Stress Awareness Month: 3 simple ideas

With 65% of workers reporting work as the main source of stress in their lives, HR, People teams, and Office Managers have a real opportunity to help employees live less stressed, more sustainable work lives.

This year, we invite you not only to raise awareness, but to implement quick, simple, science-backed practices that help reduce employees’ cortisol levels (stress hormones). In this article, we share three approaches - ranging from a 30-minute online reset to a month-long StressLess Challenge.

If you work in HR, People Ops, or Office Management, you don’t need convincing that stress is a real business issue.

• 76% of employees say stress negatively impacts their work (American Institute of Stress)

• Burnout increases employee turnover by 2.6×, costing companies €20,000+ per lost employee (Gallup)

• Unmanaged stress can reduce productivity by up to 40% (Harvard Business Review)

Here are three low-lift, high-impact ideas that work well for People teams and Office Managers in Amsterdam:

1) The 30-Minute Stress Reset

One-off breathing workshop (in-office or online)

A short, practical breathing session designed for the real workday.

What employees experience

• A guided reset from tension to calm focus

• Simple techniques they can reuse before meetings, during pressure, or when focus drops

Why it works

• Breathwork regulates the nervous system quickly

• No equipment, no preparation

• Employees leave with tools they actually use again

Why HR likes it

• 30 minutes

• In-office, hybrid, or fully online

• Clear outcome with minimal coordination

2) Vitality Afternoon

A diverse, drop-in wellbeing experience at the office - it caters to different tastes, personalities, and comfort levels, rather than asking everyone to engage in the same way.

Build your afternoon from a flexible menu

• Breathing workshop (calm + clarity)

• Chair massage (10–30 min desk tension relief)

• Yoga, Pilates, or HIIT (movement + posture)

• Sound bath or mindfulness meditation (deep reset)

• Optional ice bath or nailboard (team energy + shared challenge)

• Creative options like journaling or painting

• Healthy snacks and mocktail workshop to close

Why it lands

• Employees choose what suits them

• High engagement without forcing participation

• Creates visible, positive energy in the office

• MSIG use case (insurance)

  VIDEO HERE.

  MSIG organized a Vitality Afternoon for their NL office, and it was a great success!

  Colleagues came together to recharge through:

  • 🧘‍♀️ Yoga sessions

  • 🧠 Mindfulness practices

  • 💆 Massages for relaxation

  • ✍️ Gratitude journaling to boost positivity

  • 🥗 Healthy after-work snacks to wrap up the day

  A perfect blend of wellness and connection! 💚

• Orbisk use case (food)

  PHOTOS HERE.

  Orbisk collaborated with Balance on a Health Week. A full reset designed for deep focus, sharp thinking, and serious recovery.
  
  So what makes a high-performing team?
  We partnered with Balance Breathing to cover the full spectrum:
  ✔️ Yoga
  ✔️ Breathwork
  ✔️ Gratitude journaling
  ✔️ Massages
  ✔️ And yes, we did the ice bath 🧊
  
  The science is simple: healthy teams are more creative, more connected, and better equipped for the fast lane. Things have been moving fast. Which is exactly why we’re doubling down on what matters most: a strong, resilient, but above all, happy, team.💚

• Studocu use case (edtech)

  VIDEO HERE.

  What happens when a team takes a collective breath?
  
  StuDocu partnered with Balance to host a rejuvenating Vitality Day with yoga, breathwork, mindfulness meditation, massage, and even a (very brave!) plunge into the ice bath. ❄️🧘‍♀️
  
  At Balance Breathing, we design experiences that help teams reset their nervous systems, reconnect with their bodies, and build lasting resilience — together.
  
  Thank you, Studocu, for prioritising wellbeing not just as a perk, but as integral part of your working culture.

3) StressLess Challenge

1 month · 2 weekly sessions · 8 total activities · light incentive

For teams that want more than a one-off — without committing to a heavy program.

How it works

• Two guided sessions per week (20–60 minutes)

• Eight total sessions across April

• Mix of breathing, movement, and recovery

• Attendance tracked

• The most consistent participant wins a wellbeing reward (massage, spa, recovery voucher)

Why it’s effective

• Repetition builds real stress resilience

• Short sessions keep calendars realistic

• Engagement and impact are measurable

How Balance keeps this genuinely low-lift for companies

You already carry enough responsibility. This is designed to be simple.

The flow

1. Select which workshop(s) you want

2. Pick the time & date (each 20–60 minutes)

3. Balance handles all setup and facilitators

4. We provide ready-to-use promo materials

5. You send the calendar invite or registration form

6. Your team joins live — in-person and/or online

7. You receive impact data: pre- and post-stress reduction + satisfaction feedback

As a people-first leader, you know stress isn’t solved with grand programs — it’s reduced through small, consistent, well-designed moments.

• Simple initiatives.

• Real, immediate impact.

• Almost no lift for your team.

That’s the goal for April — and beyond.