As individuals, we seek to be innovative, creative, agile and flexible and yet, as workers, we are called on to promote standardisation, processes, efficiency and predictability; how can we resolve this apparent paradox?

In June 2016, the Institute held a round-table ‘Dialogue’ in Montigny-le-Bretonneux (France) of experts with relevant knowledge and experience from business, the medical sector, from academic disciplines including neurosciences, human resources management and health psychology to explore:

• the historical evolution of the organisation of work,
• present and potential future organisational typologies,
• how to learn to be ourselves by developing our ability to collaborate,
• the emergence, development, use and benefits of practicing mindfulness at work.

To juggle the demanding 21st century workplace, the practice of mindfulness – which consists in developing a quality of voluntary and intentional attentiveness – may help to facilitate agility.

Three guiding principles to help organisations become more ‘conscious’ without people feeling forced into mindfulness:

• the practices that lend support to agile behaviours should be no mystery (i.e. no new ideology or religion is needed but a body-centred activity with proven benefits in the neurosciences),
• an impulse such as the challenges of organisational transformation or simply the acceleration of life/work is enticing,
• training for a practice such as mindfulness should be initiated by someone with high visibility within the organisation.

Download the report (PDF)
Download the executive summary (PDF)
Download the infographic (PDF)