It is well known that the effects of stress can lead to loss of productivity, absenteeism, turnover, and higher health-related costs, all of which negatively affect the workplace. Constant work pressure and the constant race to stay ahead of the competition could lead to emotional and physical exhaustion.

Many believe that meditation and business are distinct domains with little or no scope for overlap. While meditation is regarded as a personal quest to get in touch with the inner being, businesses are treated as rational entities driven primarily by profit. But this is not so.

The truth is that with increasing work pressure, more and more employees are looking for jobs that add meaning to their lives and contribute to their overall well-being. They no longer regard work as just a source of income, but rather as an opportunity to realise inner satisfaction and mean towards a bigger end.

By encouraging employees to meditate, an organisation can help them expand their levels of self-awareness, gain a deeper understanding of their role, appreciate their contributions, and understand the impact they have on others in the workplace. Additionally, meditation can play an important role in imparting the sense of fulfilment and job satisfaction that employees today crave.

Meditation is a way to train the mind. Most of the time, our minds wander while we are thinking about the future, dwelling on the past, worrying, fantasising, fretting, or daydreaming.

Meditation brings us back to the present moment and gives us the tools we need to be less stressed, calmer, and kinder to ourselves and others. It is a widely practised stress management technique to reduce psychological distress and gain clarity of thought.

Studies show that just 15 to 20 minutes of meditation twice a day (in the morning before starting the work day, and at night before sleep) can lead to improved concentration, resilience, patience, higher energy levels, and greater employee self-awareness and happiness. Meditation has also been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and reoccurring depression.

In the end, meditation on the job is all about creating a positive environment in which employees can thrive and flourish. It focusses on enabling employees to find meaning in their roles, connect with their colleagues, and contribute to the well-being of the organisation and society.

The popularity of workplace meditation at companies such as Apple, Nike, Google, Sony, AOL Time Warner, AstraZeneca, Procter & Gamble, McKinsey has been well documented in the media.