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Creating a Mindful Workplace: Perspectives from HR and Business Leaders

How are HR and business leaders navigating the increasingly important conversation around employee well-being? 

Are concepts like mindfulness, well-being programs, and even spirituality finding a place in the modern workplace? 

And if so, what are the tangible results? In this post, we explore these questions through the lens of experienced leaders. 

We’ve asked them to share their personal opinions on incorporating these elements into the work environment, to detail any initiatives their organizations have implemented, and to assess the impact on both employee well-being and key organizational outcomes. 

Their insights provide a practical guide for organizations seeking to create a more supportive and fulfilling workplace.

Read on!

Christopher Falvey
Co-founder, Unique NOLA Tours

Christopher Falvey

I’m all for anything that can help people focus. Putting an effort into mindfullness, for example, applies to one’s personal well-being as well as their efforts for the company. This is nothing but a win-win.

When it comes to spirituality, I always want people to leave religion out of the workplace. So you’ll want to make sure you do stray towards religious talk.

But any co-worker should appreciate any efforts one does to make themselves a better person in general.

Kristine Gentry
CEO, Culture Grove LLC

Kristine Gentry

I worked with a client who suddenly announced to his team that they would have to start arriving 30 minutes early every day to do a guided meditation.

He told them their first day back in January after the holidays and said that beginning the next day, they would need to arrive earlier to meditate.

This was not well received by the employees.

Some felt like it violated their religious beliefs and stated that they already prayed every morning on their own time. They did not want to be forced to meditate.

Others were upset for more practical reasons – suddenly arriving 30 minutes earlier meant difficulties for their personal schedules and dealing with babies and children in the morning.

Others noted that this arrival time meant they must drive during the height of commute time in their city and had to leave up to one hour earlier to arrive on time.

The goal of the morning meditation was to bring the team together and start the day off on a positive note; however, the impact was added hardship and led to increased disengagement from the team.

Zita Chriszto
Clinical Psychologist, Dubai Psychology

Zita Chriszto

Mindfulness, well-being, and spirituality play significant roles in workplace effectiveness.

In a preliminary study, it was found that mindfulness training had promising results in productivity. People who are able to take care of their mental and physical well-being tend to be less susceptible to burnouts.

On the other hand, spirituality may have to be approached more sensitively.

The most important thing to consider is that it is imperative that the different religions of employees are respected in the workplace and no discrimination takes place.

When employees can authentically express themselves and feel safe doing so, they tend to be more productive and fulfilled.

Jessica Munday
Co-Founder & Head of HR,  Custom Neon

Jessica Munday

At Custom Neon, we strongly advocate for mindfulness and well-being practices in our workplace. I am passionate about getting the most from our team and ensuring that our employees are happy.

We’ve integrated Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs into our in-house training, emphasizing belonging and self-actualization as important factors for our team.

Our initiatives include diverse activities such as yoga sessions, sound baths, and community volunteering, creating opportunities for our team to relax and connect on deeper levels. 

On building our new office, we also chose a layout that would enhance camaraderie, a basketball court, break-out areas, and also individual spaces for when people want to work alone. 

Sharing my own experiences with burnout publicly within the team has helped destigmatize mental health issues, encouraging openness and support across all levels and offering confidential free counseling has been profound, increasing engagement, trust, and overall well-being, which in turn has driven better organizational outcomes.

Jenni Kovach
Chief People Officer, IGS Energy

Jenni Kovach

A people-first mentality is at the core of what we do at IGS and listening to our employees and enhancing benefits accordingly is key to our 95% employee satisfaction rate.

In recent years, we heard a need for greater access to mental health and well-being support.

In response, we made our largest investment in people development with Positive Foundry’s BetterYet program, which focuses on skills like emotional intelligence, mindfulness and resilience to help our team thrive.

Since implementation in 2020, we’ve seen an 86% increase in the (self-reported) personal well-being of employees and had employees tell us that it’s changed their life, saved their marriages, repaired relations with children and more.

