Mindfulness - reducing stress and improving communication in the workplace

As a society our overall wellbeing is decreasing. Findings by the Australian Psychology Society
detailed that in 2013, the rate of stress, depression, and anxiety reported among people had risen compared to the previous two years of research. In particular, younger people are seen to be reporting the negative symptoms of depression and anxiety at a higher rate than their older peers. Furthermore, workplace wellbeing was also reported as lower compared with previous years.

With the rate of mental health issues rising, large companies have begun utilising Mindfulness in the workplace to ensure they give their employees the best possible chance to be resilient and self-sufficient in neutralising the daily stressors that they encounter.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is non-judgemental, open and curious awareness of oneself in the present moment; such as awareness of our thoughts, emotions, and reactions. Research shows that developing this level of introspection has positive effects for reducing stress levels, regulating emotions and emotional reactions, promoting enhanced decision making, and decreasing negative thought patterns which can interrupt positive functioning throughout the day.

Mindfulness in the Workplace

Seeing the positive effects mindfulness training can provide, it is no wonder that large companies such as Apple and Google (among many others) are arming their employees with the skills mindfulness can provide. Increasing effectiveness at work, the ability to handle conflict better through emotional regulation, and decreased workplace tension are just some of the benefits that implementing mindfulness practices offer. A prime example of mindfulness implementation within the workplace is Google; who run seven-week long classes for employees to focus on developing mindfulness skills useful for dealing with the stressful corporate world. Although smaller companies won’t have the resources for a seven week long course, introducing simple mindfulness techniques to employees can still have resounding results in helping reduce stress and improve the wellbeing of employees.

In any industry, increasing the wellbeing of employees is always of benefit to a company. Through the techniques of mindfulness, the added development of increased emotional stability and positive thought patterns will only improve morale and the company environment.

Positive politics - there’s no need to play dirty to win

Everyone has without a doubt endured the ‘just ignore them’ speech when it comes to gossip, but why ignore an inevitable fact of life when you can understand and turn a volatile zone commonly known as ‘workplace politics’ into something positive and beneficial? 

According to research from the American Society for Training and Development, gossip is often work-related, usually focusing on business changes, office intrigue, and people's private lives, and this is consistently on the rise with new technology. Because of this behaviour there is a chance to learn more details about upcoming business changes, network where it counts and then seize opportunities that can aid your career development.

It’s a survival of the fittest and here is a simple and strategic plan to help you master the concept of positive politics.

1)      Map the Political Hierarchy – who really has the power?

To the drawing board! Like any good strategy, you must first map out a plan and in this instance this plan is a social hierarchy (who has the most power and why?)

2)      The social network

Time to gather information about who interacts with who, and what the nature of their relationship is like. Another important aspect is to identify the groups, if any, and where the power and influencers reside.

3)      Develop your own network  

This network should extend in all directions and include peers of all employment status; it may even consist of multiple networks. A good tip to keep in mind is that these relationships should be true; you don’t want people thinking that you are a fake friend.

4)      Utilise your network  

This is where your hard work will pay off! You can use your network to gain access to important information and attract opportunities that can put you ahead of the pack. For example: you may get wind of a possible promotion or job opening. Your network can also be used to improve your reputation, why not let the news that travels about you be good!

5)      Keep your friends close and your ‘frenemies’ closer 

By keeping those who are difficult to get along with close you can easily keep ahead of the pack. However, be careful what information you leak into your social network. Understanding your frenemy’s motives can help you avoid negative politics and maintain a positive network.

6)      Listen, and pilot your behaviour 

All in all, what good is this network unless you can use it to help you achieve your goals? Some essential rules include:

• Don’t say something you’ll regret - be respectful and remember that you are networking, not engaging in pointless chatter
• Rise above personal arguments – getting caught up in arguments just aggravates negative gossip
• Practice positive politics – be a role model, confident and assertive, but not aggressive
• Don’t count on confidentiality

In summary, accept it, develop strategies, observe and learn!