Business Benefits for your Company
Conscious Meditation trainings can be adapted and tailored for individual businesses. We will work with your company to assess needs and maximum benefits and then tailor a course to fit in with the client’s logistical and timing needs. We are able to deliver courses and programmes in a flexible way and are happy to discuss requirements.
In addition to the extensive and inherently valuable direct health and wellbeing benefits for staff, management and CEO, there are many specific benefits for businesses that can include:
We are able to provide subsidised courses to groups such as nurses, emergency care workers, carers etc. We are happy to work with businesses as part of any Corporate Social Responsibility programme - including providing our courses, in the company’s name, to local groups.
"Studies from The National Institutes of Health, University of Massachusetts and Mind/Body Medical Institute at Harvard University show that meditation enhances the qualities companies need most from their knowledge workers: increased brain-wave activity, enhanced intuition, better concentration and the alleviation of the kinds of aches and pains that plague employees most."
- Business Week Magazine
“… a growing number of corporations, including Deutsche Bank, Google and Hughes Aircraft offer meditation classes to their workers. Making employees sharper is only one benefit; studies say meditation also improves productivity, in large part by preventing stress-related illness and reducing absenteeism”
- TIME magazine
"Recent research has shown that meditation is good for the brain. It appears to increase grey matter, improve the immune system, reduce stress and promote a sense of well being. However, according to a study published today in the online edition of the journal PloS Biology, meditation can also affect attention."
- New York Times May 2007
"Meditation has been practised for thousands of years, but western business people are increasingly turning to the technique to combat stress."
- Financial Times 2007
"MEDITATION is now moving into the boardroom with studies showing that it improves concentration… Meditation is a growing business trend that may be coming soon to an office near you. It is cropping up in human resources programs across the country to promote calm as we work overtime, skip lunch, do meeting marathons, save our annual leave, lose sleep over job security and monster mortgages and multi-task like mad in the global recession backwash… Bosses are starting to realise that investing in stress-reduction programs, such as meditation, makes fiscal sense, too."
- The Daily Telegraph
In addition to the extensive and inherently valuable direct health and wellbeing benefits for staff, management and CEO, there are many specific benefits for businesses that can include:
- Reduced costs of staff absenteeism caused by illness, injury, stress, long term illness
- Improved cognitive function – including better concentration, memory, learning ability and creativity
- Improved productivity and improved overall staff and business wellbeing
- Reduced staff turnover and associated costs
- Enhanced employer/employee and client relationships
- Reduced Health Insurance premiums for the business
- A visible and tangible Corporate Responsibility stance
- Enhanced employee job satisfaction
We are able to provide subsidised courses to groups such as nurses, emergency care workers, carers etc. We are happy to work with businesses as part of any Corporate Social Responsibility programme - including providing our courses, in the company’s name, to local groups.
"Studies from The National Institutes of Health, University of Massachusetts and Mind/Body Medical Institute at Harvard University show that meditation enhances the qualities companies need most from their knowledge workers: increased brain-wave activity, enhanced intuition, better concentration and the alleviation of the kinds of aches and pains that plague employees most."
- Business Week Magazine
“… a growing number of corporations, including Deutsche Bank, Google and Hughes Aircraft offer meditation classes to their workers. Making employees sharper is only one benefit; studies say meditation also improves productivity, in large part by preventing stress-related illness and reducing absenteeism”
- TIME magazine
"Recent research has shown that meditation is good for the brain. It appears to increase grey matter, improve the immune system, reduce stress and promote a sense of well being. However, according to a study published today in the online edition of the journal PloS Biology, meditation can also affect attention."
- New York Times May 2007
"Meditation has been practised for thousands of years, but western business people are increasingly turning to the technique to combat stress."
- Financial Times 2007
"MEDITATION is now moving into the boardroom with studies showing that it improves concentration… Meditation is a growing business trend that may be coming soon to an office near you. It is cropping up in human resources programs across the country to promote calm as we work overtime, skip lunch, do meeting marathons, save our annual leave, lose sleep over job security and monster mortgages and multi-task like mad in the global recession backwash… Bosses are starting to realise that investing in stress-reduction programs, such as meditation, makes fiscal sense, too."
