Popular Press
Where Mindfulness Falls Short
Harvard Business Review
(2021)
Abstract
Today, more than half of all large companies offer their employees some form of mindfulness training — a broad set of practices and techniques focusing on increasing awareness of the here and now. But new research suggests that these programs don’t always improve people’s wellbeing or their job performance. Specifically, for employees whose roles require them to act inauthentically (such as salespeople, waiters, or customer service representatives who often have to smile through unpleasant interactions with customers), becoming more mindful of their emotions in the moment can actually have a negative effect on their mental health. Based on these findings, the authors offer four strategies to help organizations successfully implement mindfulness programs at work while limiting these negative side effects. Ultimately, the authors argue that mindfulness is an important tool in the managerial toolbox, but it is not a cure-all, and it must be applied thoughtfully to be effective.
Keywords
- mindfulness,
- meditation,
- emotional labor,
- surface acting,
- self-control,
- ego depletion,
- job performance
Disciplines
Publication Date
Winter March 18, 2021
Citation Information
Christopher Lyddy, Darren J Good, Mark C. Bolino, Phillip S. Thompson, et al.. "Where Mindfulness Falls Short" Harvard Business Review (2021) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/christopher-lyddy/26/