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Exploring mindfulness with employee engagement: an innovation study

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Exploring mindfulness with employee engagement: an innovation study

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Content Running head: EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND MINDFULNESS

EXPLORING MINDFULNESS AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT:

AN INNOVATION STUDY
by
Lilly Tam

A Dissertation Proposal Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

May 2020

Copyright 2020 Lilly Tam
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To my Research Organization:
Thank you for welcoming me with open arms. Refraining from using names for the sake
of confidentiality, thank you to the Partners, the President, Human Resources, CEO, Managers,
and Account execs for generously sharing your thoughts and time. Most of all, thank you for
allowing me to experiment and trusting me to implement changes. For a handful of you, thank
you for tolerating my pranks and hijinks. Where would we be if we couldn’t laugh at your
expense?
To my Dissertation Committee and Cohort Nine:
Thank you for being a part of my life for now and forever. Dr. Wilcox, Dr. Krop, Dr.
Malloy, and Dr. Pearson, it became such a habit to have one or all of you at the forefront of my
thoughts. I’m not sure if I can ever write again without wondering if you will approve. Thank
you, Kim Anh, Melissa, and Kelly, for responding to my late-night panic texts. Thank you,
Richard, for moving, so we can be in the same time zone and motivating me with your wicked
sense of humor. Also, your eagle eye is impressive. You should be a lawyer. Oh, wait. You are.
In that case, thanks for not billing me.
To my Ride or Dies:
Thank you, Joanne, for being my sister’s best friend and also mine. You are the one
person who has known me the longest and has been on my side cheering for me since day one.
Thank you, Shirley, for being you, no matter what you’re going through, you always find a way
to support my dreams. Thank you, Melanie, restoring my faith in humanity has brought me here.
Thank you, Teddy, my mini-me, for reminding me to type and then letting me nap after. I’m not
like most moms, and you’re not like most daughters. Let’s stay curious together forever.❤
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements 2
List of Tables 5
List of Figures 6
Abstract 7
Chapter One: Introduction of the Problem of Practice 8
Organizational Context and Mission 11
Organizational Performance Status 12
Related Literature 14
Importance of the Organizational Innovation 16
Organizational Performance Goal 18
Description of Stakeholder Groups 18
Stakeholders' Groups' Performance Goals 19
Stakeholder Group for the Study 20
Purpose of the Project and Research Questions 21
Methodological Framework 21
Organization of the Study 22
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature 23
Employee Engagement 23
Overview of Employee Engagement 24
Impact and Causes of Disengagement 26
Mindfulness as a Strategy to Activate Employee Engagement 30
Mindfulnes Practices 32
Benefits of Mindfulness in Organizations 33
Clarke and Estes' Gap Analysis Conceptual Framework 34
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivaton and Organizational Influences 36
Knowledge and Skills 36
Motivation 40
Organization 43
Conceptual Framework: The interaction of Stakeholders' KMO Influences 47
Conclusion 52
Chapter Three: Methods 53
Participating Stakeholders 53
Survey Sampling Criteria and Rationale 54
Survey Sampling Strategy and Rationale 55
Interview Sampling Criteria and Rationale 55
Interview Sampling Strategy and Rationale 56
Data Collection and Instrumentation 57
Data Analysis 60
Credibility and Trustworthiness 60
Ethics 62
Limitations and Delimitations 64
Chapter Four: Results and Findings 66
Participating Stakeholders 66
Data Validation 68
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Results and Findings for Knowledge Needs 69
Factual Conceptual Knowledge 70
Procedural Knowledge 74
Metacognitive Knowledge 76
Summary of Knowledge Findings 80
Results and Findings for Motivation Needs 81
Self-Efficacy 82
Utility Value 87
Summary of Motivation Findings 89
Results and Findings for Organizational Needs 89
Cultural Models 90
Cultural Settings 94
Summary of Organization Findings 95
Synthesis of KMO Findings 96
Chapter Five: Recommendations 98
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences 98
Knowledge Recommendations 99
Anticipating Future Knowledge Needs 102
Motivation Recommendations 105
Anticipating Future Motivation Needs 107
Organization Recommendations 111
Anticipating Future Organization Needs 114
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan 116
Implementation and Evaluation Framework 116
Organizational Purpose, Need and Expectations 117
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators 118
Level 3: Behavior 120
Level 2: Learning 124
Level 1: Reaction 128
Evaluation Tools 129
Data Analysis and Reporting 130
Implementaton and Evaluation Plan Summary 131
Future Research 133
Conclusion 134
References 136
Appendix A: Employee Survey 154
Appendix B: Interview Questions 156
Appendix C: Pre-Participation Survey for Participants of Mindfulness Campaign 157
Appendix D: Six-Week Post-Participation Survey 158
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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Organizational Mission, Organizational Goal, and Stakeholder Performance Goals 19
Table 2: Assumed Knowledge Influences, Types and Assessment 39
Table 3: Assumed Motivational Influences and Assessment 42
Table 4: Assumed Organizational Factors 46
Table 5: Thresholds Used for the Evaluation of Assumed Needs and Influences 69
Table 6: Summary of Knowledge Findings 70
Table 7: Summary of Motivation Findings 81
Table 8: Summary of Organization Findings 90
Table 9: Summary of KMO Needs, Influences and Evaluation Results 96

Table 10: Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations 100
Table 11: Anticipating Future Knowledge Needs 102
Table 12: Anticipating Future Motivation Needs 108
Table 13: Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations 112
Table 14: Anticipating Future Organizational Needs 114
Table 15: Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes 118
Table 16: Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation 120
Table 17: Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors 122
Table 18: Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program 127
Table 19: Components to Measure Reactions to the Program 128

