“Sweatworking” is a term being used to describe a new kind of networking. Instead of gathering for drinks and conversation, groups are bonding over workouts followed by healthy snacks, according to a recent blog post on BizBash, an online source for corporate event planners. The trend has led to increased bookings in gyms and fitness studios nationwide.
Exhale Spa in Chicago has seen a significant increase in corporate events, including team building and networking events, Kim Kiernan, director of public relations and communications for Exhale, told BizBash.
For many of its corporate event bookings, Exhale leads private groups through classes in yoga or core fusion, a proprietary fitness class that includes weights, mountain climbers, karate kicks, yoga poses, and more. After the workout sessions, some hosts provide guests with mini spa treatments and healthy snacks such as fresh juices.
Lizzie Albert, studio manager at Studio Three in Chicago, said the boutique fitness firm has received numerous requests to host networking events and private workouts despite being open less than a year. According to Albert, groups often leave high-intensity workouts with a renewed feeling of connection. “Nothing brings people together like a joint butt-kicking,” she says. “The endorphins help, too.”
Sweatworking can also happen in a one-on-one format. Outside of a formal networking event, “we’re seeing that guests will bring a colleague or a client to yoga or core fusion, to further their relationship and network [outside of an office setting],” Kiernan says. “Sweatworking is a great way to build [relationships]. Combining networking with your workout is perfect for busy, time-strapped businesspeople, and people are making health and wellness a priority in their lives.”
