What Is Mindfulness?

By now, most of us are familiar with “mindfulness,” or the quality of being fully present. The pandemic brought this meditative practice to the forefront of culture. During quarantine, people sought stress reprieve and ways to keep active.

The goal of mindfulness practice is all around us: taking time in the morning to appreciate a cup of coffee or tea, not rushing from task to task, or going for a walk in the middle of the day. Every small action will contribute to the overall well-being.

Pandemic aside, according to mental health advocacy nonprofit Made of Millions, 44% of adults say their stress has increased over the past five years. And this stress translates to the workplace: 56% of employees say anxiety impacts their job performance.

Given these statistics and the rise of remote work, it’s no surprise that large corporations are beginning to invest in mental health solutions like mindfulness.

So how does practicing mindfulness help with stress?

Studies show that mindfulness increases positive emotions and encourages patience, acceptance, and self-compassion. According to the Harvard Business Review, mindfulness is also an effective leadership strategy.

It promotes productivity by directing focus and assisting in stress management. Stress management, specifically burnout prevention, is becoming increasingly prevalent in the workplace, especially as many companies adopt remote working models. Living where you work requires a certain level of balance and discipline to manage stress. Personal and private life can quickly bleed together, impacting productivity and impairing your performance both in your personal and professional lives.

Mindfulness doesn’t just benefit remote workers, though. Burnout affects us all; 62% of missed workdays can be attributed to a mental condition. When workers invest in their mental health, they are less likely to take unexpected time off. Tech giant Google is an excellent example of the tangible business benefits of mindfulness in the workplace.

Tech Giants’ Quick Tips for Mindfulness in the Workplace

1. Invest in mindfulness-based leadership training.

One of Google’s most successful internal initiatives is Chade-Meng Tan’s “Search Inside Yourself” course. This course initially began as leadership training and is now a widely available seminar. The goal of “Search Inside Yourself” is to do just that.

Studies have shown that accurate self-assessment is one of the hallmarks of highly effective leadership. Tan says, “the more you know your strengths, weaknesses, priorities, goals, and what gives you meaning in life, the more effectively you can inspire, serve and lead others.” Considering Google’s enormously successful lineage of leaders, it’s worth considering the role mindfulness may have played in their achievements.

2. Encourage and support a mindful community.

Culture is curated; this means leadership must work intentionally and thoughtfully to create a mindful workplace. Looking at Google, for example, they have already begun to lead the charge on this initiative in both:

• The workplace – Google is known for its amenity-rich campus. However, it’s not just Google that has free yoga and meditation classes and rooms; Aetna and Nike have also invested in physical spaces dedicated strictly to meditative practices. These spaces encourage employees to take a break from their busy days to invest in themselves, increasing their productivity.
• Virtually for remote workers – Virtual workers should have access to all the same benefits as workers who can come into the office. When yoga and meditation company spaces are inaccessible to remote workers, Google will reimburse yoga classes. Additionally, Google has an internal initiative known as gPause, an online community that shares resources like books and podcasts about mindfulness.

Building a prosperous community virtually and in person to foster a sense of unity and support in the journey to mindfulness is essential. Investing in resources and physical infrastructure will help you lead the charge to a healthier workplace.

3. Make mindfulness accessible to everyone.

Company initiatives to incorporate mindfulness in the workplace must be available to all employees. Besides providing opportunities for both remote and office workers, other ways to include accessibility in the office are:

• Provide multiple timeslots for meditation training to encourage employees to attend a session that works with their schedule.
• Consider an office-wide “No Meeting Day” to allow employees to work uninterrupted and stress-free.
• Consider implementing a mandatory monthly “mental health day.” Many employees need a push to participate in mindful behavior.

Why Mindfulness Matters

Mindfulness has tangible personal health benefits. That’s indisputable. But if you’re looking for a business reason to adapt mindfulness practices, here are a few convincing arguments:

• Intel began offering its mindfulness program in 2012. On average, participants report a two-point decrease (on a scale of 1 to 10) in stress and feeling overwhelmed, a three-point increase in overall happiness and well-being, and a two-point increase in new ideas, insights, mental clarity, creativity, ability to focus, quality of relationships at work, level of engagement in meetings, and more.
• Team members who attended Google’s “Search Inside Yourself” training noted reduced stress and burnout. Employers who attended training could save up to $22,000 per employee due to reduced burnout and increased productivity.
• According to a 2018 Gallup study, almost a quarter of employees are often or always burned out—and these burned-out employees are 63% more likely to take a sick day and 2.6% more likely to leave their employer than those who aren’t burned out.
• In 2012, as the Aetna mindfulness programs ramped up, healthcare costs for employees fell 7 percent.

Conclusion

It’s no surprise that mindfulness has grown in prevalence in the workplace. After all, companies like Google and Aetna reported increased productivity and decreased corporate expenses like days off or healthcare.

Mindfulness increases positive emotions and encourages patience, acceptance, and self-compassion – all of which are characteristics of strong leaders.

If you’re looking for a way to invest in your company and your employees at once, consider a company-wide course on mindfulness today. You must show initiative and support your employees as a leader or manager.