The Role Of Mindfulness In Maintaining Mental Health At The Workplace

There are several practices that organizations can adopt to encourage mindfulness in the workplace.

Mental health has emerged as one of the key workplace themes of this decade. In my work as a leadership coach, it features frequently as a major area of concern for both individuals and organizations.

A number of factors are driving this trend. Hybrid work models have led to greater flexibility, but also to more isolation. This void is sought to be filled by unfulfilling interactions on social media. Meanwhile, COVID-19 has reminded us of the fragility of the systems that form the backbone of our lives. Traditional family and community support structures have weakened, but there is no clear alternative that has taken their place. On the business front, technology-driven disruption has meant that most businesses today are just one step away from an existential crisis, leading to employees being in a constant state of pressure and anxiety.

However, in trying to adapt to this ‘new normal’, business leaders are still functioning with an outdated arsenal. There is a need for a new paradigm – one that recognizes individual well-being as being at the center of organizational effectiveness. Mindfulness needs to be at the core of the paradigm.

The Benefits Of Mindfulness

At an individual level, mindfulness involves being in a state of awareness through all activities. It means becoming aware of external stimuli and triggers, and the effect that they have on us. This process provides us an opportunity to create space between the stimulus and the response, a space where we can make conscious choices about our actions, rather than being driven by past biases. This enables us to function in tune with our deeper purpose.

When individuals across the organization adopt this mindset, these benefits of mindfulness compound, and the organization as a whole functions in tune with its purpose and values. This happens in a manner that is organic and wholesome, rather than as a set of impositions from above.

At a practical level, there are several practices that organizations can adopt to encourage mindfulness. The first step is for leaders to lead with a coaching mindset rather than an authoritative approach. Employees can be provided a safe environment to experiment and learn from failure, rather than an atmosphere of criticism and judgment. The organization can promote a culture of questioning and debate, and making conscious choices, rather than being reactive and at the mercy of external triggers. As the organization as a unit constantly experiments, reflects and learns, and in turn shares these learnings across geographical and even organizational boundaries, true growth happens. This lays the foundations for individual well-being, organizational success and overall sustainability.

The article is authored by S Venkatesh, a mindfulness coach, author and founder of leadership coaching firm Mainspring. He is also a member of the Forbes Coaches Council.