Halifax company teaches Canadian employees to take healthy breaks at work

Halifax-based Bright Breaks encourages employees to stop and stretch.

A Halifax business is helping Canadian employees build healthy habits at work.

David Howe is the CEO of Bright Breaks, a company that develops wellness programs for the modern workplace. He said they help employees take short wellness breaks throughout the week.

“One of the biggest challenges is getting employees engaged,” Howe said.

“The content that companies offer is too long, there’s a lack of content variability and employees need motivation to stay engaged.”

Bright Breaks offers over 250 livestream “breaks” every week. The videos teach employees how to stretch, get their heart rate going or learn about nutrition. The videos engage employees with challenges and rewards.

Howe said the company’s mission is to improve workplace health but their services aren’t limited to employees. Bright Breaks partnered with Air Canada to help passengers have better travel experiences.

“It turns out that a lot of the challenges that employees are facing from desk work are the same challenges that passengers are facing on the airplane,” Howe said.

Bright Break’s purpose-built airline library helps passengers deal with anxiety, stiffness and other stressors that come with travel, said Howe.

Taking breaks isn’t just about feeling better. Howe said they improve productivity.

“It’s counterintuitive but by stepping away for 7 minutes from your desk and doing something good for your body you actually come back to work a lot more refreshed, a lot more productive and companies care about that,” Howe said. “It’s good for your people. It’s good for the business.”

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page