Mindfulness is often viewed as a “touchy-feely” fad. However, a new, comprehensive analysis of mindfulness research suggests it is a valuable management tool that can lift an entire workplace by improving focus, the ability to manage stress, and how well employees work together.
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“Historically, companies have been reticent to offer mindfulness training because it was seen as something fluffy, esoteric, and spiritual,” says Christopher Lyddy, a doctoral candidate in organizational behavior at Case Western Reserve’s Weatherhead School of Management and codirector of the study. “But that’s changing.”
“Mindfulness,” or adopting attention and awareness of the present moment, emerged from Buddhist philosophy and has been cultivated for millennia through meditation practices, says a university press release.
“When you are mindful, you can have a greater consciousness in the present,” Lyddy says. “That’s vital for any executive or manager who, at any given moment, may be barraged with various problems that call for decisions under stress.”