In the heart of Johannesburg, a new breed of workspace is challenging the very fabric of the nine-to-five. Gone are the dreary water coolers and flickering strip lights; in their place, a coffee bar serving artisan brews, an infrared sauna, and a gleaming ice bath. This is The Edge High Performance and Resilience Centre at the DP World Wanderers Stadium, and its founder, Helen Nicholson, believes the future of work isn’t about grinding harder, but about recovering smarter.
We sat down with her to discover how plunging into an ice bath before checking your emails can revolutionise productivity, and why this “bougie” sanctuary is attracting everyone from time-pressed parents to laser-focused executives.
YLA: So, it’s fair to say it’s pretty bougie to have a sauna and ice bath in a workspace environment. Was this a moment of divine inspiration, or did a particularly bad commute finally push you over the edge?
Helen: Probably a little of both. There was a moment where I realised we were asking people to bring their best thinking, leadership, and energy into strategy sessions held in traditional spaces that don’t actively support wellbeing. The commute may have been the final nudge — but the real inspiration was designing a workspace that helps people arrive as their best selves, focusing both on their inner and outer game.
YLA: Between the coffee bar’s espresso and the ice bath’s shock to the system, which is the more popular way for your members to “reset” before a big meeting? And have you caught anyone taking a laptop into the sauna?
Helen: The coffee bar definitely gets first place — morning coffee is still the great unifier. But the ice bath has a surprisingly loyal following. It’s the fastest mental reset I’ve seen. And no, laptops in the sauna are a firm no. The Edge is about performance, and understanding the power of recovery.
YLA: We’ve have to ask about sauna etiquette. Have you had to mediate any “heated” debates over the correct temperature or playlist? Is zen ever disrupted?
Helen: We’ve been pleasantly spared any major “heated” debates so far. The unspoken rule is mutual respect — for the space and for each other. Temperature preferences are negotiated quietly, playlists are intentionally calming, and zen is never disrupted at The Edge!
YLA: If you had to craft the perfect bougie work-wellness hour, what’s the ideal sequence? A flat white, then a focus pod, then a sauna — or do you recommend plunging straight into the ice bath before tackling the inbox?
Helen: My personal recommendation? If you start your day in the ice bath. You get an immediate 20 per cent lift in mood and energy, which sets the tone for the day! Then coffee, followed by a solid focus session, and a sauna later in the day to decompress and reset. It’s a performance game changer!
YLA: How does a wellness-led workspace fit into the local community? Are you seeing more people pop in for a post-school run sauna than a traditional desk day?
Helen: It’s been fascinating to watch how the space is being used. We’re seeing people move away from rigid nine-to-five thinking towards something more human, such as parents arriving after school drop-off, professionals stopping in on their way to work, and cross-fitters hitting the ice baths after their gym session.
We’re also running our leadership training sessions at The Edge, so people can think in a new, inspired way while they learn — and cold plunge! You can find out more here.