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Finance Me’s conceptual framework 52
Figure 2: Length of employment for employees at Finance Me. 67
Figure 3: Generation type of employees at Finance Me. 68
Figure 4: Employee history of participation in mindfulness strategies. 71
Figure 5: Employee opinion of benefits of mindfulness strategies. 71
Figure 6: Employee preferred method of communication for attending mindfulness sessions. 75
Figure 7: Employee opinion of mindfulness practices and if helpful in work or personal life. 82
Figure 8: Employee chosen mindfulness sessions most likely to attend. 87
Figure 9: Employee preferred timeframes for participation. 88
Figure 10: Employee opinion if Finance Me prioritizes their well-being. 91
Figure 11: The New World Kirkpatrick Model. 117
Figure 12. Salesforce dashboard reporting number of calls and talk time. 131
Figure 13: Number of applications submitted to accounts funded and closed. 131

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ABSTRACT

Employee engagement is a common characteristic most organizations in America have strived to
capture within their employees. An organization’s bottom line, employee job satisfaction, and
employee turnover are all affected by employee engagement. The detrimental impact of
employee disengagement affects both the employee’s physical and socio-emotional well-being,
which in turn negatively impacts the overall health of an organization. In the past, organizations
have tried a wide variety of interventions to improve employee engagement with limited success.
More recently, research on mindfulness strategies to increase employee engagement and
employee retention has shown promise. This innovation study used the Clark and Estes gap
analysis to evaluate the knowledge, motivation, and organizational (KMO) influences that would
affect an organization to implement a mindfulness campaign in hopes to improve the well-being
of their employees and activate employee engagement. A review of relevant literature identified
presumed KMO needs and influences that would potentially limit the organization’s goal of
implementing a mindfulness campaign in which all employees would feel motivated to
participate. Needs and influences were assessed and validated or not validated through the
analysis of survey and interview data. Under the New World Kirkpatrick Model,
recommendations with an implementation and evaluation plan were made. The recommendations
first addressed the organization’s validated needs, then proceeded with recommendations for
anticipated future needs to broaden the reach of this study to organizations that may be facing
similar employee engagement and retention needs.
Keywords: employee engagement, employee turnover, employee retention, mindfulness,
mindfulness strategies, organizational change, organizational culture, organizational climate

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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION OF THE PROBLEM OF PRACTICE

In the United States, many organizations experience a problem with low employee
engagement and its related impact on employee well-being and employee turnover. In fact,
according to The Gallup Organization (2017), 67% of employees in the United States are either
not engaged or actively disengaged. Unfortunately, the lack of employee engagement has far-
reaching implications for both employee and the employee’s organization. Studies have shown
when employees are not actively engaged in their job, they may experience decreased morale
(Dhawan, 2017; Ouweneel, Le Blanc, & Schaufeli, 2012), increased stress and illness leading to
higher absenteeism (Hyland, Lee & Mills, 2015) and overall declining well-being (Allen et al.,
2015). As a result, organizations are seeing the poor psychosocial well-being of their employees
negatively affecting not just their bottom line, but the overall health of their organization (Medlin
& Green, 2008).
The fiscal impact of employee disengagement is significant. In the United States, Gallup
(2017) estimates the cost of disengagement at approximately $450-600 billion per year. As
scholars have worked to examine this issue, they have struggled to come up with a uniform
definition of engagement. For example, The Gallup Organization defines engaged employees as
those who are “highly involved and enthusiastic about their workplace” (Gallup, 2017, p.63).
Other scholars support this definition while adding more terms such as having intrinsic
motivation (Hyland et al., 2015), performing tasks with enthusiasm and energy (Crawford,
2006), and contributing personal value to their jobs (Bates, 2004). Numerous independent studies
and Gallup (2017) have documented that low employee engagement, regardless of specific
definition, results in decreased profits and productivity while increasing employee turnover (Els,
Mostert, & de Beer, 2015; Godkin, 2015; Harter, Schmidt, Agrawal, Plowman & Blue, 2016).
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Further evidence relates the detrimental impact of disengaged employees to their physical
and emotional well-being. Decreased optimism, diminished performance, and poor sleep quality
are just a few symptoms that have been reported by employees nationally (Adriansen & Krohn,
2016; Holm, 2015; Medlin & Green, 2008). The problem of low employee engagement is
important to address because the attainment of engaged employees benefits the employee’s
overall well-being as well as the performance of their organization (Friedman, & Gerstein, 2017;
Rodríguez-Carvajal, Moreno-Jiménez, de Rivas-Hermosilla, Álvarez-Bejarano, & Sanz-Vergel,
2010).
A wide variety of interventions have been tried in organizations to improve employee
engagement, such as modernized office design (Leder, Newman, Veith, Mancini & Charles,
2015), increased compensation (Lugisani, Marweshi, Modau, Phiri, & Dhanpat, 2018), or
supplementing compensation with a variety of rewards (Victor & Hoole, 2017). These practices
used singularly have shown limited success as they only scratch the surface of the issue. More
recently, organizations are investing in an approach that is considered new in practice at
corporate organizations to increase employee engagement. This new approach is adopting a
companywide mindfulness program that focuses on improving well-being, thereby in hopes to
increase employee engagement and employee retention. Although research in mindfulness
practices during work hours in organizations is relatively new, preliminary research suggests
there is a strong connection between consistent mindfulness practices with increasing employee
engagement (Good et al., 2016; Hulsheger, Alberts, Hugo Feinholdt, & Lang, 2013; Hyland et
al., 2015). Multiple studies show mindfulness strategies such as self-reflection and meditation
increases self-awareness and have a positive correlation in dealing with issues and symptoms of
low employee engagement such as anxiety and overall apathy towards ones job (Allen et al.,
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2015; Hyland et al., 2015; Kabat-Zinn, 2004; Milliman, Czaplewski, & Ferguson, 2003;
Williams, Richardson, Moore, Gambrel, & Keeling, 2010).
Current research on employee disengagement symptoms such as stress, burnout, and
illness are connecting with research on mindfulness strategies, which gives employee’s tools to
cope with and manage their negative emotions and feelings in a meaningful way (Allen et al.,
2015; Hyland et al., 2015; Kabat-Zinn, 2004). In the field of psychology, many practitioners
adhere to the theory that there is a strong relationship between mental and physical health and
that individuals with psychological distress tend also to have poor physical health (Adriansen &
Krohn, 2016; Holm, 2015; Kabat-Zinn, 2004; Medlin & Green, 2008). Through institutional
practices of mindfulness strategies such as meditation, emotional intelligence skills building, and
yoga, studies have demonstrated over time their positive effect on individual’s moods and energy
levels, which in turn activates employee engagement (Pilkington, Kirkwood, Rampes &
Richardson, 2005; Rosenbaum, 2017). Increased employee engagement allows employees to
enjoy their tasks at work in a more meaningful way, thereby strengthening employee satisfaction
(Crawford, 2006; Good et al., 2016; Hulsheger et al., 2013). Higher employee satisfaction and its
effects on increasing employee engagement and employee retention are elements that most
organizations strive to address in the most significant way (Allen et al., 2015; Hyland et al.,
2015; Kabat-Zinn, 2004; Milliman, Czaplewski, & Ferguson, 2003; Williams, Richardson,
Moore, Gambrel, & Keeling, 2010). As a result, supporting mindfulness practices during work
hours is receiving increased focus and commitment to address and possibly alleviate some of the
burden of low employee engagement and high employee turnover in an organization (Allen et
al., 2015; Williams et al., 2010; Wong & Kim, 2017).

