Nike has discontinued its annual ‘Wellness Week’, a pandemic-era initiative that gave corporate employees an extra week off each year to rest and focus on mental health. The break, traditionally observed each August since 2021, involved a full shutdown of its Beaverton, Oregon headquarters, allowing staff uninterrupted time to recharge.
The company has informed employees that the decision reflects a shift in priorities as it enters what leaders describe as a crucial phase of transformation. Introduced at a time when workers were grappling with lockdowns, isolation and heightened stress, the programme was designed to support employee wellbeing during a period of widespread uncertainty.
Nike now believes its operating environment has changed significantly, prompting a reassessment of how teams work and collaborate.
In recent years, similar wellness-driven perks introduced by companies such as Spotify and others have been scaled back as organisations move away from pandemic-specific support systems.
Nike’s decision also comes at a time when Chief Executive Elliott Hill is overhauling the business. Since returning from retirement to take the helm last year, he has been restructuring teams, streamlining management layers and sharpening the brand’s focus on core performance categories including running and basketball. The company has emphasised the need for employees to adopt new ways of working to support its turnaround efforts.
The shift arrives as Nike expects sales to fall in the low-single digits this quarter, matching market forecasts.
