A Workplace Mindfulness Intervention May Be Associated With Improved Psychological Well-Being and Productivity. A Preliminary Field Study in a Company Setting
Wendy M. Kersemaekers, Silke Rupprecht, Marc Wittmann, Chris Tamdjidi, Pia Falke, Rogier Donders, Anne E. M. Speckens, Niko Kohls
Frontiers in Psychology February 28, 2018 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00195 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preliminary field study (uncontrolled, pre-post with repeated measures) Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 425 |
| Population | Employees of four companies participating in a Workplace Mindfulness Training |
| Intervention | Workplace Mindfulness Training (WMT) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 151 |
| Key points | Comparing the intervention period with the pre-intervention period, the authors report significantly greater reductions in burnout (mean difference=0.3) and perceived stress, and improvements in mindfulness, well-being, and team and organizational climate and personal performance, with effect sizes from low to moderate (d=0.2-0.8). The authors state that due to design limitations, no conclusions can be drawn about the extent to which the WMT or non-specific factors such as time contributed to these findings. |
Abstract
Background: Mindfulness trainings are increasingly offered in workplace environments in order to improve health and productivity. Whilst promising, there is limited research on the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions in workplace settings.
Objective: To examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a Workplace Mindfulness Training (WMT) in terms of burnout, psychological well-being and organizational and team climate and performance.
Methods: This is a preliminary field study in four companies. Self-report questionnaires were administered up to a month before, at start of, and right at the end of the WMT, resulting in a pre-intervention and an intervention period. There was no separate control group. A total of 425 participants completed the surveys on the different time points. Linear mixed model analyses were used to analyze the data.
Results: When comparing the intervention period with the pre-intervention period, significantly greater improvements were found in measures of burnout (mean difference=0.3, p0.8), moderate for well-being, burnout and perceived stress (d=0.5 - 0.8), and ranged from low to moderate for organizational and team climate and personal performance (d=0.2 - 0.8).
Conclusion: These preliminary data suggest that compared to the pre-intervention period, the intervention period was associated with greater reductions in burnout and perceived stress, improvements in mindfulness, well-being, and increases in team and organisational climate and personal performance. Due to design limitations, no conclusions can be drawn on the extent to which the WMT or non-specific factors such as time have contributed to the findings. Further studies, preferably using randomized controlled designs with longer follow up periods are needed to evaluate whether the associations found can be attributed to the WMT and whether these sustain after the training.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 19
- Mindfulness and Behavioural Insights Journal of Awareness-Based Systems Change November 30, 2022
- A Mini-Review of Work Stress and Mindfulness: A Neuropsychological Point of View Frontiers in Psychology April 15, 2022
- Enhancing wellbeing in beauty salons and spas through the integration of mindfulness and aromatherapy in beauty vocational education: a qualitative narrative inquiry International Journal of Spa and Wellness September 2, 2023
- A qualitative analysis of free text comments of participants from a massive open online mindfulness course. Frontiers in Public Health 2022
- Mapping the evidence on the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions as a stress recovery strategy in the workplace: a scoping review Cogent Psychology February 17, 2026
and 14 more in the library
Cites 11
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology October 27, 2008
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2009
- Contemplating Mindfulness at Work Journal of Management November 19, 2015
and 6 more in the library