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Organizational Context and Mission
Finance Me (pseudonym) is a business to business sales organization located in the
Western United States. Finance Me has approximately 60 employees. The majority of employees
are sales agents, and the remainder are managers and executives. The ratio of manager to sales
agent is approximately 1:8. Millennials (born 1977-1995) make up the majority generation of
employees at 67 percent, Generation X (born 1965-1976) at 27 percent, and 6 percent are Baby
Boomers (born 1946-1964) and older.
According to Finance Me’s website, its mission is to provide a fun and supportive
environment for all employees while promoting healthy work-life balance. In written
correspondence with senior leadership, adding to Finance Me’s mission comprise their core
values which include being accountable, reliable, resourceful, respectful, and trustworthy.
Finance Me has been in business for approximately ten years. Employees at Finance Me receive
market-rate wages or higher. Their office space is modern, clean, spacious and includes a ping
pong table, arcade video game, golf putting green, and various body stretching machines.
Finance Me also has a social committee to coordinate events such as beach days, pool parties,
and professional sporting events. Other Finance Me sponsored events include monthly charity
events, quarterly dinner incentives, sales contests, weekly breakfasts, and monthly lunches
(personal communication, 2019).
Finance Me employees work in a dynamic work environment in which they must make
decisions that are interdependent and dependent on feedback from clients and colleagues in real
time. The majority of Finance Me employees’ tasks may seem standard for sales positions such
as opening and closing deals, prospecting for potential customers, inbound and outbound sales
calls, and following up on closed sales deals. Due to Finance Me’s product, the interaction
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between sales agents and prospective clients is quite sensitive. Immediately within the first
phone call, the sales agent must ask questions regarding the prospective client’s finances. Often
the sales agent and prospective client have just met for the first time. Both are in vulnerable
positions; emotions are high and there is palpable pressure in avoiding errors and mistakes
(personal communication, 2019). In a study of dynamic work environments, Dane and Brummel
(2014) assert that these environments tend to generate high levels of emotional arousal and stress
as employees are also dealing with multiple stimuli and unpredictable outcomes. As the rewards
in closing a deal are plentiful, so too is the pressure and stress associated with the job-related
demands of Finance Me employees.
Organizational Performance Status
Depending on the department, Finance Me’s annual employee turnover rates range from
88% in the marketing department to 156% percent in the sales department. The turnover rate is
calculated by total number of employees that have left by overall average number of employees.
For example, if 68 employees were hired but the overall average number of employees is 44, that
would calculate to a turnover rate of 156% as more employees turned over than were retained.
Based on employee exit interviews, 75% of employees left due to better opportunities, “not the
right fit,” company culture, and “other” reasons. Leadership at Finance Me has admitted that the
adopted company culture from the start of training to employment may infuse too many pressure
and fear tactics to meet quotas in sales (personal communication, 2019). It is visible to leadership
that employees are stressed, and many employees show signs of burnout. Therefore, it is
imperative that Finance Me examines options to activate employee engagement. Failure to do so
can result in a continual loss of employees and organizational profits.
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Moreover, in order for Finance Me to fulfill its mission of providing a supportive
environment for its employees, a viable, cost-effective and low-risk option is to explore a
mindfulness campaign as a support mechanism. Finance Me is not alone in their interest in
mindfulness in the workplace to improve employee engagement. There has been global interest
and substantial research in mindfulness as an approach to reduce stress and cognitive overload in
the workplace, resulting in increased optimism and overall improvement of employee well-being
(Hulsheger et al., 2013; Hülsheger, Feinholdt & Nübold, 2015; Li, Wong & Kim, 2017).
Notably, many scholars have found that increased mindfulness practices in the workplace, such
as meditation, are positively connected with working through issues and symptoms such as
stress, disengagement and burnout. For example, empirical studies from researchers such as
Dane and Brummel (2014), Nugent, Moss, Barnes, and Wilks (2011), as well as Wolever et al.
(2012) have shown mindfulness practices such as reflection and meditation have been effective
in decreasing stress at work and thereby increasing engagement. Additionally, there is a growing
body of research pointing to meditation and self-reflection as practices that connect with higher
levels of employee engagement (Good et al., 2016; Hülsheger et al., 2015; Raney, 2015).
Although mindfulness practices are increasingly being implemented in corporate settings,
it is still considered a relatively new practice and innovative. Innovation is defined by Merriam-
Webster.com (2020) as the introduction of something new or novel and not formerly known or
used. The innovative approach of supporting mindfulness strategies in the workplace is attractive
to an organization such as Finance Me because the possible positive effects of mindfulness
outweigh the risk (personal communication, 2019). This approach is also considered innovative
to the broader range of organizations, as many organizations have not formally adopted
mindfulness as a strategy to increase employee engagement. By no means will a mindfulness
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

