Employees who spend too much time engrossed in obsessive thoughts, problem-solving or worrying about the future are more likely than their peers to experience stress, anxiety and depression. Practicing mindfulness can help employees think differently and engage more fully with the world—and be more productive at work.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a practice that focuses our innate ability to be fully present in the moment and aware of what we’re sensing and feeling1. When we’re mindful, we pay attention to where we are and what we’re doing, without judgement and without overreacting to what’s happening around us.
Mindfulness programmes help employees better manage stress
The need for mental health support is high:
- A Gallup report finds that 44% of employees report stress each day2
- The World Health Organization reports a 25% increase in anxiety and depression globally3
Optum Mindful Matters, by eM Life® delivers evidence-based mindfulness programmes built on a solid foundation of 15+ years of data-driven insights and consistent results for improving health, productivity and engagement.
The programmes let participants connect with certified experts in live, interactive or 24/7 on-demand sessions. Culturally relevant content is available in multiple languages.
Additionally, applied mindfulness practices help employees make more purposeful decisions about their health and wellbeing and deliver proven results among those who participate:
- 81% are purposefully engaged4
- 76% have reduced their stress4
- 50% have improved their sleep4
- Employers report a 47-minute weekly gain in productivity4
Support the holistic wellbeing of global employees
UnitedHealthcare Global is diligent about creating holistic offerings to support the whole person. With that in mind, we embedded the Mindful Matters programme as part of our Europe BeHealthy plan. Other programmes include My Wellbeing, an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and Financial Wellbeing.
Together, these programmes are designed to create an interconnected group of services that can help boost a member’s physical, mental, social and financial knowledge, with the effect of improving their overall wellbeing.
Contact us to get started with our BeHealthy plans.
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Sources:
1: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356
2: Gallup. June 2022. State of the Global Workplace: 2022 Report
3: World Health Organization. COVID-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide. who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19-pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide. 2 March 2022.
4: eM Life. Q1 2022 book of business stats
Non-insurance services are provided by a separate affiliate of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated under the UnitedHealthcare Global brand. Products and services may be limited or excluded by applicable law and are subject to availability. Proper functionality of the online and mobile applications and tools is dependent upon appropriate connectivity and features of the device, potentially including international calling, camera and certain other capabilities. Services provided through health and wellness programs are educational in nature and should not be construed as medical advice. Members should consult with their doctor.