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Office managers across the globe focus on creating workplaces free of unnecessary stress and anxiety for their employees. One effective strategy that’s making headlines and dominating workplace training seminars is implementing mindfulness activities into the day. Being mindful, or fully present and aware in the moment, creates a sense of calm and increased awareness.

Why is Mindfulness in the Workplace Important?

With deadlines, projects goals, and office tension weighing down employees each day, it’s important to give them the tools to relieve stress and release negative thoughts and worry. Hello, mindfulness activities!

Science Daily reported on research from Case Western Reserve University that indicates mindfulness in the workplace helps the staff:

• Improve focus and attention on tasks
• Manage stressful situations effectively
• Work productively with others in groups situations or during one-on-one interactions
• Be more empathetic and compassionate leaders
  

Would these benefits make a difference in your office culture?

4 Ways to Incorporate Mindfulness into the Workplace

Fostering a more present and focused staff doesn’t require sending each employee to a special training seminar. Instead, try a few of these activities and watch for a shift in workplace satisfaction and mood.

1. Offer lunch break yoga classes. Whether you invite a certified instructor to the boardroom or partner with a nearby studio, hosting free yoga classes will help your staff physically unwind and mentally reset their focus though controlled stretching, breathing exercises, and guided meditation.

Inquire about gentle yoga, chair yoga, or a yin practice to accommodate a range of physical abilities in the office. There are many modifications for those who worry about getting on a yoga mat. If you can close your eyes and breathe, you can do yoga!

2. Create a quiet room. Sometimes we just want to take our afternoon break in a serene area away from ringing phones and office conversations. This getaway room should have a no-cellphone policy and focus on relaxation.

A large fish task to admire, soothing music to encourage meditation, a small library of paperback books to read, a stack of colorful stationery for journaling, windows to look out at nature, and plush furniture that invites relaxing are great touches.

3. Declutter the office. Is it time to do a thorough purge and reorganization? Piles of paperwork, messy desks, and overstuffed offices create anxiety and agitation for some. So, clean up!

Donate unneeded office supplies to a local charity, create an archive for files that don’t need to be readily accessible, and encourage employees to take home the things they don’t use, like that broken bike stashed behind a desk.

4. Schedule weekly creative breaks. Channeling our inner, curious child can help us break up the clutter of stress and tasks that fill our minds. Once a week, plan activities that encourage employees to get cut loose.

Here are some creative ideas you and your employees could do together:

• Paint rocks as part of The Kindness Rocks Project
• Build gingerbread houses (then enjoy them with milk)
• Make homemade unicorn slime to squish for stress relief at desks
• Dress up with old Halloween costumes and taking silly photos
• Create vision boards with pictures and words cut out of magazines
• Completing a fiction writing prompt  

Helping your staff shed the stress of the day through mindfulness opens them up to being more focused on their work tasks and satisfied with their job. If you need to stock up on colorful stationery for writing and drawing projects, browse the PaperDirect online store today.

Each person on your team brings unique insight and background to the table. Are you embracing it? Actively recognize and foster workplace diversity through team building to boost office productivity, inclusion, and satisfaction.

Why is Diversity Important?

You might wonder why it’s important to promote and celebrate the cultural diversity in your office. Taking the time to understand one another better ultimately leads to improved communication across tasks, projects, and partnerships, both in the office and with remote workers.

This level of empathy and understanding also filters into client outreach, making your business respected for its level of perspective and acceptance of cultural customs and differing languages. In short, your workplace becomes seen as culturally competent, accepting, and educated – a must in the globalized modern business world.

Team Building Ideas for Your Office

The Hult International Business School recommends several ways to promote diversity in the workplace to nurture an open-minded, globally-poised workforce. Combine these strategies with hands-on team activities in the office and a positive dose of employee recognition to foster workplace diversity.

Educate to boost cultural competency. Host team lunches with expert guest speakers who can educate the group on cross-cultural communication methods to be used both in office and with clients. Then, role play to practice what you’ve learned as a team. Reach out to the communications department staff at your local college to get started.

Integrate a global perspective into office communications. Do you have a newsletter, intranet, or active social media feed geared at the staff? Start sharing news headlines and feature stories from abroad to spark interest in global issues, holidays, and lifestyles. This will build your team’s awareness in a subtle way between moments of direct interactions.

Travel to new places. If you’re planning an off-site employee meeting, conference, or team-building retreat, skip the usual gathering spots and instead focus on a location that will start conversations about various cultures, ethnicities, and languages. Try meeting at a niche museum, ethnic restaurant, or historical landmark, and asking the site owners for a tour or background talk before you get started with your work-focused activities.

Expand workplace celebrations. Everyone loves a party! Look at your office calendar and add a few culturally-diverse holidays that you may not have celebrated in the past to help new employees feel included. Office decor, a theme potluck lunch, or sharing an educational video can build the team’s awareness of the holiday while recognizing the special day.

As your office implements these team building ideas, celebrate those who go above and beyond in making a difference in the office culture. This extends both to dedicated activity organizers and enthusiastic team building participants. Browse our recognition certificates and awards online today.