- The Daily Telegraph
10 Big Companies That Promote Employee Meditation
Work can be a stressful place, and with companies trying to keep an eye on the bottom line while simultaneously improving productivity, many workers may find themselves with more responsibilities than ever before. While there is no way to totally eliminate stress from the workplace, some companies are doing what they can to help employees relax, and many, like those that we feature here, are doing that through on-site meditation.
Meditation has been shown to produce a wide range of mental benefitswhen practiced on a daily basis. Studies have shown that it can actually change how the brain processes information and manages the effects of stress, depression, and anxiety. Those who practice meditation, research has demonstrated, are happier and calmer than their counterparts who don’t, so it’s no surprise that many high-stress businesses are catching on and making meditation a part of their corporate mission. Read on to learn about some of the companies that are leading the way in promoting on-the-job meditation.
Apple
It should come as no surprise to those who know a bit about the life of Steve Jobs that meditation has long been promoted at Apple. Jobs often took part in meditation retreats, was married in a Zen ceremony, and maintained lifelong friendships with many monks. Some speculate that the mental control he gained from meditation was what helped him become so successful in creating new, innovative products for Apple. Whatever it was, Jobs wanted to pass on his love of meditation to others in the workplace, allowing employees of the tech giant to take 30 minutes each day to meditate at work, providing classes on meditation and yoga on-site, and offering the use of a meditation room.
Prentice Hall Publishing
The publishing world can be a tough place to make a living, but this publishing company is trying to give workers a chance to shake off their stress and refocus while at work through meditation. Prentice Hall has created a meditation space in their corporate headquarters, which they call the “Quiet Room.” Employees can take a break and slip into the space for meditation, prayer, or just a moment of quiet reflection when they’re feeling particularly stressed out.
Google
Even when you’re working at a company that offers unbelievable benefits like Google, things can get a bit stressful on the job. One of Google’s original software engineers and now head of personal growth, has been working hard to bring meditation into the workplace. He spearheaded a program at Google in 2007 called “Search Inside Yourself” which helped more than 500 employees learn how to breathe mindfully, listen to their coworkers, and even improve their emotional intelligence. On a regular basis, the company also offers meditation space and meditation courses, believing that meditation can help improve not only employee mental health and well-being but the company’s bottom line as well.
Nike
Nike’s motto “just do it” applies to meditation as well, it seems. The company is one of many big businesses incorporating meditation practice into their workplace. Employees of the athletic apparel giant have access to relaxation rooms, which they can use to take a nap, pray, or of course meditate. In addition to these quiet rooms, employees can also take part in meditation and yoga classes without ever having to leave the office.
AOL Time Warner
In 2000, AOL Time Warner reduced its sales and marketing staff from 850 to just 500 people, leaving employees to shoulder a lot more work with a lot less help. In order to help employees deal with the stress of their new longer and busier days, the corporation added meditation classes into the work day. Workers could slip away from what, at the time, were 12 hour days into a class or a quiet room to help refocus, relax, and refresh themselves before getting back to their long days.
McKinsey & Co.
Management and consulting firm McKinsey & Co. founded in Illinois might be a strange place to find meditation happening, but the company is embracing meditation as part of a new HR strategy aimed at keeping employees happy and healthy. McKinsey partner and meditation aficionado Michael Rennie says, “What’s good for the spirit is good for the bottom line,” and the company is taking that to heart, developing meditation and self-analysis programs not only for their own employees but for other multi-million dollar corporations as well. In one case, a meditation program developed by McKinsey for an Australian client saved the business more than $20 million.
Yahoo!
Yahoo! is another tech company that is doing what it can to reduce employee stress while at work. Employees of Yahoo! can take advantage of meditation rooms or engage with others who share their interests in a more mindful work day by taking free classes offered on-site.