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campaign completely solve Finance Me’s employee disengagement and high employee turnover
rate, but it goes past the surface of the issue and digs deeper into Finance Me’s most valuable
asset: human capital.
Related Literature
A general definition for mindfulness is a practice that allows a person to reflect and be
self-aware (Gumm, 2014; Holm, 2015; Keng et al., 2011; Klatt, Norre, Reader, Yodice & White,
2017). Research on mindfulness and its impact on employee engagement is relatively new, yet
robust. Growing literature contends that mindfulness practices are directly related to improved
productivity, performance and positive well-being of employees which are all conducive to
employee engagement (Dhawan, 2017; Good et al., 2016; Nugent et al., 2011). Research by Klatt
et al. (2016) notes a physical effect from mindfulness practices relates to reduction in stress and
enhanced sleep quality. Sleep is a necessary component in the individual ability to recharge and
successfully engage in the next day’s tasks (Klatt et al., 2016). Research is continuing to show
participation in mindfulness practices results in happier and more satisfied employees (Allen et
al., 2015; Dane and Brumme, 2014; Antanaitis, 2015).
Gallup (2017), as well as numerous other studies, validate that employee engagement is a
key concern for organizations and has been researched for decades without much improvement
(Leroy, Anseel, Dimitrova, & Sels, 2013; Medlin & Green, 2008; Memon, Salleh, Baharom, &
Harun, 2014). Along with changing work conditions, existing literature suggests employees
today face increased work pressure, stress, emotional exhaustion and burnout conditions which
are the antecedent to decreased employee engagement, increased absenteeism and employee
turnover (Allen et al., 2015; van Berkel, Boot, Proper, Bongers & van der Beek, 2015; Hyland et
al., 2015). To counter the aforementioned negative aspects of work, several studies have found
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

