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Category: Employee Engagement

Why Mindfulness is Gaining Popularity in the Business World

Mindfulness - Live in the Moment

The practice of mindfulness meditation is gaining popularity in the business world. Celebrities swear by it, politicians practice it, and businesses use it to prevent burnout. Why?

Work can be a stressful place, and with companies trying to keep an eye on the bottom line while simultaneously improving productivity, many workers may find themselves with more responsibilities than ever before. While there is no way to totally eliminate stress from the workplace, some companies are doing what they can to help employees relax. Mindfulness has gained interest because it allows us to better manage stress and anxiety. Furthermore, it has quickly become a tool within businesses to increase the productivity and well-being of employees.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is not a new idea. The concept can be traced back to the fifth century BC. Mindfulness is a practice involved in various religious and secular traditions—from Hinduism and Buddhism to yoga and, more recently, non-religious meditation. People have been practicing mindfulness for thousands of years, whether on its own or as part of a larger tradition. 

So what exactly is mindfulness?  Simply, mindfulness is meditation. It’s an Mindfulnessancient Buddhist practice which is about paying attention in a particular way, in the present moment, on purpose and non-judgmentally. According to Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, professor of medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, mindfulness is the art of being in the “now”—living fully in the present. It focuses on becoming fully aware of one’s thoughts and feelings and accepting them, but not attaching or reacting to them. With mindfulness, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in any given moment.

Mindfulness has many positive benefits, including lowering stress levels, improving sleep and brain function, and protecting against depression and anxiety. Research even suggests that mindfulness can help people better cope with rejection and social isolation.

Companies and Politicians Practicing Mindfulness

A number of well-known companies are promoting mindfulness programs in the workplace including Google, Apple, Nike, University of Iowa Healthcare, Procter & Gamble, and Yahoo.

Even politicians are using mindfulness meditation in their approach to politics. For example, Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan is one of a growing group of prominent politicians incorporating mindfulness into their approach. Ryan has become an evangelist for meditation on Capitol Hill and is encouraging other lawmakers to try it. He’s securing federal funding for a pilot meditation program at schools in his district, and is even writing a book, “A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit.” And, he’s not alone.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to Bill Clinton and Republican lawmaker Mark Sanford are a growing number of politicians using daily mindfulness meditation.

Benefits of Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Numerous clinical trials have shown the positive effect mindfulness has on the brain including wellbeing and happiness:

  • Improves mood and levels of happiness and well-being1
  • Reduces day-to-day anxiety and prevents and treats depression2
  • Increases engagement in the workplace because mindfulness helps to create a positive culture at work. Absence levels are reduced and employee retention improves. Job satisfaction increases and productivity is higher.
  • Supports a healthy work life balance—by paying attention to how things are and not judging things in any way can help you respond more effectively in all areas of your life.

Conclusion

Practicing mindfulness meditation helps to be more present, as well as less judgmental, more patient, and able to see things from a new perspective.

Not sure if mindfulness is right for you? Give it a try – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Clinical Trials – Footnotes:

1Mindfulness and Mood Disorders in the Brain

2 Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Effects of Anxiety and Stress Reactivity

Are Your Employees Engaged?

employee engagement

Unleashing the energy and talent of people in the workplace and engaging employees more fully in their work is a critical challenge facing organizations. Engagement is particularly important today due to morale problems, lack of harmonious relations between employees and managers, lack of career development opportunities, and organizational reputation.

If a business is to succeed and remain competitive in today’s corporate landscape, it is essential to keep their employees engaged.

But some contend if it is even possible to achieve employee engagement in a hierarchical organization where leadership dominates. Still, others believe that engagement is a manipulative management technique to squeeze more out of an overworked and understaffed workforce. Clearly, engagement is not a simple matter.

According to recent research conducted by Towers Watson, a leading global professional services company that helps organizations improve performance through effective people, risk, and financial management, only a small percentage of employees are actively engaged. In fact, research suggests there has been a considerable decline in engagement over the last several years.

But, what exactly is employee engagement? Employee engagement refers to the emotional commitment an employee has to their organization and its goals, their job, and their colleagues.

Oftentimes, employee engagement is confused with employee satisfaction because the concepts are similar, so the terms are often used interchangeably. Employee satisfaction is an attitude where employees are happy or content with their jobs and work environment. However, engaged employees are passionate about their jobs and are committed to the organization and its goals. Just because an employee is satisfied doesn’t necessarily mean they are engaged.

When I worked at Signet Bank (Union Trust) in the 1980s, I was proud to be working there. The company wasn’t perfect, but it took care of us. Later I had the same commitment and passion during my years at Union Memorial Hospital, and then again at LifeBridge Health. Yes, sometimes management issues got in the way, but it was always my ability to contribute and make a difference, innovate, and enjoy the people who made me happy, which got me engaged.

How is employee engagement measured? Employee engagement is typically measured using an employee engagement survey that has been developed specifically for this purpose. These surveys must be statistically validated and benchmarked to measure your employee’s level of engagement.

One such survey, the Gallup Q12, was designed to measure employee engagement to worker productivity, customer loyalty, and sales growth. Twelve survey questions were chosen ranging from topics including basic needs, management support, teamwork, and growth. The answers were used to categorize employees into three areas:

  1. Engaged—employees who love their jobs and feel a connection to their company. Actively engaged employees demonstrate high levels of performance, a drive for innovation and efficiency, commitment to their roles and to the organization as a whole, and high-energy enthusiasm.
  2. Disengaged—employees who do as little as possible just to get by. Disengaged employees view their jobs as an exchange of time for a paycheck. They complete their tasks, but they do so unenthusiastically and put in little to no additional effort.
  3. Actively Disengaged—employees who are not only unhappy with their job but they have a bad attitude and are damaging to the workplace. They are actively negative and voice their displeasure in the workplace. Their negativity permeates the job place and often undermines the performance of other employees.

The benefits of an engaged workforce are clear. Research has shown that organizations with engaged and committed employees are significantly more productive than those where employees are disengaged. Employee retention rates are also considerably higher. A Towers Watson study found that companies with more engaged employees produce greater financial returns.

Our organization regularly takes employee satisfaction surveys. In order to get some anecdotal feedback, I raised the question of employee satisfaction surveys with some of my coworkers. My question seemed to strike a raw nerve with many of my coworkers because they felt the surveys are not anonymous since very specific demographic questions are asked about each employee. Any negative feedback brought forth could mean fear of reprisal.   Further, one would have to look at the validity and reliability of feedback methodology.

How can leaders effectively engage their employees? Following are several tips that can stimulate employee engagement:

  • Provide Clear Direction: Leadership needs to know where the company is going and how employees can help it get there. This is where a mission and core values come in. Change often fails because of the lack of clear and credible communication. Management cannot and should not expect employees who lack awareness and understanding of corporate strategy to become committed to carrying out the organization’s policy.
  • Communication: Once the strategy is in place, the leaders need to communicate and reinforce the overarching message among all employees. Each employee should know how he or she can contribute. Leaders and professional communicators can help by aligning words with actions, building relationships, and conversing with employees rather than communicating at them.
  • Employee Development: Organizations should offer training to employees to help them advance in their careers.
  • Supportive Managers: Managers must give their employees clear goals, offer feedback, and have an open-door policy.

In conclusion, engagement requires a sustained effort from everyone. Organizations must carefully identify the causes of disengagement through data gathering and surveys then address these issues with a clear strategy in mind.

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