With the worst of the pandemic behind us, companies all over face the challenge of bringing employees back to the workplace and reintroducing the stressors that come with working on site. If pre-pandemic – and pandemic – life has taught us anything, we need to eliminate as much stress as possible in the workplace, keep our team productive and engaged, and keep them from looking for greener pastures.
Corporate meditation programs are pretty popular with companies everywhere, and they offer numerous benefits, like job satisfaction and stress reduction. We offer advice on several ways to help reduce stress and improve well-being in your workplace, and implementing an office meditation club is at the top of that list.
For many companies, meditation clubs have reshaped their staff into content employees who enjoy collaboration and engagement at levels they hadn’t experienced before initiating a meditation program in the workplace.
Follow us as we give you tips on implementing a corporate meditation program in your organization.
1. Does your company need a meditation club?
As we mention in our blog article, there are many ways to help improve well-being at work. So you may ask yourself if you even need a corporate meditation program at your company.
Consider this – stress, anxiety, and burnout are among the highest contributing factors to turnover rates in organizations.
The APA suggests mindful meditation is beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep, and enhancing focus – among several other mental and physical advantages. The less stress in the workplace, the greater productivity and employee engagement your company will see.
We suggest you perform some research. Put out a survey for your staff. Find out if they’re interested in the workplace meditation. Allow for comments from your employees, and take a pulse on their desire and willingness to participate.
Here are some questions that may be helpful to add to your survey:
- With 1 being “not at all” and 5 being “extremely interested,” what is your interest level if the company were to start a meditation club?
- Would you prefer an in-person or a virtual meditation program?
- If the company were to initiate an in-person meditation program, how often are you likely to participate?
- 1-2 times per week
- 1-2 times per month
- 1 time per month or less
- I will not be participating
- If the company were to initiate a virtual meditation program, how often are you likely to participate?
- 1-2 times per week
- 1-2 times per month
- 1 time per month or less
- I will not be participating
- The meditation topics that interest you the most are ranked 1-5, with 1 being no interest and 5 being extremely interested.
- Reducing stress and anxiety
- Achieving inner peace
- Sound baths and guided visualizations
- Improving my sense of value
- Improving my outlook regarding others
- What times work best for you to engage in 30 to 60-minute meditation sessions?
- In the mornings, before work
- Noontime/lunch hour
- In the evenings, after work
- Later in the evening, between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM (virtual only)*
* Timeframes are based on a standard 8 AM – 5 PM workday. Adjust the times as needed to fit your company’s schedule.
2. Present the program and get approval
As company leaders, we desire what’s best for our employees. We want them to be successful in life and at their jobs. When presenting the concept of a meditation club in the workplace, here are some key points to bring to management:
According to the NIH, meditation has many benefits in or out of the workplace. Meditation eases many mental, emotional, and physical discomforts that impede our sense of well-being and hamper our journey to success. A mind at peace is the first and most crucial ingredient in the recipe for a successful life.
A club for guided meditation offers your team a vehicle to improve their sense of overall peace, enhancing their engagement and productivity. Providing space and time to exercise mindful meditation at work shows your staff that you value them as employees and people.
3. Understand your team’s needs
Having taken an employee survey, you’ll have a good idea of how many people intend to participate in a mindful meditation program at work. Through the comments portion of the survey, you may also get a good idea of what types of meditation topics your team is interested in. However, there are a few other needs to consider.
Space ?
Ensure there’s a sufficiently-sized area to gather a group, lay out mats, and dedicate an hour. Conference rooms and some break rooms that aren’t in use are terrific spaces to consider when practicing mindful meditation in the workplace.
Many virtual meditation clubs eliminate the need for ample physical space. Some even let you do your meditation exercises right at your desk.
Time ?
Set aside time for conducting guided meditation sessions at your workplace. Choose a timeframe that works best for the company, but also consider what hours are optimal for most participating employees. You’ll likely need to coordinate with your service provider to narrow down a schedule that is ideal for everyone.
Frequency ??
Determine how many sessions per week or month your team will need to engage in a guided meditation and what the company budget allows.
You may want to consider offering alternating classes, especially for larger organizations, in which the meditation leader follows the same session curriculum twice per week for two different groups. Having two possible slots makes it easier for more people to make room in their schedules for meditation sessions.
Onboarding ?
The time will come when new employees will want to join in on the fun, and why wouldn’t they? Meditation clubs are a fantastic recruiting tool, so make sure you have a process to let new people in.
4. Find reliable meditation professionals
Unless you plan to lead all the sessions yourself or hire an in-house guru, you’ll likely want to find a trusted professional specializing in conducting meditation sessions for organizations like yours. Having a knowledgeable leader ensures your team will receive a great meditation experience.
Consider the Meditation Club: Mindfulness Series, offered on Thriver. This virtual meditation series is four half-hour sessions, able to fit any size group. It’s a great way to introduce mindful meditation to your crew and can be extended into more sessions if you like.
Whatever type of program you decide is right for your particular group – or if you need assistance searching for the best meditation specialist – Thriver Culture Experts are here to help you find the top service provider to fit your company’s needs. Most providers will work with you for any special requests and ensure your organization gets just what they need out of the experience.
5. Get the word out
Once you have all your ducks in a row, you’re going to want to let your team know the guided meditations for your organization are going live.
Either send a mass in-house email or announce that your meditation club is about to begin in a company meeting. Your announcement could go something like this:
Have you been feeling stressed or anxious lately? Do the worries of life get in the way of enjoying your time at home and work?
Meditation has been shown to ease stress, reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and enhance perspective.
If you could use help in any of these areas, guided mindful meditation could be just what you need.
We are excited to announce the arrival of the company meditation club. Starting on (date), the company will provide guided meditation sessions for employees. Sessions are delivered by (provider name) and held every Monday and Wednesday, from 5:30 PM to 6:00 PM. Classes will be at no extra cost to you.
If you’re interested in signing up or have questions, you can reach out to your supervisor or send me an email at (email address).
This announcement is just a template. Times, days, and durations will likely differ based on what your company decides to go with.
Thriver is committed to helping organizations provide the very best for their employees. There’s no question – initiating some form of organized meditation is good for companies. When your employees are at ease and clear-headed, they will be more engaged with their work and with each other. Prepare to see increased collaboration and improved focus while everyone enjoys a more harmonious workplace.