In this episode of the SuperConnector Show podcast, Jane Fisher (Founder, Fresh Perspectives North East) & Paul Lancaster (Founder, PLATFORM | UK Startup & Scaleup Week) discuss the benefits of taking yourself, your leadership team or your staff outdoors in order to improve wellbeing, happiness & boost productivity!
In it, Jane advocates for blending strategic leadership consulting with the outdoors to “supercharge” professional development. Her consultancy focuses on working one-to-one with business leaders & founders, as well as facilitating strategic sessions with teams, using the outdoors as a medium to catalyse greater clarity of thought, improve decision-making & enhance problem-solving.
The Business Case for Going Outdoors
While being outdoors is often seen as a ‘nice to have’, the evidence shows it is a powerful strategic asset with measurable business benefits.
| Benefit | Impact |
| Clarity & Focus | Stepping outside causes the clutter & interruptions of the office to disappear temporarily. This enables faster, more creative problem-solving & helps leaders spot missed opportunities. |
| Productivity & Creativity | Just 30 minutes of walking boosts creativity by 60% & productivity by 45%. |
| Well-being & Stress Reduction | 20 minutes outdoors reduces cortisol & stress levels, making it easier for people to manage workplace issues. 10 minutes outdoors boosts mood & positivity. |
| Engagement & ROI | With only 1 in 10 UK employees feeling engaged at work (costing the economy an estimated £293 billion), embedding an outdoor culture can change the underlying issues. For every £1 invested in addressing stress & engagement, there is a potential return of £4.70 to £11. |
Outdoors is a Habit: Overcoming Resistance
Jane Fisher’s core message is that ‘Outdoors is a Habit’. It should become part of the everyday working culture – a “hybrid plus” approach – not just something done before or after work.
FPNE counters common objections:
- “I haven’t got time.” This is a fallacy. It is about prioritising 10-minute “bite-sized chunks” for a thinking break, solving a problem or taking a phone call outside, rather than mindlessly scrolling on a phone. FPNE’s vision is for people to spend 20% of their working week outdoors.
- “You have to go yomping on the hills.” This is a misconception. There is outdoor space within 100 yards of most offices, whether it’s a park (like Leazes Park in Newcastle upon Tyne), a riverbank or a quiet street.
- “The British weather isn’t good.” This is overcome with appropriate clothing. Rain & wind engage the non-visual senses & are refreshing. Businesses can also maximise tax relief by providing logoed waterproof clothing or umbrellas, turning it into a promotional opportunity.
FPNE’s Four Levels of Support
Fresh Perspectives North East offers a flexible approach to embedding outdoor working:
- Community (TREAD-walks/Net-walking): Organised, facilitated walks that allow professionals to meet, network & build deeper connections by walking side-by-side. The conversation is richer & barriers are broken down when meeting outside the intensive, face-to-face environment of traditional networking.
- One-to-One Strategic Support: Working with business owners & executive leaders as an accountability partner & strategic thinking board. This offsite approach helps leaders cope with stress & make faster, more appropriate decisions.
- Leadership Team Facilitation: Facilitating strategy sessions that bring objectivity & help teams think differently & solve problems more creatively than in a traditional boardroom.
- Organizational Culture Change: Consulting to embed the outdoors habit into the business culture. The 90-Day Challenge is a specific initiative designed to embed this culture, requiring data-gathering to demonstrate tangible impact on engagement, retention & productivity.1
Key Cultural Takeaways
- Role Models: Leaders must be role models by taking time out, setting the tone for the business culture & giving colleagues permission to pause.
- Building Trust: Giving staff autonomy to decide how & where they work, including outdoors, improves trust & relationships between leaders & their teams.
- Better Conversations: The side-by-side nature of walking makes challenging conversations less confrontational & more constructive than meeting face-to-face across a desk.
- Team Cohesion: Working outdoors breaks down hierarchy & helps people feel more connected, reducing loneliness & fostering better team building.
For businesses looking to thrive by improving staff well-being, attracting talent & boosting their bottom line, embracing the outdoors is a sustainable, effective change.
Want to learn more or get involved?
Jane Fisher can be contacted through the Fresh Perspectives North East website or via her LinkedIn profile.
ps You can also listen to this interview (& more) on Paul’s ‘SuperConnector Show’ podcast which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible or Spreaker via our ‘Podcasts‘ page.
