Can Wellness Programs Help Retain Tenants?

MIAMI—Carol Brooks wants you to take a deep breath—or a deeper breath. The co-founder and president of Continental Real Estate Companies (CREC) is on a mission to bring wellness to office tenants.

Dubbed A Deeper Breath, the new CREC initiative aims to help property owners drive better tenant health and productivity by offering free health and wellness activities in unused office space. The program is already established in three Florida office buildings: 2301 Lucien Way in Maitland, FL; Pembroke Pines Professional Center in Pembroke Pines, FL; and 2121 Ponce de Leon Blvd. in Coral Gables, FL.

We caught up with Brooks to learn more about the program in part one of this exclusive interview. Brooks also discusses the response to A Deeper Breath.

GlobeSt.com: How did the idea for A Deeper Breath come about?

Brooks: Today's business environment is a 24/7 enterprise, so personal work-life balance is the no-nonsense synergy between organizational skills and finding ways to relax. People are usually surprised to learn that I practice Ashtanga Yoga and maintain an organic garden.

This thinking naturally carries over into CREC with a social fabric woven out of embracing and encouraging a culture of balanced and healthy living, while providing the tools and support for all employees to actively participate. As we experienced the benefits of these programs over the years, we began looking for ways to introduce similar initiatives at our clients' properties, to differentiate them in the marketplace. When the recession hit, we seized the opportunity to activate empty office spaces with fitness classes and named this pilot program A Deeper Breath.
 

GlobeSt.com: What has been the response from building owners and their tenants?

Brooks: Our building owner clients see A Deeper Breath as a cost-effective, value-added amenity for their users at a time when tenant retention has become paramount. Because the spaces that we utilize remain available for lease, the only hard costs underwritten by owners are the expense of facilitating and marketing the program.

Meanwhile, our participants see value in attending classes free of charge and their employers appreciate the enhanced focus on healthy living in the workplace. It's a true win-win, with minimal costs incurred and little downside from an owner's point of view.

GlobeSt.com: To what extent can wellness programs benefit a company's bottom line?

Brooks: The U.S. Workplace Wellness Alliance estimates that every dollar spent on company wellness yields an approximate savings of $3.50. At CREC, we measure ROI in tenant satisfaction at our clients' properties and the high renewal rates at these buildings speak volumes. At the same time, tenants whose employees participate in our classes and activities are experiencing improved health in the workplace. That equates to stronger morale, heightened productivity and reduced absenteeism.