Attract And Keep The Best Talent With A Mindful Workplace

Is your workplace mindfull or mindful? – That’s the question that many people have been asking in recent years.Workplaces which place collaborators’ well-being high up on the agenda often have higher engagement, reduced stress, lower churn and just a better vibe. Who wouldn’t want that!

Setting up and nurturing a well-being centric culture is a lot more than placing bean-bags in the communal area, offering yoga classes and free food though.

For it to stick, well-being needs to be demonstrated in the behaviours of everyone inside the company in all that they do from the CEO, HR team, marketing and sales, back and front end coders, interns and beyond. If this isn’t the case then it’s just bla-bla and good people will likely leave.

Here are two practical examples with steps on how to incorporate mindfulness into your daily flow. If you follow these ideas and make them your own, with a dash of fun, great communication and consistency, your company will likely become more attractive to fantastic talent. It’s a win-win.

Mindful Meetings – Turbo-charge engagement and productivity

Objective: To make meetings more focused, productive, and less stressful.

1. Set the Tone: Start with Silence. Begin each meeting with a minute of silence where everyone closes their eyes or looks down, focusing on their breathing. This sets a calm tone and transitions everyone’s focus from previous activities to the meeting. Deutsche Telecom put together a fantastic video that they encouraged their managers to play before all meetings called ‘One Minute to Arrive’ which did exactly this. Discover it here: https://www.telekom.com/en/blog/careers/article/boosting-work-wellbeing-tiny-habitsbig-impact-1062692
2. Mindful Listening: Before discussions, encourage participants to take three deep breaths, focusing on the sensation of air moving in and out. This helps in centering thoughts by ‘grounding’.

Implement an active listening rule where only one person speaks at a time, and others are encouraged to listen fully without planning their response. This fosters respect and understanding.

3. Post-Meeting Reflection: End meetings with a brief moment where each participant reflects on one positive aspect of the meeting or one thing they learned or appreciated. This not only promotes gratitude but also closes the meeting on a positive note.
4. Mindfulness Tools: Use apps like Headspace or Calm for quick guided meditations if the meeting format allows for it. Even a 2-3 minute session can refocus the group.

Mindful Breaks – Disconnect to reconnect

Objective: To give employees a chance to recharge and refocus during the workday.

1. Scheduled Breaks: Institutionalize breaks by setting specific times for short breaks (e.g. 5-10 minutes every two hours) where mindfulness exercises are encouraged.
2. Guided Activities: Provide simple instructions for deep breathing exercises or progressive muscle relaxation. For instance: 4-7-8 Breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds. This helps in reducing anxiety and increasing oxygen flow.

Encourage employees to spend these breaks observing their surroundings or an object in detail, or even to step outside if possible. We call this ‘mindful observation.’

 

3. Walking Meditation: If space permits, organize a short walking meditation where employees walk slowly, focusing on each step, the feel of movement, and the environment around them.
4. Technology-Free Zone: Designate an area where no technology is allowed during these breaks. This could be a small room or a corner with comfortable seating, plants, and perhaps some calming decor like soft lighting or water features.
5. Feedback and Adjustment: After a trial period, ask for feedback on these mindful breaks. Adjust the practices based on what employees find most effective or appealing.

Both examples aim to integrate mindfulness seamlessly into the workday, promoting a culture of awareness, calm, and productivity. The key is to keep practices simple, accessible, and non-intrusive to work schedules, ensuring they enhance rather than disrupt workflow.

Jeremy Williams | December 2024.