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Does mindfulness matter on employee outcomes? Exploring its effects via perceived stress.

Ilgin Sentin, Selin Metin Camgoz, Pinar Bayhan Karapinar, Eren Miski Aydin, Ozge Tayfur Ekmekci

BMC Psychology March 24, 2025 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-025-02626-y (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Cross-sectional survey study Peer reviewed
Sample size 205
Population Full-time white-collar employees in a non-Western organizational setting
Measures Perceived Stress Scale, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Intention to Quit Scale, Employee Well-Being Scale
Topics Meditation
Keywords Humans Cross-sectional studies Stress, psychological Intention Job satisfaction Adult Middle aged Personnel turnover Female Surveys and questionnaires Occupational stress Employee well-being Employee turnover Workplace mindfulness Stress mediation
Key findings Mindfulness was associated with lower perceived stress, which in turn was positively linked to employee well-being and negatively linked to turnover intentions. The authors conclude that perceived stress mediates the relationships between mindfulness and both well-being and turnover intentions, and propose that mindfulness interventions could benefit employee mental health and retention.

Abstract

Background: This study investigates the relationships between mindfulness, employees' well-being, and intentions to quit their jobs and further examines the mediating role of perceived stress in these relationships. Drawing on the Job Demand-Resources model, we aim to contribute to understanding how mindfulness can impact employee well-being and turnover intentions in a non-Western organizational setting.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted with 205 full-time white-collar employees. The study used an online questionnaire consisting of the Perceived Stress Scale, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Intention to Quit Scale, and the Employee Well-Being Scale. The data were analyzed using a full-latent model with structural equation modeling to investigate the relationships between the variables.

Results: The findings indicate that mindfulness is crucial in influencing employees' turnover intentions and well-being through perceived stress levels. Mindfulness is associated with lower levels of perceived stress, which in turn is positively linked to employee well-being and negatively linked to turnover intentions.

Conclusions: This study underscores the significance of mindfulness in the workplace, particularly in non-western organizational settings. By promoting mindfulness, organizations can potentially enhance employee well-being and reduce turnover intentions, fostering a more positive and productive work environment. The implications of these findings suggest that mindfulness interventions could be beneficial for organizations aiming to improve employee mental health and retention.

Comparable studies

Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups 2008 Cross-sectional study
Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants 2007 Observational cross-sectional n = 27
Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents 2011 Cross-sectional validation study n = 1,413
Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators 2012 Cross-sectional study n = 152
Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates 2008 Cross-sectional, correlational

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