Deutsche Bank
A global banking and financial services company, Deutsche Bank has undoubtedly had a few rough years due to the global economic crisis, but employees may be getting a bit of stress relief just by walking through the doors of their workplace. Deutsche Bank is yet another multinational business getting behind the meditation-in-the-workplace trend. Despite the fact that the company may seem too traditional to embrace such a progressive policy, they’ve been offering meditation classes and quiet spaces on site for several years, hoping that it will help to reduce worker stress and lead to more level-headed thinking.
Procter & Gamble
P&G’s CEO A.G. Lafley is dedicated to his own meditation practice and thinks it has a lot to offer employees as well. He has said, “You can not out-work a problem, you have to out-meditation it.” The company offers a wealth of health and fitness programs that include meditation classes and spaces in their major corporate buildings.
HBO
While the programs HBO produces might turn viewers into couch potatoes, it doesn’t promote the same attitude in its employees. Instead, it offers a wealth of resources to help them stay healthy both mentally and physically, with gyms, free yoga classes, and meditation classes offered in the workplace. Perhaps the promotion of forms of mindful exercise and meditation helped inspire their new hit show Enlightened.
Meditation has been shown to produce a wide range of mental benefitswhen practiced on a daily basis. Studies have shown that it can actually change how the brain processes information and manages the effects of stress, depression, and anxiety. Those who practice meditation, research has demonstrated, are happier and calmer than their counterparts who don’t, so it’s no surprise that many high-stress businesses are catching on and making meditation a part of their corporate mission. Read on to learn about some of the companies that are leading the way in promoting on-the-job meditation.
Apple
It should come as no surprise to those who know a bit about the life of Steve Jobs that meditation has long been promoted at Apple. Jobs often took part in meditation retreats, was married in a Zen ceremony, and maintained lifelong friendships with many monks. Some speculate that the mental control he gained from meditation was what helped him become so successful in creating new, innovative products for Apple. Whatever it was, Jobs wanted to pass on his love of meditation to others in the workplace, allowing employees of the tech giant to take 30 minutes each day to meditate at work, providing classes on meditation and yoga on-site, and offering the use of a meditation room.
Prentice Hall Publishing
The publishing world can be a tough place to make a living, but this publishing company is trying to give workers a chance to shake off their stress and refocus while at work through meditation. Prentice Hall has created a meditation space in their corporate headquarters, which they call the “Quiet Room.” Employees can take a break and slip into the space for meditation, prayer, or just a moment of quiet reflection when they’re feeling particularly stressed out.
Even when you’re working at a company that offers unbelievable benefits like Google, things can get a bit stressful on the job. One of Google’s original software engineers and now head of personal growth, has been working hard to bring meditation into the workplace. He spearheaded a program at Google in 2007 called “Search Inside Yourself” which helped more than 500 employees learn how to breathe mindfully, listen to their coworkers, and even improve their emotional intelligence. On a regular basis, the company also offers meditation space and meditation courses, believing that meditation can help improve not only employee mental health and well-being but the company’s bottom line as well.
Nike
Nike’s motto “just do it” applies to meditation as well, it seems. The company is one of many big businesses incorporating meditation practice into their workplace. Employees of the athletic apparel giant have access to relaxation rooms, which they can use to take a nap, pray, or of course meditate. In addition to these quiet rooms, employees can also take part in meditation and yoga classes without ever having to leave the office.
AOL Time Warner
In 2000, AOL Time Warner reduced its sales and marketing staff from 850 to just 500 people, leaving employees to shoulder a lot more work with a lot less help. In order to help employees deal with the stress of their new longer and busier days, the corporation added meditation classes into the work day. Workers could slip away from what, at the time, were 12 hour days into a class or a quiet room to help refocus, relax, and refresh themselves before getting back to their long days.
McKinsey & Co.
