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building the case for mindfulness in the workplace
Extract from The Mindfulness Initiative
In 2015 the Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary Group (MAPPG) published the Mindful Nation UK
(MNUK) report - the culmination of over a year of research and inquiry into the impacts of
mindfulness training, including eight hearings in Parliament...
The report concludes that while there is still much
research to be done, mindfulness is already a promising innovation in the workplace context
with an early but rapidly evolving evidence base.
Studies by the National Institute of Health UK, the University of Massachusetts, and the Mind/Body Medical Institute at Harvard University, have found that practicing mindfulness at work:
- Reduces employee absenteeism and turnover
- Improves cognitive functions (concentration, memory, and learning ability)
- Increases employee productivity
- Enhances employer/employee and client relationships
- Improves job satisfaction
Other benefits from individuals who practice mindfulness include improved innovative thinking, better communication skills, and more appropriate reactions to stress. They also say that they are better able to handle conflict at work and experience improved teamwork and team relations.
CASE STUDIES
AOL Time Warner
In 2000, AOL Time IVanser mc, reduced their sales and marketing group from 85O to 500 people- Mindfulness classes were incorporated to help employees deal with the new working arrangements. As well as helping employees function better at work, the classes were regarded by many as a gesture of thanks for a job well done.
eBay
Online auction site encourage mindfulness amongst employees by providing two meditation rooms at its San Jose campus. Here, employees can sit in silence — in minimalist rooms decorated in earth tones, accented with cushy pillows, floor mats and fragrant flower buds — to catch a few critical moments of solitude and to decompress from the mynad stresses of a workday.
Transport for London
Transport for London (TfL) introduced its stress management course following an internal
review in 2003, which revealed mental health to be one of the top two health issues affecting
employees. The company has seen improvements in relating to others and a reduction in absenteeism
caused by stress, anxiety and depression since introducing the programme. Absenteeism caused by
stress, anxiety and depression dropped by 71%; 84% of participants say they “are relating to
others better”; 82% have increased the amount of exercise they do; 77% have improved their
diet or tackled drinking and/or smoking problems; and 54% have improved their sleeping
patterns. TfL teaches other techniques too, including how to interrupt the stress cycle by
taking control of physical symptoms. The organisation presented on its programme at the NHS’s
quarterly health, work and wellbeing forum on 13 June 2012.
Personneltoday
Reebok
At its Massachusetts head office, Reebok, as benefits a large sports manufacturer, has a huge gym. But Ron Bartkiewicz, a health promotion manager, says the group does not just take care of employees’ bodies - it looks after their mental well-being, too. “One of the things we offer is meditation,” he explains. “It helps strengthen the mind, reduce stress and focus.”
Medtronic
Over at Medtronic a medical device maker, they host quarterly meditation sessions. Jon Jagielski, supplier quality manager, says these typically last 90 minutes. “The practitioner puts on relaxing music and shows you a variety of techniques,” he explains. “You need to focus on something. It can be anything you want. I focused on visualising my breathing and the idea that I was filling up with air. The challenge is to maintain that focus; you acknowledge the outside distractions but you let them pass.”
United online
Dave Jakubowski is vice-president of business development for Internet service provider United Online. I'm in business,” he says, “and I need results.” So he recently turned to a mat and 60 minutes of silence. “It’s amazing,” he says of his new mindfulness meditation Practice. “I’m able to sort through work challenges in this state of calm much faster than trying to fight through it. And I make fewer mistakes.”
AstraZeneca Pharmacenticals
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals in the US offers mindfulness meditation courses aimed at energizing its 5,000 employees during and after marathon meetings. AstraZeneca now fund research and support mindfulness programmes.
In comparison to the cost of employee sickness, mindfulness programs are relatively inexpensive, and can aid employee motivation and retention, as employees often regard mindfulness programmes as a “job perk”
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) offers a Mindfulness Center at their facilities where employees can take year round retreats and workshops. GMCR returned roughly 3,400% in the stock market in the last decade, making it one of the best performing stocks during that period.
Sources of Data
Zen and the Art of Corporate Productivity
Mindfulness in the workplace by Jenny Lee
How Mindless Leaders can create workplace problems
The value of deep thinking by Rhymer Rigby
Linked in forum: Mindfulness in the Workplace and Mindful Leadership
Centre for Mindfulness corporate clients
