Leigh Feldman spent an hour in a sensory deprivation float tank this past November. Feldman, chief marketing officer for salon chain Bishops Cut/Color, said the experience was offered by his employer as a way to help mitigate feelings of stress.

The one-hour session was meant to help him “rebalance and realign,” said Feldman. While he wasn’t able to reach a meditative state like other employees who took Bishops Cut/Color up on the sensory deprivation float tank, doing so gave Feldman something else to talk about with his team and fellow employees.

“Working from home, it’s still difficult to feel connected to the team,” said Feldman. “If you have joint experiences it’s advantageous to feeling like a team and feeling closer to each other. It’s a nice ice breaker beyond ‘How’s the weather’ or ‘What are your weekend plans?’”