Why networking is getting a wellness makeover and Gen Z is leading the way

There was a time when networking meant squeezing into a crowded bar after work, balancing a drink in one hand while trying to remember someone’s job title.

These days, it looks a little different.

Instead of meeting over cocktails, many young professionals are finding themselves making new friends, expanding their professional circles and even landing job opportunities through run clubs, wellness events and community fitness gatherings.

While the workout may be what gets people through the door, it’s the conversations afterwards that are keeping them coming back.

The new networking isn’t really called networking

For 25 year old Kelly, wellness communities feel like a far more natural way to meet people than a formal networking event.

“I think social media has definitely played a part in the shift towards wellness events,” she says. “We constantly see people sharing their healthy lifestyles and the communities they’re part of, so it’s natural to want to try them too.”

As someone who works out four times a week, Kelly says these events already fit into her lifestyle. The added bonus? The people she meets along the way.

“It’s much easier to start conversations because there’s less pressure than at a formal networking event. Through these events, I’ve made friends, professional connections and even landed an opportunity for a job interview last year.”

It’s proof that sometimes your next career opportunity doesn’t begin with a LinkedIn message. It starts with a shared workout.

Why wellness communities are becoming the new meeting place

That shift is something Saúl Mirpuri, founder of The Chill Movement, has witnessed firsthand.
The Singapore based social wellness community was created to bring people together through movement, recovery and shared experiences. While networking was never the main goal, it quickly became part of the experience.

“When I first started The Chill Movement, my goal was to bring like minded individuals together through health focused activities and foster meaningful connections,” he says. “Over the past year, we’ve seen a strong correlation between people who prioritise their wellbeing and those striving for career success.”

Mirpuri says many participants now attend not only to exercise, but also to expand both their social and professional circles.

“With the rise of AI and the online economy, offline connection is becoming something people are craving. We see people coming to expand their social circles while connecting with others from different industries and backgrounds. It becomes a real melting pot.”

Unlike traditional networking events, where conversations can sometimes feel forced, these communities remove much of that pressure.

“Traditional networking events often come with a specific objective,” he says. “At our events, there’s no pressure. People come to work out, recover after a busy week and build friendships first. That relaxed environment naturally opens people up to forming meaningful connections.”

Perhaps his biggest takeaway?

“I truly believe social capital is moving towards wellness.”

It’s not just Gen Z

The trend may be led by younger professionals, but millennials are embracing it too.

For 33 year old Emily, networking at the start of her career usually revolved around after work drinks.

“I was never a big fan because there was often an expectation to keep drinking, especially when you were networking with more senior people,” she says. “Sometimes you’d also see people get drunk and make a fool of themselves.”

It also wasn’t something she wanted to do regularly.

“It wasn’t a particularly healthy habit either, especially when networking is something you’re expected to do often.”

Now, she’d much rather spend an evening at a wellness event.

“You get a workout, meet new people for friendships or work, and go home feeling good rather than drained.”

More than just a workout

Perhaps that’s why these communities resonate so strongly.

Rather than walking into a room where everyone is trying to “network”, people arrive because they already share a common interest. The conversations happen naturally, whether it’s during a post run coffee, while stretching after a class or chatting between activities.

Career opportunities become a bonus, not the objective.

As wellness continues to become part of everyday life, it seems it’s also changing the way people build their professional networks. And if Gen Z has anything to do with it, the future of networking may look a lot less like happy hour and a lot more like a Saturday morning run.