Workplace wellbeing is climbing the agenda, and one founder is bringing something refreshingly simple — and deeply effective — to the table: craft.

“It’s like meditation, yoga or breathwork,” says Alexandra Lunn, founder of Well-Crafted. “They all bring you into the present moment — and craft does the same. Whether that’s lino cutting, paper cutting, or making a mess with paint… it taps into this playful, childlike state. And kids are so good at just being present, aren’t they?”

Well-Crafted founder Alexandra Lunn

Alexandra is on a mission to reimagine workplace wellbeing through artist-led craft workshops that help teams connect, de-stress, and re-engage. And that ability to be ‘in the moment’ is at the heart of the platform’s offering. 

Before founding Well–Crafted, Alexandra ran creative sessions through her design practice, Alexandra Lunn Studio, delivering workshops at events like the London Design Festival and the D&AD Festival. Her hands-on, therapeutic approach soon caught the attention of organisations like Soho House, Zendesk and a third-party events company sourcing experiences for Meta and Made.com, among others.

The response was overwhelmingly positive — and the idea for Well–Crafted was born.

Now a growing platform, Well–Crafted doesn’t just bring craft to the workplace; it also provides work for a diverse collective of craftspeople, helping them generate additional income while sharing their skills. “That’s one of the best things about Well–Crafted,” Alexandra explains. “It’s a platform that supports other creatives.”

Photo credit: Kelan Gregory. Pictured left to right: Artists Ella Doran, Sicgmone Kludge, Rain Chan, Well-Crafted’s founder Alexandra Lunn, workplace expert Gifty Enright, moderator Peter Stojanovic, and Lauren Godfrey at an event at Second Home, Holland Park.

 

Building connection – in person and online

For companies with hybrid or remote teams, craft workshops are an opportunity to build culture and camaraderie.

“We’re more fragmented than ever,” Alexandra says. “People want flexibility, but coming together as a team is absolute gold. When you’ve worked remotely, you need those shared reference points — like ‘Oh, I know how this person thinks.’ It helps.”

One standout moment came during a workshop for Zendesk. “They contacted me from California after seeing a doormat event on Eventbrite. They had a budget and wanted to bring together their UK and US teams who’d never met before, for an online session.”

The result? “Everyone made an alphabet out of paper, and I taught them how to turn it into a typeable font. You could see the ‘aha’ moment on people’s faces… it’s so therapeutic and satisfying.”

Whether it’s colleagues designing a collective typeface across continents or physically sitting together around a table making prints, there’s a shared sense of joy and purpose. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s presence.

“What matters most is the process, not the end product,” says Alexandra. “People leave feeling lighter, more connected – not just to each other, but to something within themselves.”

That sentiment is echoed by feedback from past participants who found the sessions unexpectedly therapeutic. One described it as “the first time in months I wasn’t thinking about my to-do list.” Another said it “brought out a side of me I’d forgotten existed.”

Among the most popular sessions is lino cutting, though paper cutting (inspired by the Polish tradition of Wycinanki) also ranks high. And despite what people may think, no one needs to be ‘good at art’ to join in.

“I hear it all the time: ‘Oh, I’m not creative’ or ‘My sister’s amazing at this and I’m not.’ But I remind them: it’s just about the process. It’s fun. It’s relaxing. That’s the point.”

By the end, even the sceptics are often surprised by what they’ve created.

The rise in popularity isn’t accidental. Forward-thinking companies are increasingly open to different ways of supporting their people, and play-based, creative workshops are finding their place in the mix.

“There’s so much more awareness now than even five years ago,” she says. “I’ve been mentored by Claire Koryczan, founder of Imagine Beyond, and a leadership coach and advocate for creativity in the workplace. She works with FTSE 100 leaders and high-growth business leaders to increase self-awareness in their leadership — and talks about how play taps into your alpha brainwaves. When you’re using that creative part of your brain, you come back to operational tasks better focused.”

The science may be ongoing, but the results are already being felt, in hands dusted with paint, laughter around a craft table, and a renewed sense of togetherness.

When we engage in repetitive, hands-on tasks like cutting, shaping or printing, our brain slows down. Instead of the high-frequency ‘beta’ brainwaves associated with constant focus and pressure, we move into a calmer, more open state. And that’s where the magic happens.

In the words of her mentor Claire: “Our work lives are dominated by productivity and reward. But the slower brainwaves – where our creativity, problem-solving and executive thinking live – need time and space to do their thing. These workshops allow people to step out of that beta mode. They get away from their screens and into a different mental rhythm.”

“These workshops are hands-on, human and deeply experiential. They’re a way to reconnect with ourselves and each other. AI can’t replicate that.” 

Making creative wellbeing the norm

While many companies are investing in mental health initiatives, Alexandra believes more can be done to bring creativity into the core of company culture – not as a tick-box exercise, but as a true tool for transformation.

“These workshops help with collaboration, communication, retention, resilience – all the things HR teams are measured on.”

She encourages businesses to look to thought leaders like Claire and Peter Stojanovic, a moderator, speaker and editor, both of whom advocate for the power of play and creativity at work, and to back up their efforts with neuroscience. The science is clear: experiential, creative activities improve mental wellbeing, team cohesion and cognitive function.

“This isn’t about being an expert crafter,” Alexandra adds. “It’s about trying something new, feeling something real, and sharing that with your team.”

In a world increasingly dominated by tech and AI, we need to protect what makes us human. Making art, playing, creating something together – that’s workplace culture at its best.

 

Alexandra is offering ITN Business Hub readers a complimentary workshop. Choose from any of the six workshops she runs (details here) and email alexandra@well-crafted.com to book.