Stressed, long working hours, tight deadlines and hustle to find work-life balance. Nowadays, everyone around us is going through the same phase in the workplace.
As per data by the ADP Research Institute, nearly 76% of Indian workers feel that stress negatively impacts their work performance with around 49% expressing the same thoughts about their mental health.
The number is huge and to deal with such stressful and fast-paced volatile work environments, mindfulness has emerged as a powerful tool to enhance a person’s productivity and well-being.
Professionally, Human Resources (HR) plays an important role in promoting this culture within organizations. This helps to reduce stress and create a friendlier workplace.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of being fully engaged and present in the moment. This aims to make one aware of one’s thoughts, surroundings, and feelings without passing judgment. It includes techniques such as mindful movement, deep breathing, and meditation.
It has numerous benefits, a few of which include- reduced stress, improved emotional control, and increased concentration.
It further helps to boost employee’s creativity and productivity at the workplace, along with work satisfaction. Patanjali’s Yog Sutra mentions ‘Yoga chitta vritti nirodhah’ which means Yoga enhances mindfulness by preventing mental fluctuations.
Awareness through Education
The initial step in integrating mindfulness into the workplace is promoting and educating about it through awareness programs.
HR professionals can organize monthly or weekly sessions with mindfulness experts to guide employees to the benefits of mindfulness. Additionally, they can provide resources like books, online sources, and articles about the same.
Create a Mindful Environment
Employees around the world are facing the pressure. Reports by the 2024 Global Talent Trends (Mercer) state that 8 out of 10 employees are at risk of burnout. To tackle this work environment needs to be revamped.
HRs can introduce plants, natural light, and calming colors into the office decor. These elements can promote a sense of tranquility and focus.
Also, allowing employees to personalize their workspaces (for example- standing desk, quiet area, mother’s area, etc.) to create a more comfortable and mindful environment can do wonders.
Implement Mindfulness Programs
Structured mindfulness programs can provide employees with regular opportunities to practice mindfulness. HRs can schedule regular group meditation sessions, either in-person or virtually, to help employees develop a consistent practice.
They can also encourage employees to practice breathing exercises such as Pranayama in between work hours. There can be a daily reminder or designated time for the same.
Also Read: How do Companies Improve Emotional Intelligence at Work, Click Here
A half-hour break in the afternoon should be allotted for deep physical, and mental relaxation, and keeping a mindful journal can bring the difference to the table.
Support Work-Life Balance
The target should be achieving a healthy work-life balance. For this, HRs can ensure employees take regular breaks, including lunch breaks, and discourage the culture of working through these periods.
They can also help employees manage their personal and professional responsibilities effectively and offer flexible working hours or remote working options.
Train Managers and Leaders
Organizations should start to offer training programs that equip managers with mindfulness techniques and strategies to support their teams.
Additionally, encouraging leaders to lead by example and follow basic things like empathy, active listening, and stress management and creating an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing their stressors and mental health concerns with their managers can help in stress management.
Measure and Adjust
At last, it’s important to measure the impact and customize it accordingly. For this HRs can regularly seek feedback from employees on the effectiveness of mindfulness programs and areas for improvement.
This feedback can help track metrics such as job satisfaction, employee management, and leaves to calculate the impact of mindfulness practices. Further based on feedback and data, continuously customize, refine, and adjust it to meet the needs of employees. Also, it is crucial to recognize and celebrate employees who actively participate in mindfulness programs.
Introducing mindfulness in organizations is an ongoing process, which requires commitment and adaptability as per needs. It is the HR professionals who can lead this change and establish a work environment that promotes both employee well-being and productivity.
This will not only improve the company culture, but also result in a more focused, and relaxed staff capable of surviving in today’s demanding work environment.
End Note: Economic Times, and Mercer
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