Management and consulting firm McKinsey & Co. founded in Illinois might be a strange place to find meditation happening, but the company is embracing meditation as part of a new HR strategy aimed at keeping employees happy and healthy. McKinsey partner and meditation aficionado Michael Rennie says, “What’s good for the spirit is good for the bottom line,” and the company is taking that to heart, developing meditation and self-analysis programs not only for their own employees but for other multi-million dollar corporations as well. In one case, a meditation program developed by McKinsey for an Australian client saved the business more than $20 million.
Yahoo!
Yahoo! is another tech company that is doing what it can to reduce employee stress while at work. Employees of Yahoo! can take advantage of meditation rooms or engage with others who share their interests in a more mindful work day by taking free classes offered on-site.
Deutsche Bank
A global banking and financial services company, Deutsche Bank has undoubtedly had a few rough years due to the global economic crisis, but employees may be getting a bit of stress relief just by walking through the doors of their workplace. Deutsche Bank is yet another multinational business getting behind the meditation-in-the-workplace trend. Despite the fact that the company may seem too traditional to embrace such a progressive policy, they’ve been offering meditation classes and quiet spaces on site for several years, hoping that it will help to reduce worker stress and lead to more level-headed thinking.
Procter & Gamble
P&G’s CEO A.G. Lafley is dedicated to his own meditation practice and thinks it has a lot to offer employees as well. He has said, “You can not out-work a problem, you have to out-meditation it.” The company offers a wealth of health and fitness programs that include meditation classes and spaces in their major corporate buildings.
HBO
While the programs HBO produces might turn viewers into couch potatoes, it doesn’t promote the same attitude in its employees. Instead, it offers a wealth of resources to help them stay healthy both mentally and physically, with gyms, free yoga classes, and meditation classes offered in the workplace. Perhaps the promotion of forms of mindful exercise and meditation helped inspire their new hit show Enlightened.
Business in Norway (TV report)
Meditation is now fast becoming the latest way top Norwegian business leaders enhance productivity and strengthen innovation. Maybe not so strange when, as scientific research results show, it can help prevent diseases as serious as heart attacks and cancer as well as have very positive effects on brain function.
Interviewing Hans Aanonsen, vice-president of Kreditkassen (one of Norway's largest banks). He is on his way to the most important meeting of his day.
[Hans:] For me this has become part of my life. Some must have bread and juice and cod liver oil in the morning. I feel I need a dose of this. This opens up the channels. I felt that I somehow needed to improve in communication and with personal relations with other people. I felt in a way that I didn't always get my message across, and I didn't always hear what others were saying.
[Interviewer:] Does this mean that you have become a better vice-president than before?
[Hans:] I feel that I have become more efficient in my job. Then others can decide whether I have become better!
[Dr. George Meredith:] New American research shows that meditation can prevent heart disease, and some insurance companies in the US now favor customers who meditate daily.
[Hans:] Research in meditation has been going on for many years, and it has shown to be effective in numerous areas of health. In fact if there was a tablet which could do what meditation has been proven to do it would be a best seller, without a doubt. The chief cardiologist at the Beth Israel Hospital in New York commenting on meditation...his words were, "It is almost medical malpractice not to offer it.
Interviewing Hans Aanonsen, vice-president of Kreditkassen (one of Norway's largest banks). He is on his way to the most important meeting of his day.
[Hans:] For me this has become part of my life. Some must have bread and juice and cod liver oil in the morning. I feel I need a dose of this. This opens up the channels. I felt that I somehow needed to improve in communication and with personal relations with other people. I felt in a way that I didn't always get my message across, and I didn't always hear what others were saying.
[Interviewer:] Does this mean that you have become a better vice-president than before?
[Hans:] I feel that I have become more efficient in my job. Then others can decide whether I have become better!
[Dr. George Meredith:] New American research shows that meditation can prevent heart disease, and some insurance companies in the US now favor customers who meditate daily.
[Hans:] Research in meditation has been going on for many years, and it has shown to be effective in numerous areas of health. In fact if there was a tablet which could do what meditation has been proven to do it would be a best seller, without a doubt. The chief cardiologist at the Beth Israel Hospital in New York commenting on meditation...his words were, "It is almost medical malpractice not to offer it.
