when they need.”
The wellness lounge features tablets loaded with mindfulness and meditation apps for staff to use. Moving forward, the space will also be used for the organisation’s Wellness Wednesday events, which include hourly guided meditations and mindfulness sessions.
Havas, which has 22,000 employees across the globe, hosted a launch event in its auditorium to communicate about the new wellness lounge to staff. Employees were given free fresh juices and smoothies and were able to listen to a keynote address delivered by Geoff McDonald, wellness consultant and former vice president of HR at consumer goods organisation Unilever.
MacPherson added: “We’re excited to offer staff this dedicated space and continue to provide them with the tools and strategies they need to become the best version of themselves.”
As part of Havas Equalise, the organisation has also trained 28 mental health ambassadors, via charity Rethink, and hosted activities around Time to Change Day, Mental Health Awareness Week, World Mental Health Day and Suicide Prevention Day. Havas also held an anxiety themed month last April, offered resilience training in September 2018 and contributed to the Mental Health Foundation’s Curry and a Chaat initiative.