Careers
fromFast Company
2 days agoIs fun at work overrated?
Work has evolved from a necessary burden to a potentially fulfilling experience, especially in the last two decades.
Workplace wellness programs have exploded over the past decade or so, with companies rolling out a suite of subsidized perks, such as gym discounts, mental health apps, and other benefits aimed at attracting and retaining workers. The pandemic upped the ante even more - in the face of a tight labor market and a hyper-stressed workforce, plenty of business leaders looked around and thought, "Well, a Zoom meditation session can't hurt, right?"
I became interested in consulting through some older friends while studying at the University of São Paulo in Brazil. Their stories about how fast you could learn and grow in the career made me want to pursue it. I applied to all the top firms and accepted McKinsey's offer to be a business analyst in 2010 as soon as I received it. It was the best thing I could imagine as a long-term career.
As a five-time NYC marathon runner myself, I can attest that this race is truly one of the best days of the year. "The energy of marathon day never gets old," Rob Simmelkjaer - the CEO of New York Road Runners, the company behind the marathon - told BI. "It's just a giant block party." The sheer scale of the event - to the tune of $700 million in economic impact for the city - is a reminder of how running is experiencing a golden age.
JPMorgan's new 270 Park Avenue headquarters, opening this year, includes a wellness hub with medical clinics, meditation rooms, and a fitness center run by a company known for training professional athletes. One detail has already stirred grumbling: Employees will have to pay for gym access.