The mindfulness trend is making its way into meetings with 1 Hotels launching Meaningful Meetings — first at 1 Hotel Central Park, followed by 1 Hotel South Beach and the brand’s flagship, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge.
Developed in partnership with Holstee, the Brooklyn-based mindful-living company, the Meaningful Meetings program features range from brain-fueling foods and beverages to smartphone check-in points and breathing exercises.
The root of the Meaningful Meetings program is based on mindfulness research, including a study from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School that attributes mindfulness to improved communication skills, innovative thinking, and better reactions to stress.
“The launch of our Meaningful Meetings program will really transform the way we host group sessions at our hotels,” said Kane Sarhan, vice president of brand for 1 Hotels. “Meaningful Meetings was born as a result of us observing the amazing way companies like Google, General Mills and Holstee conduct their internal meetings and the desire to develop a program that completely changes the meetings experience for our guests.”
1 Hotel Central Park will launch the program with three categories of Meaningful Meetings: Zen, Creative and Focused. Each meeting style includes specific programming designed to support any clients’ desired results, as well as food and beverage options conceptualized by Chef Jonathan Waxman of Jams restaurant inside 1 Hotel Central Park. The catering menus feature ingredients that are supposed to increase focus and general productivity, as well as sustain energy.
At the start of every Meaningful Meeting, attendees are asked to check in their phone to a “phone booth” to prevent distraction. Participants are also encouraged to move around and stretch during breaks with custom designed safe stretching tips, to stay hydrated with chia-infused water and other beverages, and enjoy snacks that are known to promote creativity, such as walnuts, almonds and blueberries.
1 Hotels has also designed several tools to be used during the Meaningful Meetings, including custom notebooks, decision-making dice, coloring pencils and more. Additional tips and programming are tailored based on the type of Meaningful Meeting that is chosen.
As an added amenity for the program, meditation specialist Biet Simkin has provided a digital “welcome” meditation and “gratitude” closing meditation for all Meaningful Meeting types. Additionally, for the Zen Meaningful Meeting option, participants can expect a longer-form break with a meditation component provided by Simkin.