Yoga Classes And Stress Trainings Do NOTHING For Employees! Here's Why - And What Companies Should Do Instead.
Alexander Kjerulf
Chief Happiness Officer, international speaker, author, expert on happiness at work.
A fascinating brand new study by William Fleming shows that sending employees off to yoga classes, mindfulness lessons or stress management trainings has NO positive effects. In some cases it actually backfires and makes things worse.
That's a shame because companies keep focusing on these individual-level interventions in their attempts to make employees less stressed and more happy and motivated at work. Which is not only a waste of time and money but also distracts companies from doing things that actually do work.
In this video I talk to Dr. Louise Lambert about the study. We cover:
We all know that employee wellbeing is absolutely crucial, so the good news is that there ARE things that companies can do that work. And ironically these things are not only more effective but also a lot cheaper and faster than yoga classes or sleep trainings.
So we should probably do more of that :)
Your take
What do you think? Are these types of individual-level interventions a complete waste of time or do they have their place? What's the best way for companies to actually make their employees happier? Have you been to a stress management training and did it make you more or less stressed? Write a comment, we'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic.
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Well-being advisor. Facilitator Creative Processes. Lecturer Dance Movement Therapy. Author of 'Dansen door het leven'.
9 个月Jessy Van Dousselaere Fatima El Herbouti
Chartered Manager Fellow
9 个月Hey Alexander Kjerulf good to hear from you, and Hi Dr. Louise Lambert ? IMHO. I suggest it is as simple as I don’t know what I need until I need it. And I don’t want to be treated any differently until I really need it. And when I really need ‘it’, I will need unique, caring, thoughtful support and adjustments. ? ? Ask me what I need, when I don’t really need something (almost all the time thankfully!), and I’ll find an answer, mostly because I want to contribute and help, and yes it may be yoga, mindfulness, fruit (I won’t mention the fruit Alex, don't mentioned the fruit??!). ?? ? For example I don’t know what support I would need day-to-day during… - a bereavement, it may be: adjust my hours, adjust my work, to be supported, to be given space, to be offered professional support, to be busier, work on my own, work with different people, work with my friends, to let my colleagues know, to keep my personal life personal. - a physical injury, it may be: psychological support, different working patterns, work that keeps me active, lots of breaks, financial assistance, family support, and so on. ? So yes to #HIGHQUALITYMANAGERS #HUMANITYINLEADERS #SUPORTIVECOLLEAGUES #KINDNESS and no to anything that is not that.?
Senior L&D Specialist & Co-Founder at Fathom
9 个月More pay. Fewer hours. Inspiring colleagues. Great briefs. Clear boundaries. Fair treatment. I don't need my boss to schedule a yoga class for me, thanks ??
Author of "Work with Source"; Adviser to pioneering founders
9 个月Fascinating!
Activating creativity, collaboration and connection in a changing world | Storytelling & Creative Facilitation | Design Thinking & Embodied Design | Tedx Speaker
9 个月Interesting conversation! While I'm not an expert in this area, I believe it's important to address the complexity of interventions in organizations. Simply dismissing all interventions as ineffective oversimplifies the issue. The problem may lie in how these interventions are implemented within organizations. For instance, mindfulness interventions come in various forms, each suitable for different individuals. However, employees may struggle to identify what works best for them without exposure to different options. A one-size-fits-all approach doesn't account for the diversity within organizations. Perhaps organizing events to introduce various interventions and aligning them with individual needs could be more effective. Are these interventions designed with a human-centered approach in mind? The conversation suggests that micro-interventions integrated into daily work may be more effective than separate external trainings. Additionally, proposed interventions should address specific needs. Lastly, assuming that managers inherently possess all the necessary skills overlooks the nuances involved. It's not a black-and-white issue.