From theory to practice: a novel meditation program at a global corporation

Abstract

Global levels of stress, worry, sadness, and anger hit new highs in recent years, and employee well-being has been identified as a necessary focus in occupational health. Developed over 6 years in a large multi-national company, the Meditation Without Expectations™ 8-week course evolved from theories to practice. The intervention teaches 8 meditation techniques in a specific order and incorporates health coaching and adult learning principles that drive impact. The wellbeing program was offered using a virtual online platform to employees in more than 30 countries during 2021-22. Its effectiveness was evaluated using established standard questions and cutting-edge consumer research methods. The descriptive study uses quantitative and qualitative analyses from more than a thousand employees. Paired t-tests are used to compare pre- and post-course survey scores. The test subjects who completed the 8-week course had significant improvements (p < 0.0001) across genders, geographies, and durations of employment, and in all measured domains of stress, mindfulness, resiliency, and empathy, whereas the comparison group did not. Advanced topics analysis is used to extract common learning objectives from unstructured text submitted by enrolled employees, which helped focus the intervention on what people need or want to learn. A proprietary artificial intelligence model is used to classify subjects’ comments after completing the course, finding highly positive outcomes with potential for new habit creation due to a mental model change. A framework of characteristics that make the intervention impactful is also shared.