International Yoga Day 2025: Stress is so common in the workplace that it is often overlooked, brushed off as just a part of the daily hustle. But the strain from work responsibilities, long hours of sitting at the desk, staring at the screen, chasing deadlines relentlessly, and back-to-back meetings all add up, chipping away at productivity, focus, and overall health over time. 

On International Yoga Day, celebrated annually on June 21, it’s time to take a pause and understand how yoga can be included in your weekdays. Often, yoga is squeezed into the small windows before or after the workday, but with work taking up the lion’s share of our time and energy, those moments are easy to miss.

HT Lifestyle reached out to experts to understand how yoga can support mental wellbeing at work and ways organisations can thoughtfully include the practice in their work culture.

Mental benefits of introducing yoga at work

Yoga may help employees focus better. It acts like a practical tool, going beyond just a wellness trend. With the high pressure at work, managing all the work responsibilities, yoga may be an effective way to handle stress. Dr Ajit Dandekar, Head of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai, shared three key mental health benefits of introducing yoga at the workplace.

He outlined three key benefits of introducing yoga in the workplace. Dr Dandekar added, “The first impact of introducing yoga at the workplace is stress management. Research on Indian and global employees shows workplace yoga can reduce perceived-stress scores by almost two-thirds. Stress, being one of the common mental health issues among the working population, impact on this scale that is substantial. Yoga also uplifts mood significantly. And lastly, it deepens restorative sleep and overall quality of life, so we return to our desks fresher and more focused the next morning.”

Strategies to bring yoga into the workplace.

While yoga is making the rounds, with everyone offering their two cents on incorporating it into daily life, the practical application often remains out of reach. But a grounded, actionable approach helps move yoga beyond just a trend, making it more than an annual duty on Yoga Day. Shruti Swaroop, Founder of Embrace Consulting and Co-Founder of the International Inclusion Alliance, shared with HT Lifestyle that adding yoga at work doesn’t require grand setups or lengthy sessions. With the right intention, even small sessions may boost focus and foster a healthy work culture.

She said, “As a founder committed to building mindful, resilient teams, I’ve witnessed firsthand how even small, consistent integration of yoga into daily work life can create a lasting impact. And no, it doesn’t require elaborate studios or hour-long routines. It requires intention, policy support, and human-centred design. Workplace yoga has been found through studies to improve focus, reduce stress, and create improved posture, lower absenteeism, and higher employee morale. Yoga in the workplace needs to shift from being a one-time thing per year to a facet of the company ecosystem. Not everyone needs to do yoga, it just means that everyone needs to be given the option to, without guilt or exclusion.”

Shruti shared 5 actionable strategies on how to include yoga into everyday work culture:

1. Micro-yoga breaks during work

• Adopt brief, guided yoga breaks, 10 minutes, twice daily, for stretches and breathing exercises that can be performed at the desk. These do not involve changing clothes or special equipment, making them accessible and inclusive.
   
• HR’s role: Arrange virtual or in-office facilitators; invite team leads to participate.
• Employee tip: Even on their own, mindful breathing or shoulder and neck stretches can relieve physical tension and mental exhaustion.

2. Wellness wednesdays or weekly yoga rituals

• A weekly mid-week yoga session of 30 minutes helps shatter the cycle of stress. Consistent timing facilitates habit-forming and increases participation.
• HR’s role: Collaborate with certified trainers and gain managerial support.
• Employee tip: Approach this time as non-negotiable self-preservation. Consistency is more important than intensity.

3. Committed wellness corners and policy flexibility

• Carve out a serene area in the office for meditation or yoga. Offer mats, wellness books, or access to guided videos. Break policy flexibility also enables employees to participate without fear of judgment.
• HR’s responsibility: Make policies supportive of a wellness-first culture.
• Employee tip: Utilise brief breaks wisely, even five minutes of quiet can refresh attention.

4. Bringing yoga into company culture

• Make yoga a part of employee orientation – familiarize them with resources, wellness challenges, and live sessions. When yoga is part of the onboarding story, it conveys that wellness is a central organisational value.
• HR’s role: Add wellness guides, access to yoga apps, and getting-started workshops.

Employee tip: Create micro-practices – a few breaths before meetings, or loosening up during lunch.
 

5. Leadership role modelling and normalisation

• Leadership role modelling and normalisation occur when leaders get involved. When founders and managers attend yoga class or discuss openly its positive impacts, it facilitates natural adoption throughout the organisation.
• HR’s role: Emphasise leadership involvement in wellness programs.
• Employee tip: Start peer wellness circles or buddy systems for mutual accountability.

ALSO READ: Yoga Day 2025: 5 desk yoga stretches for busy professionals to focus better and beat work stress

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.