Document Type
Article
First Faculty Advisor
Lori Coakley
Second Faculty Advisor
James Segovis
Keywords
mindfulness; business; employee
Publisher
Bryant University
Abstract
Having employees who are more mindful in the workplace, holds the potential to transforms every aspect of a company. By being more aware of themselves and the worlds they operate in, workers could find opportunities to improve their own experience and the way they interact with each other, customers, stakeholders, and more broadly how they plan and prepare for the future. Although there is much interest in these programs among companies today, efforts to realize the benefits are still embryonic and face many challenges. Of companies who have launched programs, many have been around for three years or less and have only been developed in a limited number of attributes. Despite this, nearly all companies that have implemented mindfulness programs claim to have realized some benefits from them. However, the nature of most benefits remain at a qualitative level rather than from strong statistical studies. The goals of this research were to showcase why organizations should proactively implement mindfulness programs, identify the roadblocks and different approaches organizations can use to implement mindfulness programs, and specify the best practices for achieving results from mindfulness programs. The mindfulness efforts that have been most impactful are introductory talks, app usage, and guided meditations. Companies that have had mindfulness programs for longer periods of time have implemented more attributes and achieved more employee participation. In order to further realize the potential of mindfulness, companies should establish high profile commitment and an accountable champion, develop a broader community of involvement, and work diligently to make sure stigmas do not get in the way.
