Resilience in the Open

How Nature Helps Teams Recharge

In the pursuit of high performance, many businesses forget one vital truth:
humans aren’t machines — they need recovery to sustain results.

In sport, recovery days were part of the plan. In business, recovery is often postponed until burnout hits. But nature offers a powerful solution. According to the Mental Health Foundation (2021), spending just 20 minutes outdoors can reduce stress hormone levels by up to 16%. The NHS (2023) adds that natural environments lower blood pressure and heart rate, helping restore balance after periods of pressure.

The benefits aren’t just physical.

Natural England’s People and Nature Survey (2022) found that nearly every adult surveyed — 95% — said spending time in nature improved their mood. Meanwhile, the CIPD (2022) reported that outdoor team activities increase connection, empathy, and creativity at work.

At our countryside wellbeing retreats, we witness these effects firsthand. When teams leave behind the office noise and immerse themselves in green spaces, something shifts:

• Communication deepens
• Tension drops
• Fresh ideas emerge

Nature doesn’t just relax us — it restores our perspective. It reminds us that high performance doesn’t come from constant acceleration, but from rhythm — the ability to recover and rise stronger. For HR leaders and business owners, the message is clear – If you want a more resilient workforce, build recovery into your strategy. And sometimes, the best place to start… is outside.

“In nature, we don’t just recharge — we remember what balance feels like.”