Mindfulness is a word and practice that has increased in popularity since the onset of the Pandemic. It is understood to be beneficial for nearly everything associated with mental health. Just look under the heading "treatments," and you'll see it there. As more research grows on the effects of mindfulness and meditation, it is becoming irrefutable just how valuable the practice is.
However, businesses may not yet understand how an investment in mindfulness translates to dollars. In a world of balance sheets filled with assets and liabilities, mindfulness can easily be seen as just another expense, yet that couldn't be further from the truth.
Mindfulness practice allows the mind to switch out of survival mode into a state of safety, and our communication (and focus on communication) is heavily affected by which mode we are in. A 2021 study found that $1.2 trillion is lost annually among U.S. businesses due to poor communication—or approximately $12,506 per employee every year.
Mindfulness is also known to be highly beneficial when it comes to reducing our experience of stress, depression, and anxiety. The World Health Organization found that "depression and anxiety cost the global economy US$ 1 trillion each year, predominantly from reduced productivity." https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/promotion-prevention/mental-health-in-the-workplace
We could go on and on about how much poor mental health translates into liabilities, yet let's take a look at the upside, shall we?
The National Safety Council and NORC at the University of Chicago found that Employers that support mental health see a return of $4 for every $1 invested in mental health treatment. They also advocate that supporting treatment is not enough. They say that employers should prioritize protecting employees' mental health and safety on an equal level to physical safety. https://www.nsc.org/workplace/safety-topics/employee-mental-health#:~:text=Encouragingly%2C%20organizations%20see%20a%20return%20of%20$4,on%20an%20equal%20level%20as%20physical%20safety.
Although we are experiencing a rise in mental health concerns post-pandemic, I think it is also worth considering that COVID was gasoline to a fire that was already lit. When we dig deeper into the research of mindfulness, meditation, and neighboring modalities, what gets unveiled is amazing. That is to say, we are discovering in ways that the latest technology is allowing us to finally show that through the use of mindfulness, meditation, and other holistic healing modalities, the mind is able to operate at its peak potential. This includes and is not limited to a higher focus, less sickness, healthier relationships, and clear communication.
When you look at any business or company, the human resource becomes the greatest resource to invest in, and mindfulness becomes one of the greatest tools to equip people with. A $4 return on every $1 invested equates to a 300% rate of return, so financially, it becomes a no-brainer to invest in mindfulness, which is probably why around 40% of Fortune 500 companies now do.
Comments