Nike Inc. has ended an initiative that gave employees an extra week off each year to promote mental health and wellness.

Nike’s annual “Wellness Week,” which started in 2021, had been held each August, with the world’s largest sportswear company powering down its corporate headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, to give staff more time to unwind.

Chief People Officer Treasure Heinle told staff this week that the program was instituted as the world endured Covid-19, but the company is now in a “pivotal moment” that requires changes in how employees approach their work, according to a replay of the meeting reviewed by Bloomberg News.

“Today is very different than a few years ago,” Heinle told them. “And that’s why we’re making this change.”

Perks like Wellness Week emerged at Nike, Spotify I

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