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positive results from organization sponsored mindfulness practices to improve and strengthen
employee well-being (Allen et al., 2015; Dane and Brummel, 2014; Rodríguez-Carvajal et al.,
2010). In addition, the studies also found enhanced employee well-being was accompanied by
employee retention and improved organizational performance when employees had a collective
sense of ownership in developing and participating in the mindfulness campaign (Allen et al.,
2015; Dane and Brummel, 2014; Els, Mostert, and de Beer, 2015; Rodríguez-Carvajal et al.,
2010; Wyatt et al., 2015).
Millennials and Generation X
As employees and organizations are confronted with new challenges of a constantly
changing workplace, their needs and values are also changing. Millennials and Generation X are
the two generations that make up the majority of the workforce and they are the most vocal in
striving for work-life balance and healthy well-being (Hülsheger et al., 2015). Existing empirical
research shows these two generations have much in common when it comes to being engaged
employees, as they prefer pursuing meaningful work and job satisfaction through job crafting
which allows them to customize their job tasks and interactions (Mihelic & Aleksic, 2017; Myers
& Sadaghiani, 2010). Evidence from research reports millennial employees prioritize their well-
being and expect their employees to do the same (Douglas, 2015; Hülsheger et al., 2015). Gallup
(2017) reports the top reason for employees taking a new job with a different organization is if
they have the “ability to do what they do best and if they can achieve better work-life balance
and personal well-being” (p.25). Reports state a significant reason millennials are focused on
their well-being is because they are not confident the healthcare system will support them as they
age and as a result feel a need to seek a healthful lifestyle that supports their emotional and
physical health (Douglas, 2015; Hülsheger et al., 2015). For this reason, an organization that
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supports mindfulness practices at work is more appealing to these two generations as they can be
more engaged in their work with a healthy mind and body.
Work-life Balance and Well-being
To address employee disengagement, organizations have increasingly looked for new
policies and practices that satiate employee needs for work-life balance and healthy well-being.
Work-life balance is defined as the way a person distributes their time for work and non-work
activities such as family time, hobbies and social engagements (Good et al., 2016; Wolever et al.,
2012). The definition for well-being is a good or satisfactory state and experience of feeling
happy, healthy and prosperous (Li, Wong, & Kim, 2017; Rodriguez-Carvajal et al., 2010)
In recent years, studies have pointed to the growing prevalence of mindfulness practices
within organizations as a concept that may increase work-life balance and well-being amongst
employees thereby offering a competitive advantage to organizations (Antony, 2018; Holm,
2015). The mindfulness practices in the range of studies with positive results have mostly been a
mental reflection activity such as meditation which focuses on decreasing stress and self-care
(Gumm, 2014; Holm, 2015; Keng, Smoski, Robins, 2011; Klatt et al., 2016). Many scholars have
found positive results from mindfulness practices when used as a coping mechanism for
emotional exhaustion and stress (Dhawan, 2017; Li et al., 2017; Raney, 2014). As a result,
decreased stress and exhaustion together contribute to a more favorable well-being as well as
supporting employee’s ability to enjoy their non-work activities thereby achieving work-life
balance.
Importance of the Organizational Innovation
It is important for Finance Me to be innovative and invest in interventions to improve
employee engagement. Implementing a mindfulness campaign to support the well-being of their
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employees in their work-life as well as their personal life demonstrates that Finance Me
considers their employees their biggest asset. Using information from post-employment surveys,
only 26 percent of Finance Me employees stated better pay and benefits as a reason for leaving.
Approximately 19 percent of Finance Me employees left for reasons not related to their job. The
remaining 55 percent of employees were either dismissed for poor performance or excessive
absences which are considered symptoms of disengagement. Therefore, a little over half of
Finance Me’s employees left due to symptoms of disengagement. A disengaged employee hurts
their own well-being as well as their organization. After considering the costs of decreased
productivity, performance and employee turnover, implementing a mindfulness campaign would
be low risk, yet may lead to high gain. A mindfulness campaign has the potential to offer
employees tools they can leverage to activate their engagement in tasks is beneficial to their
work-life as well as personal life.
It is essential to address the problem of employee disengagement proactively with all
employees as it will add another layer of support for them. Offering a mindfulness campaign to
all employees during work hours is vital as it communicates a message of alignment with
Finance Me’s mission of supporting their employees and prioritizing employees’ well-being as
individuals with distinct needs. Failure to implement a mindfulness campaign may lead to
additional loss of engagement of employees and lead to an increased employee turnover rate
(Antony, 2018; Dane & Brummel, 2014). Finance Me’s low retention rate and high employee
disengagement will negatively affect the performance of Finance Me as an organization and
possibly cripple the future potential of Finance Me to expand. Finance Me has chosen to
investigate such a campaign with their employees. Currently, no such program exists. Through
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examination of employee feedback, Finance Me aims to create and implement a campaign that
caters to their employees’ needs.
Organizational Performance Goal
The organizational performance goal is by May 2020, 100% of Finance Me employees
will participate in a mindfulness campaign, which aims to promote growth opportunities to
increase well-being and active employee engagement. The leadership team of Finance Me
established this goal with the assistance of a third-party consultant. Finance Me is ready to try
alternative methods such as a mindfulness campaign which prioritizes employees needs before
the organization. Finance Me’s high employee turnover rate has been a cause for concern since
the beginning of the business. Although, high employee turnover is not unusual as other
benchmark businesses with similar tasks have also had to deal with similar issues (Li et al., 2017;
Wolever et al., 2012). In Finance Me’s experience, raising wages, flashy office design or even
cool office toys are ineffective and barely touch the surface of this problem. Research by Harter
et al., (2016) confirms that an increase in wages does not make a significant statistical difference
in employee engagement. Since every employee’s well-being is a priority for Finance Me this
necessitates Finance Me setting a goal of 100% participation. The intention of the
implementation of a mindfulness campaign at its apex would be to increase the well-being of
their employees which may result in increased engagement and eventually higher performance,
productivity and employee retention at Finance Me.
Description of Stakeholder Groups
The joint efforts of all stakeholders will contribute to the achievement of the overall
organizational goal of participating in mindfulness activities to increase well-being and active
engagement. Through this research, employees will share their input on their needs related to
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their well-being and engagement. The leadership team can process the information and develop a
mindfulness campaign that is suitable for all employees. Information will be shared with
managers so they may leverage effective management practices to create a supportive
environment encouraging all employees to participate meaningfully in the mindfulness
campaign. The result will be a creation of a mindfulness campaign to the extent that 100% of
Finance Me employees will have the opportunity to fully participate.
Stakeholder Groups’ Performance Goals
The following table includes each stakeholder’s specific performance goal. The
stakeholders’ goals are aligned with the overall organizational goal. The organizational goal was
developed so Finance Me can continue to fulfill their organizational mission of supporting their
employees.
Table 1
Organizational Mission, Global Goal and Stakeholder Performance Goal

Organizational Mission

Finance Me’s mission is to provide a fun and supportive environment for all employees
while promoting healthy work-life balance.
Organizational Global Goal

By May 2020, 100% of employees will have participated in a mindfulness campaign,
which aims to promote growth opportunities to increase well-being and active employee
engagement.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

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Stakeholder Group for the Study
While a complete analysis would involve all stakeholder groups, for practical purposes,
one stakeholder group will be selected as the focus for this study. As the mindfulness campaign
will be developed based on the needs and opinions of employees, their knowledge and
motivational influences will be an important factor in their participation of the campaign. The
employees’ preliminary knowledge will also be used to formulate baseline data so leadership
may customize a mindfulness campaign that will be suitable for all employees. Research has
shown the success of a campaign is dependent on the input of participants so they may be
motivated to participate (Els, Mostert, & de Beer’s, 2015). It is important for employees to have
ownership of the campaign thereby making participation in the activities of the mindfulness
campaign more appealing and personal. Therefore, the stakeholders of focus for this study are
the employees of Finance Me. Leadership determined they would need to support the employees’
knowledge, motivation and organizational influences to participate in a mindfulness campaign in
order for Finance Me to meet their organizational global goal. The organizational goal is 100%
of employees will participate in a mindfulness campaign, which aims to promote opportunities
Table 1, continued
Stakeholder 1

Executive Leadership
Stakeholder 2

Managers
Stakeholder 3

Employees
By December 2019,
Leadership will develop a
mindfulness campaign to be
offered to employees to
promote active engagement.