We’ve also introduced Lyra, which provides employees, dependents and partners with 12 free mental health visits each year, free access to Headspace and encouragement to participate in Mindworx, an IGS Community for discussing mental health, sharing resources and combating stigma.

Alexandra Suchman
CEO & Co-Founder, Barometer XP

Alexandra Suchman

I believe mindfullness and well-being practices are critical in the workplace, and not just at the individual level.

So much of our success at work is related to how we feel about our colleagues and leaders, and the levels of mutual trust, respect, and collaboration we experience.

These relationships need to be nurtured.

Play is an extremely effective tool that allows colleagues to practice mindfulness in how they relate to one another. It provides an opportunity to reflect on how individual strengths and perspectives emerge during games, and helps develop profound understanding of each other’s motivations and communication styles.

These shared insights build trust and ensures that teams bring out the best in each other and are better prepared to work through challenges.

When employees have better relationships, they are more engaged in the work, more accountable to one another, and more invested in shared goals and objectives.

Karen Kossow
Self-Care and Resilience Coach for Autism Parents, OutOfYourOrdinary

Karen Kossow

I’ve seen firsthand the difference mindfulness programs can have on employees. Especially those navigating challenges in their personal lives which make it difficult to focus on their work. 

When employees voluntarily participate in mindfulness or well-being initiatives, they feel like their organization cares for them. This positively impacts not only their desire to do good work, but their ability to do it.

Human beings are not machines. We can’t divorce ourselves from personal problems and struggles as soon as we log on to work. 

Mindfulness and meditation are simple, effective, science-proven methods. They help employees focus, reset their nervous systems, reduce stress, and feel better.

Well-being initiatives create happier, healthier, more resilient employees, and better outcomes for organizations.

Leslie de Graaf
Owner, Everthrive Counseling

Leslie de Graaf

As a therapist and business owner, I’ve learned that prioritizing well-being practices isn’t just important—it’s essential.

In my practice, we emphasize mindful scheduling to ensure we take care of ourselves while serving our clients.

This means setting realistic daily caseloads, building in time for bio breaks, eating lunch and snacks, and completing notes without feeling rushed.

These practices help prevent burnout and foster a more focused, present mindset during sessions.

Encouraging small, intentional habits like stretching between appointments, taking deep breaths, or stepping outside for a quick reset creates a sustainable work rhythm.

The impact? Better outcomes for clients and a healthier work-life balance for therapists.

When we care for ourselves, we model the balance we encourage in others, creating a ripple effect that benefits everyone involved.

Jason Hennessey
CEO, Hennessey Digital

Jason Hennessey

Mindfulness and well-being are integral to our agency culture.

One initiative we implemented was a “Mindful Mondays” series, offering stress-management workshops and yoga classes.

This created a space for employees to recharge mentally and physically.

The ripple effect has been remarkable: fewer burnout cases, stronger engagement, and improved project outcomes.

Mindfulness isn’t just a trend—it’s a strategy for sustainable success.

Aaron Wertheimer
Marketing Copywriter, Marketing Reel

Aaron Wertheimer

My workplace is very supportive of mindfulness, well-being, and spirituality.

Our CEO practices meditation and runs daily, and he even gave us the option to invest in an exercise-based subscription where we could receive funds to enroll in a gym membership to support our physical and emotional well-being.

The outcome of both a weekly debrief meeting at the end of each week, the gym membership, and giving us the days off for religious holidays we’d like to observe has resulted in happier employees who have stayed with the company for more than two years, a more productive organization, and a more efficient system for work.

Employee morale is also high, and our team enjoys engaging in friendly banter back and forth between meetings and work projects.

I credit the above-mentioned outcomes to our management’s forward-thinking processes about mindfulness, spirituality, and well-being.

The HR Spotlight team thanks these industry leaders for offering their expertise and experience and sharing these insights.

Do you wish to contribute to the next HR Spotlight article? Or is there an insight or idea you’d like to share with readers across the globe?

Write to us at connect@HRSpotlight.com, and our team will help you share your insights.

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