Practicing mindfulness can enhance interactions with coworkers

Although mindfulness starts inside of a person, a Virginia Commonwealth University researcher has discovered that the benefits extend beyond the individual. The true benefits of mindfulness emerge when it is translated into mindful interactions and relationships. These intentional, compassionate, and present interactions can result in more harmonious and healthy workplaces.

According to Christopher S. Reina, Ph.D., an associate professor of management and entrepreneurship in the VCU School of Business, "An understanding of how individuals bring mindfulness with them to work, and how these practices may contribute to interaction and relationship quality, is especially relevant as work landscapes are ever changing and interdependence is increasingly becoming the norm".

Practicing mindfulness can enhance interactions with coworkers.

Reina and management professors Glen E. Kreiner, Ph.D., of the University of Utah; Alexandra Rheinhardt, Ph.D., of the University of Connecticut; and Christine A. Mihelcic, of the University of Richmond, examine how people bring mindfulness to work and how it infuses their workplace interactions in the study "Your Presence is Requested: Mindfulness Infusion in Workplace Interactions and Relationships," which was published in Organization Science.

The qualitative study draws on actual leaders' experiences to explain how they bring mindfulness into the workplace. Interviews and on-site participant observation were used as primary data sources. The researchers conducted 30 formal interviews with managers, professionals, and consultants who practice mindfulness in the workplace, as well as over 50 informal interviews with a broad range of individuals who apply mindfulness principles at work.

"Interestingly, interviewees noted how other individuals around them had noticed the emotional effects of their mindful behaviors on interactions and relationships", Reina explained. "We found initial evidence that our interviewees' efforts toward bringing their mindfulness into the workplace were seen by their colleagues as having a positive effect".

It has been demonstrated that strong connections enhance individual functioning and have a positive impact on group outcomes like psychological safety and trust.

These exercises can be formal, like taking a mindful pause before a meeting, or informal, like paying close attention when someone is speaking.

 

The study discovered that mindfulness practices could be used to position people for success in future interactions, like when preparing for a challenging or significant conversation, in addition to mindfulness emerging during an interaction.

"Mindfulness reminds us that our thoughts and emotions are complex," Reina said. "They are contextualized by prior events experienced within a social environment, and within this social environment, individuals must be aware of both their own and others' thoughts and emotions in order to navigate these complexities with skill and compassion".

Reference:Christopher S. Reina, Glen E. Kreiner, Alexandra Rheinhardt, Christine A. Mihelcic. Your Presence Is Requested: Mindfulness Infusion in Workplace Interactions and Relationships. Organization Science, 2022; DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2022.1596