By January 2020,
Managers will leverage
effective management
practices to create a
supportive environment
allowing employees to
participate meaningfully in
a mindfulness campaign.
By February 2020,
Employees will have the
knowledge, motivation and
organizational support to
fully participate in a
mindfulness campaign.
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and activities to increase well-being and employee engagement. Since no such mindfulness
campaign currently exists, the gap in performance is 100%.
Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this project is to conduct a needs analysis in the areas of knowledge and
skill, motivation and organizational resources necessary to reach Finance Me’s organizational
performance goal of all employees participating in a mindfulness campaign. The analysis will
begin by generating a list of possible needs and will then move to examine the list systematically
to focus on actual or validated needs. While a complete needs’ analysis would focus on all
stakeholders, for practical purposes the stakeholder to be focused on in this analysis are the
employees of Finance Me.
Methodological Framework
This study follows the methods of Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis. The author’s gap
analysis is a systematic, analytical method that helps to clarify organizational performance goals
and identify the gap between the actual performance level and the preferred performance level.
The gap analysis model will be adapted to an innovation model to identify and analyze Finance
Me’s needs to implement a new innovation into the organization around mindfulness. The study
explores the assumed knowledge, motivation and organizational needs to implement mindfulness
practices into the organization.
A mixed methods design was chosen because this study seeks to use a phenomenological
approach to describe the participants lived perspective and the essence of their experiences
(Creswell, 2014). Through interaction with the employees, this approach will provide multiple
sources of evidence through an information gathering survey and interviews to thoroughly
understand the phenomenon happening at Finance Me. Taking a constructivist worldview this
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study seeks to understand the complexity and meaning of the participants experience in their
workplace as well as their life outside of work (Creswell, 2014). Finally, this study will generate
meaning from the data collected and from a pragmatic worldview, research-based solutions will
be recommended and evaluated in a comprehensive manner.
Organization of the Study
This study is organized into five chapters. Chapter One provided the reader with the key
concepts and terminology commonly found in a discussion about employee engagement. Finance
Me’s organizational mission, goals and stakeholders as well as the initial concepts of gap
analysis adapted to needs analysis were introduced. Chapter Two provides a review of current
literature surrounding the scope of employee engagement, causes of disengagement, mindfulness
trends and strategies and its potential to address employee engagement. Chapter three details the
assumed needs for this study as well as methodology when it comes to choosing participants,
data collection, and analysis. In Chapter Four, the data and results are assessed and analyzed.
Chapter Five provides solutions, based on data and literature, for addressing the needs and
closing the performance gap as well as recommendations for an implementation and evaluation
plan for the solutions.

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CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
The purpose of this literature review is to provide the reader with a general overview of
employee engagement and the mediating effects of mindfulness to activate employee
engagement. The first section gives an overview of employee engagement including scholarly
definitions of the term, followed by a section addressing employee engagement in connection
with millennials as they are currently the largest cohort in the workforce. The second section
examines the impact of disengagement as well as the causes of disengagement such as work-life
imbalance and low well-being. This section also looks at how these two variables are influenced
by motivation and organizational influences. The third section reviews mindfulness as a strategy
and the mindfulness practices to activate engagement of employees. Using empirical research,
the fourth section documents the benefits of mindfulness practices in organizations and how they
have increased employee engagement and organizational performance. Finally, this chapter
provides an explanation of the Clark and Estes (2008) knowledge, motivation and organization
influences used in this study. This will include a discussion of the assumed employee knowledge,
motivation and organizational needs related to a mindfulness campaign. This chapter concludes
with a presentation of the conceptual framework guiding this study.
Employee Engagement
Most leaders would agree that employees are the pulse of their organization.
Consequently, employee engagement is a much-discussed topic and has been of interest to
organizations for decades. Retaining employees is one of the biggest challenges faced by
businesses globally (Antony, 2018; Gallup, 2017; Memon et al., 2014). An organization’s
employee turnover rate as well as the measurement of engaged employees will give leadership a
birds-eye view of the health of their organization (Pierre & Tremebley, 2011; Kundu & Lata,
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24
2017; Rasca, 2018). The Gallup Organization, considered the gold standard with their breadth
and depth in questioning of employee populations, has been analyzing employee engagement
amongst 35 million employees for over 18 years (Gallup, 2016). The Gallup Organization’s
studies as well as scholarly articles will drive this literature review to take a more in-depth look
into employee engagement, causes of disengagement, and finally current trends and strategies to
activate employee engagement.
Overview of Employee Engagement
The national Q12 survey conducted by The Gallup Organization (2017) defines engaged
employees as those who are “highly involved and enthusiastic about their work and workplace”
(p. 61). Scholars further define employee engagement as members of an organization making
good use of their strengths and talents towards their work roles (Dane & Brummel, 2014; Kundu
& Lata, 2017). According to Kahn (1990), “when people are in engagement, they employ and
express themselves physically, cognitively and emotionally during their role performances” (p.
692). Kahn (1990) continues to be cited in more recent articles by scholars such as Godkin
(2015), Harter et al. (2016), and Mayer, Gagne and Parfyonova (2010). Another way to examine
the definition of employee engagement would be to look at the reverse. Gallup (2017) describes
an employee that is not engaged as someone who is going to work and lacking energy or passion
in their tasks. A step further from not being engaged is an employee that is actively disengaged.
These employees are unhappy, resentful, disconnected from their jobs and undermine the
accomplishments of other employees (Gallup, 2017).
Harnessing employee strength, inciting employee enthusiasm and promoting employee
expression when completing tasks at work has been the focal point of study for organizations and
scholars for decades. The Gallup Organization has researched employee attitudes and behaviors
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

