“You’re only one yoga class away from a good mood,” says the lean but muscular yoga instructor, who encourages us to smile as she leads us through a flow of warrior poses. Natural light floods the room through wall-to-floor windows and a skylight that breaches the lofted ceiling. Acoustic folk songs streamfrom the sound system. As the instructor guides us to stand in mountain pose with spines tall and eyes closed, she prompts us to “find that stillness within.”
Though this seems like an upscale yoga studio, it’s not. It’s just an ordinary day at the GoPro corporate offices in Carlsbad, Calif. The half-dozen yogis that surround me are employees practicing asanas before their lunch break. GoPro, like other corporations steeped in millennial culture, has taken the route paved by Silicon Valley icons such as Google and Facebook in eschewing the old work-like-a-dog-until-you-retire (or die) ethic for a more holistic, healthful work ambiance. Productivity is still highly valued in this new corporate model, yet proponents believe that greater productivity is achieved when employees are healthier and happier.“