Research: When Mindfulness Does — and Doesn’t — Help at Work

Mindfulness meditation practices can be an effective way to reduce stress and improve well-being in certain contexts. But as more and more employers offer some form of mindfulness training to their employees, it isn’t always clear whether these programs are actually paying off. To explore the impact of mindfulness in the workplace, the authors conducted a series of field studies in real-world work environments — and they found that while mindfulness can in fact be beneficial in some situations, it can be less effective (or even counterproductive) in others. Specifically, they found that both breath-based and loving-kindness meditation can help reduce the stress associated with emotionally charged social interactions, but that breath-focused meditation can actually make people less helpful in situations that require them to take accountability. As such, especially for programs targeting managers or executives (whose roles often necessitate the ability to take responsibility for past mistakes and proactively address issues), the authors suggest that breath-based meditation may not be the best approach. They go on to offer three strategies to help organizations implement the targeted mindfulness programs that will be most beneficial for everyone, ultimately suggesting that it’s critical for us all to identify the mindfulness practices that will be most effective for our unique roles, routines, and minds.