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towards their job using their Q12 survey for over fifteen years (Gallup, 2017). Using their
proprietary formula to narrow their survey to twelve questions, Gallup (2017) measures
employee engagement based on four needs: basic, individual, teamwork and personal growth.
When the four basic needs are met, employees become emotionally and psychologically attached
to their work tasks and actively engaged at their workplace. Gallup (2017) found within their 15
years of research and survey of millions of workers nationwide, of the few years that showed
improvement, it was only by three percent. Within the 15 years that did not show three percent
improvement, employee engagement has either declined or remained stagnant (Gallup, 2017;
Harter et al., 2016). Therefore, for the past 15 years or more, organizations have yet to meet the
needs of their employees and find a sustainable solution to activate engagement in 70 percent of
the nation’s employees.
Millennials and engagement. Research has not shown that employee engagement
discriminates by age, gender or race. At the same time, studies have clearly shown there are
generational differences in work values (Ferri-Reed, 2013; Hillman, 2014; Milligan, 2016).
Currently, millennials (born 1979-1994) represent the largest workforce in the nation. There is
empirical research that suggests millennials have unique qualities and work values that are
different from other generations that are past stereotypes and generalizations (Hillman, 2014;
Knouse, 2011; Lyons & Kuron, 2014).
Millennials differ from other generations as they have been resolute in vocalizing and
demanding what they expect from their workplace (Eramo, 2017; Hillman, 2014). Millennial’s
specific needs and work design is disrupting and impacting how organizations are operating
(Hernaus, & Pološki Vokic, 2014; Hillman, 2014). For example, Berger (2014) found through
his research on leadership and communication that the millennial generation values trust, work-
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life balance, strong team orientation, community commitment, and self-development as factors
that would support their engagement at work. Berger (2014) further emphasizes that an
organization with a culture of two-way symmetrical employee communication is a standard
expectation for millennial employees to be engaged with their organization.
A Gallup study (2016) focusing on millennials indicated that 71 percent of millennials
were either disengaged or actively disengaged. Furthermore, Deloitte, a global auditing firm,
released a study showing that if their needs are not met, millennials will not stay with their
employer merely due to loyalty as generations in the past may have (Deloitte, 2016). The impact
of millennials leaving organizations compounded with lost time in hiring and training of new
employees can be a firm’s most substantial overhead cost (Gallup, 2016; Mihelič, & Aleksić,
2017). The Society of Human Resource Management calculates that the average cost of
replacing an employee would be six to nine months of their salary. Approximating a millennial
starting salary at $60,000, it would cost a company approximately $30,000-$45,000 in recruiting
and training costs. However, if millennials’ unique qualities are adequately examined,
organizations have the opportunity to enhance their performance and be an “employer of choice”
(Myers & Sadaghiani, 2010; Wong et al., 2017). Accordingly, it is critical to examine the cause
of employee disengagement so organizations can work towards creating a favorable organization
for not only millennials but all employees.
Impact and Causes of Disengagement
The impact of disengagement sends shockwaves throughout organizations and hurts the
health of their employees by negatively disrupting employee’s attitudes and behavior towards
themselves and their job (Gallup, 2017; Harter et al., 2016). Furthermore, when employees do
not feel that their opinions count or feel encouraged to give their input, productivity decreases.
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Gallup (2017) found employees’ productivity decreases when feedback is not given from their
managers. When employees are not given workplace recognition, absenteeism increases by 27
percent (Gallup (2017). The increased absenteeism soon leads to higher turnover intention
(Gallup, 2017). Employees will be absent from work more if they do not feel cared for at work.
Gallup (2017) found only four in 10 employees feel someone cares for them and knows them as
individuals rather than just employees. Gallup (2017) posits if the ratio moved from four to eight,
there would be 41 percent reduction in absenteeism. Gallup (2017) claims organizations could
reduce absenteeism by 28 percent if six out of 10 employees, felt their talents were nurtured and
developed and had opportunities to be applied at work.
The absence of employees connecting to their company mission or purpose is also linked
to their literal absence at their job which is a costly result of disengagement (Schneider, Yost,
Kropp, Kind, & Lam, 2018). By increasing the ratio from four to eight in 10 employees who
strongly agree that the mission of their company makes them feel the importance and purpose of
their job, absenteeism would be reduced by 41 percent with a secondary gain of 33 percent
improvement in performance quality (Gallup, 2017; Harter et al., 2016). Employees who feel the
importance and purpose of their job must also trust that their colleagues are committed to doing
similar quality work (Gallup, 2017; Harter et al., 2016; Victor & Hoole, 2017). Otherwise,
studies have shown disengaged employees are usually the worst performers on the team and
social loafs in which they depend on other members of the team and also lowers the team
standards (Gallup, 2017; Harter et al., 2016).
Lastly, Gallup’s (2017) Q12’s survey question regarding having a best friend at work is
important in predicting performance and staying engaged. Gallup (2017) found when employees
are encouraged to bond and socialize with their team members, they naturally take positive
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actions that benefit the business because friendships are a basic human need that cannot be
ignored. Behaviorally, disengaged employees may feel listless and feel their work does not
matter and they feel unimportant, which is the opposite of an engaged employee who truly shows
up for work and is involved (Antony, 2018). Studies have shown that productivity can be
increased with decreased stress and increased attendance at work (Dhawan, 2017; Gumm, 2014).
In the case of an engaged employee, this may be true as they may be motivated to make up their
missed work when absent. In reverse, a disengaged employee that returns from absence may
never catch up and produce quality work to make up for the lost workday (Dane, 2011; Gumm,
2014). The impact of disengagement can be seen and measured in employee behavior and most
