Being mindful is "trendy" in our challenging world. Organizations are also concerned about their workers achieving that full attention: programs are popping up like bees to honey. But in this article, I want to provide my perspective from an objective point of view.
Although it's on everyone's lips, what is mindfulness? If we turn to the definition provided by science, it's the state in which a person is alert and aware of what's happening in the present moment. The conscious awareness of these external and internal impulses serves to avoid reactive positions and to dynamically monitor the associated challenges. Achieving a state of full consciousness is within reach for everyone using techniques related to this aspect, such as meditation or stress reduction based on mindfulness.
Focusing on the workplace, organizations are increasingly establishing programs and techniques related to mindfulness for their employees. Following studies like Jamieson's in 2017, which show the outcomes of such programs on individuals, affecting areas like attention, emotions, and behaviors. Additionally, conscious behavior positively impacts stress management, interpersonal relationships, and more.
Individual appearance is just one side of the coin.
It's almost unbelievable that in my research for this article, I've found numerous pieces about mindfulness, yet its application within organizations is quite unique. What the mentioned study highlights is that when attempting to incorporate such programs into organizations, they often face critical scrutiny. The reality of mindfulness in relation to organizational contexts is diverse.
If mindfulness programs are implemented partially due to cost or without verifying their effectiveness, the negative consequences become evident. However, organizations also need to realize that the positive effects of mindfulness, manifested in a better understanding of workplace conditions or increased empathy, can have unexpected impacts in dysfunctional environments. Consequently, as titled in this section, when establishing mindfulness-related programs, it's crucial to acknowledge that individual appearance is just one side of the coin.
To have a lasting effect in the long term, apart from individual-focused mindfulness, organizations need to pay attention to designing their organizational framework in a way that these positive effects can endure over time. An example could be encouraging employees to share "mindful" opinions when making decisions and communicating.
Setting objectives and designating communication channels are necessary.
Any organization considering the implementation of such a program should ask themselves the following questions:
- What is the goal of the program?
- Who is the target audience?
- Who will develop this program?
- How can we, from an organizational standpoint, support individuals' mindfulness?
In summary, the positive consequences of mindfulness have been extensively studied, but not yet its direct transfer to the organizational context, which still needs testing and reveals critical aspects. Therefore, organizations need to be attentive to mindfulness, create communication channels, adapt structures, and this is where the success and positive effects of mindfulness programs lie.
And a final question that arises is:
"Does participation based on mindfulness symbolize the appropriate dimension to counteract factors contributing to daily work stress?"
When adopting such programs, what often happens is similar to going to a doctor — they tend to address the symptom rather than the underlying cause. Questioning the transfer of positive effects of mindfulness to the work environment, perhaps we should turn more towards the organizational framework first. And thus, I conclude that no mindfulness technique will be successful if the environment and work culture aren't aligned.
