Whether during yoga, on the running track or in a fitness class, if you want to make contacts today, you don’t necessarily have to resort to an after-work drink. Sweatworking relies on real encounters through shared movement and brings a breath of fresh air into networking.
When networking becomes a workout
In times when professional calendars are often full to the brim, a rather unconventional trend is gaining importance: sweatworking. What is meant is what the term already suggests – networking while sweating. This can take place at the yoga studio, while running, or at a boot camp class. It’s about maintaining professional contacts no longer just at meetings or conferences, but where people meet on the move.
The concept first appeared in the USA. The New York Times reported on the new trend in which managers and founders exchanged ideas over sports back in 2012. In the same year, studios in London also took up the idea. According to the British newspaper Independent, spinning classes became business meetings, which were then continued over a communal breakfast or an exchange at the juice bar.
Why exchanges work better in a tracksuit
There is a world of difference between business small talk and joint effort, and that is exactly where the strength of the format lies. When people do sports together, conversations often arise that are completely different than in the conference room. This is not least because training clothing puts hierarchies into perspective. The suit stays in the closet, the roles become blurred, the conversation becomes more personal. According to the portal meine-krankenkasse.de, physical activity can also promote emotional openness. Endorphins, the body’s own happiness substances, help you open up more easily in conversation. At the same time, the ability to concentrate increases, an aspect that improves listening and understanding.
Between fitness classes and hallway conversations
Today the spectrum ranges from after-work yoga to personal training for two to running sessions with colleagues. Which form is suitable depends on the goal. If you want to make new contacts, you will find a suitable setting in group courses. For more intensive exchange, one-on-one formats are better, such as jogging together in the park or relaxed bike rides.
Power play in the fitness club – without a stage
In Brussels, the European capital of lobbying, sweatworking has established itself almost unnoticed in recent years. The classic reception banquet is losing importance – but places like the Club Aspria or the ANIMO fitness studio are gaining ground. Today, people who work in ministries, associations or agencies meet there not only for training, but also for exchange. As Politico Europe reports, networks are emerging here far away from file folders and official letterheads. Anyone who trains there is not just a customer, but part of a discreet but influential milieu.
Editorial team finanzen.net