Ice, ice baby!
19 July 2019
Get more sleep, eat better and move! For three years, ING has been encouraging employees to improve their lifestyle. Previous programmes have concentrated on emotional intelligence (EQ) and mind-set. This year, it’s all about the ‘wellbeing quotient’ (WQ).
Dayne's first step toward a higher WQ
It’s Wednesday afternoon and Dayne, legal officer at ING, locks his computer screen, picks up his swim shorts, and leaves the office. By doing so he’s also leaving his comfort zone. Together with 30 colleagues, he’s about to plunge into a tub full of ice.
Feeling good
Cold therapy like ice baths and cold showers are known to help produce ‘feel good’ hormones like dopamine and boost the immune system and cognitive function.
Coached by experts from wellness clinic Lifeguard, ING’s ‘ice men’ then warmed up to Wim Hof’s method, a combination of meditation and breathing exercises.
Guido van Ingen, who’s leading the WQ programme, explained the thinking behind it.
“This year, we’re moving from ‘learning’ to ‘doing’ by pushing people to get out of their comfort zone. Small improvements add up to a total lifestyle change.”
What started as a small project available to 350 employees at ING’s Financial Markets, now involves thousands of employees across ING Wholesale Banking.
‘’Enhancing our wellbeing helps us to deal with stress and changes. It makes us more resilient,” said Guido. “The programme has proved to be successful. Every employee changed at least two or three habits in their daily lives and last year, staff WQ increased by five percent.”
But it’s not just employees that are looking after their mental and physical wellbeing.
Seventy-five clients from European-listed companies have also taken part in events like soul cycling classes in New York and Moscow, boxing in Sao Paolo, indoor skiing in Dubai, and city swimming in London.
Smart watch
Staff and clients have been given smart watches to track their steps and measure their body fat and calories burnt with an app recording their individual progress.
“I could do this more often,” said Dayne after his two-minute dip in the freezing water.
“It’s… refreshing!