Impact Story
Long-term wellbeing at MSIG
How Friday lunch resets and a Vitality Day became a lasting part of the culture.
Client
MSIG Specialty Marine
Format
Friday lunch resets
Focus
Long-term wellbeing
Impact snapshot
4.22/5
Average perceived value rating from participants
Bi-weekly
20-minute Friday lunch breathwork sessions
Vitality Day
A half-day of movement, breathwork, massage, yoga, journalling, and healthy eating
“The Friday reset became a practical moment in the week to pause, regulate stress, and return to work with renewed focus.”
Alexia Muzin, Global HR Partner
Company overview
MSIG Specialty Marine, formerly MS Amlin, is a specialty insurance and reinsurance company and part of the global MS&AD Insurance Group. With 200+ employees across Rotterdam, London, Amsterdam, and international offices, the team operates in a high-performance, deadline-driven environment. The Global HR team leads employee wellbeing initiatives with a focus on practical, inclusive support that fits the pace of financial services work.
The challenge
MSIG Specialty Marine operates in an environment where strategic growth creates exciting opportunities and real pressure for teams. Expansion and innovation demand teams that can embrace risk with confidence, while a knowledge-driven culture depends on employee presence and focus. Existing support was reactive, and there was no consistent in-week format for stress regulation across office and remote employees.
01
Friday rhythm
Bi-weekly 20-minute breathwork sessions every Friday at lunch, fully online.
02
In-person moments
Every fourth session was delivered at the Rotterdam office with meditation, nailboard challenge, or desk yoga.
03
Rotating themes
Themes included stress reset, focus, energy, sleep, and resilience to keep sessions fresh.
The solution
MSIG Specialty Marine and Balance built a consistent, low-lift program around a simple rhythm: online Friday lunch breathwork resets, regular in-person Rotterdam sessions, and a Vitality Day during Mental Health Awareness Month. Balance handled facilitation and logistics so HR could offer practical support without adding operational load.
Vitality Day
Survey feedback
“The breathwork was really good, my heartbeat went really down to 53, normally it is between 68 and 78, but I was totally zen :) many thanks!”
“It was very accessible. I could join in right away without needing any prior skills.”
“To disconnect from working tasks, reset, have a moment for yourself and continue work with renewed energy.”
About the Vitality Day
As part of MSIG’s ongoing wellbeing partnership with Balance, the team hosted a dedicated Vitality Day at the Rotterdam office. The goal was to give the whole team a shared experience beyond the weekly resets: a half-day to recharge, connect, and come back to work feeling restored. Balance handled all logistics and facilitation.
Breathwork
Guided group session focused on stress release and energy reset.
Chair massage
Hands-on recovery station, individually booked.
Yoga
Movement and stretching session led on mats in the main space.
Gratitude journalling
Quiet reflection practice to close the day.
Healthy snacks
Nutritious catering throughout to support the experience.
Why it worked
The Vitality Day gave employees something the weekly sessions could not: time, space, and variety. Running multiple activities in parallel meant everyone could choose what worked for them. Broad attendance across teams, strong positive feedback, and visible energy in the office the following day confirmed it was worth organizing.
Embedded rhythm
The program is embedded into the Optional Activities calendar across the organization.
Repeatable culture support
Friday resets and in-person wellbeing days created a practical long-term format for stress regulation.
Build a wellbeing rhythm that fits high-performance teams
Balance can help your HR team deliver low-lift stress reset sessions, in-person wellbeing days, and practical recovery tools across offices and remote teams.