Mindfulness-Based Organisational Education: an Evaluation of a Mindfulness Course Delivered to Employees at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital

Abstract

Objectives Healthcare staff can be prone to high levels of stress and research investigating mindfulness-based courses for this population is showing promise. Given the demands of healthcare work, shortened mindfulness courses may be more appropriate. The aim of the study was to evaluate the utility of a workplace-adapted mindfulness course (MBOE) in a hospital setting, including research on workplace-specific outcomes beyond stress reduction and data relating to home practice with a mobile app. Method The effects of assignment to a workplace-adapted, 6-week mindfulness course or a waitlist control condition on dispositional mindfulness, perceived stress and fulfilment of basic psychological needs at work were examined in a sample of 65 hospital staff. Results Compared with waitlist, staff taking the course showed significant increases in mindfulness and psychological need fulfilment and reductions in perceived stress. Mean levels of perceived stress reduced from a high level to within published norms. Reductions in stress and increases in mindfulness, autonomy and competence remained stable at follow-up. Increased mindfulness mediated improvements in need fulfilment and reductions in stress. Attendance and use of a mobile app for home practice were associated with positive outcomes. Social factors (relatedness) associated with the delivery and outcome of the course were also explored. ConclusionsThe results indicate that a workplace-adapted, short-format mindfulness course can achieve positive results in line with mindfulness courses for other contexts. Questions were raised regarding which distinct elements may improve outcomes, e.g. home practice and dispositional mindfulness vs. learning environment on more general improvements.

The mindful lawyer: Investigating the effects of two online mindfulness programs on self-reported well-being in the legal profession

“…Anecdotal reports of improved wellness and performance in the workplace following mindfulness training are largely supported by empirical studies (for a comprehensive review, see Lomas et al, 2017). Relative to inactive or waitlist controls, workplace-based mindfulness interventions have been found to increase levels of trait mindfulness (Aikens et al, 2014;Frank et al, 2015;Krusche et al, 2020;Nadler et al, 2020;Roeser et al, 2013;Wolever et al, 2012), emotional intelligence (Nadler et al, 2020), self-compassion (Frank et al, 2015;Roeser et al, 2013;Shapiro et al, 2005), and psychological resilience (Aikens et al, 2014;Nadler et al, 2020); enhance job satisfaction (Hülsheger et al, 2013), vigor (Aikens et al, 2014), working memory capacity (Roeser et al, 2013), psychological fulfilment (Krusche et al, 2020), and mood (Nadler et al, 2020); and reduce stress (Aikens et al, 2014;Krusche et al, 2020;Nadler et al, 2020;Roeser et al, 2013;Shapiro et al, 2005;Wolever et al, 2012), emotional exhaustion (Hülsheger et al, 2013), and sleep difficulties (Frank et al, 2015;Wolever et al, 2012).…”

The Mindful Lawyer

“…48,49 Some companies have even noted significant financial savings in health care costs due, presumably, in part to the introduction of workplace wellness initiatives. 49 Anecdotal reports of improved wellness and performance in the workplace following mindfulness training are largely supported by empirical studies (for a comprehensive review, see Lomas et al 50 ) Relative to inactive or waitlist controls, workplace-based mindfulness interventions have been found to increase levels of trait mindfulness, 7,8,[51][52][53][54] emotional intelligence, 7 self-compassion, 8,52,55 and psychological resilience 7,51 ; enhance job satisfaction, 56 vigor, 51 working memory capacity, 8 psychological fulfilment, 53 and mood 7 ; and reduce stress, 7,8,51,[53][54][55] emotional exhaustion, 56 and sleep difficulties. 52,54 Mindfulness training has also been found to enhance leadership abilities, 7 increase empathy and decrease feelings of depersonalization and burnout, 57 and mitigate declines in attention that are induced by job-related stress.…”

Perspectives: Getting to the heart of workforce wellbeing in health and social care: from personal practice to organisational change

“…Social mindfulness does not just focus on leaders and is a form of mindfulness-based organisational education (MBOE) that includes the exploration of socially constructed experience where the social support element is considered integral to positive outcomes. In a recent non-randomised controlled evaluation of MBOE with 65 staff at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham (Krusche et al 2019), social connection or relatedness was perceived as an important component of changes in mindfulness facets that contributed to the observed reductions in stress and improvements in the fulfilment of basic psychological needs at work. The six-week face-to-face classes were open to any staff, whether clinical or not, and deliberately included staff from different departments.…”