apparently in decreased productivity and increased absenteeism which directly impacts the health
of the organization and its bottom line (Gallup, 2017; Schneider et al., 2018).
Work-life imbalance. Many scholars describe work-life imbalance as lacking the
balance between work-life and personal life and usually consists of juggling the hours spent at
work to maintain lifestyle priorities outside of work (Madou, Lugisani, Mabojane & Phiri, 2018;
Pandita & Singhal, 2017). Empirical research substantiates that millennials as well as other
generations such as Generation X prioritize their personal time and strive for synchronicity
between the two dimensions (Ferri-Reed, 2013; Hillman, 2014; Madou et al., 2018). Moreover,
Generation X (born 1961-1980) has seen the benefits of work-life balance on their family lives
as they have experienced the opposite with their Baby Boomer parents working long hours
resulting in adverse effects on the family unit (Alsop, 2008; Douglas, 2015).
Studies report that the imbalance of time spent at work may cause a psychological
detachment to their organization as employees may perceive their employers do not care for
them as a person (Gallup, 2017; Harter et al., 2016; Madou et al., 2018). Psychological
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detachment due to not feeling cared for by employees correlates with Gallup’s Q12 survey
(2017) question number five, “My supervisor or someone at work, seems to care about me.” In
the United States, six in ten employees do not feel someone at work cares for them (Gallup,
2017; Harter et al., 2016). To clarify, working longer hours does not necessarily cause
disengagement because employees may feel very engaged and enjoy working long hours.
However, if employees are experiencing psychological detachment due to the imbalance of long
work hours, that could ultimately lead to employee disengagement.
Low well-being. While the definition of well-being in the workplace is organic, a
working definition derived from scholars and the dictionary will be applied in this section.
Merriam-Webster.com (2018) defines well-being as “the state of being happy or prosperous.”
Scholars would add to the Merriam-Webster definition and describe employee well-being in the
workplace as an employee that has an overall optimal feeling in the quality of their physical,
social, emotional, and psychological personhood at work (Good et al., 2016; Hülsheger et al.,
2013; Raney, 2014). Based on these definitions, the optimal well-being of every employee in an
organization would be difficult to achieve. Conversely, low well-being at the other end of the
spectrum is a challenge that organizations are facing as a cause of higher absenteeism and
disengagement (Gallup, 2017; Good et al., 2016; Hülsheger et al., 2013; Raney, 2014).
The effects of low well-being can be seen as a ripple effect which leads to higher levels
of stress, burnout and higher absenteeism (Harter et al., 2016; Li et al., 2017; Memon et al.,
2014). During times of stress, employees are unable to self-regulate to cope during stressful
situations (Dane & Brummel, 2014). Consequently, stressed employees have difficulty adapting
to changes much less being creative and innovative. The emotional and psychological health of a
person as an employee and an individual are intertwined with disengagement and, according to
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The Gallup Organization’s Q12 survey, there is quantifiable evidence that suggests congruence
between employee engagement and performance outcomes related to low well-being (Bates,
2004; Gallup, 2017, Harter et al., 2016). The well-being of employees can be seen as the most
powerful resource for an organization. Consequently, employee health and well-being should be
a priority for organizations because when employees are unhappy, stressed and burned out, the
performance of the organization will suffer.
Mindfulness as a Strategy to Activate Employee Engagement
Jamieson and Tuckey (2017) as well as Good et al., (2016) report in their separate meta-
analyses that there is a growing body of empirical evidence that supports a relationship between
mindfulness and its salutary effects on the health of employees with positive organizational
outcomes. Due to the substantial interest in mindfulness in the past decade, a meeting of the
minds which included scholars, researchers and clinicians gathered to establish a consensus on
mindfulness and to conjointly develop an operational definition (Bishop et al., 2004). Although
rooted in techniques that originate from Asian Buddhist spiritual practices to stop personal
suffering, mindfulness in contemporary psychology borrows the techniques to increase
awareness and as a way to respond to emotional stress and as a way to adjust to environments
without emphasis on ethnicity or religion (Bishop et al., 2004; Nhat Hanh & Laity, 2009; Thera,
1962; Silananda, 1990). As a result of the meetings, Bishop et al. (2004), proposed a two-
component model of mindfulness:
The first component involves the self-regulation of attention so that it is maintained on
immediate experience, thereby allowing for increased recognition of mental events in the
present moment. The second component involves adopting a particular orientation toward
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one’s experiences in the present moment, an orientation that is characterized by curiosity,
openness and acceptance (p.232).
Mindfulness can be achieved through, but not limited to practices of meditation, reflection,
emotional awareness and self-regulation of attention (Bishop et al., 2004; Kabat-Zinn, 2004;
Nhat Hanh & Laity, 2009). Other leaders of the industry would also include mindfulness traits
such as patience, trust, nonreactivity, wisdom and compassion, body awareness as components of
mindfulness (Kabat-Zinn, 2004, Shapiro & Schwartz, 2000).
Leroy, Anseel, Dimitrova, and Sels (2013) found significant levels of effectiveness in
mindfulness activating employee engagement directly and indirectly. Their study explains that
mindfulness directly enhances attention and focus on activities which in turn improves the
quality of employees’ experience completing work tasks. Equally important their study shows
mindfulness indirectly enhances employee engagement by improving the quality of an
employee’s internal awareness which allows each person to be their authentic self (Leroy et al.,
2013).
Mindfulness strategies are not just a “quick fix”; reputable campaigns provide extensive
training and a commitment to personal practice (Antanaitis, 2015). Mindfulness strategies are not
limited to improving the well-being of lower-level employees; the practices activate employee
engagement for employees of various ranks (Zivnuska, Kacmar, Ferguson & Carlson, 2016). In
Reb, Narayanan and Chaturvedi’s (2014) study, they found mindfulness practices used by
leadership contributed to positive effects in the workplace by increasing supervisors’
engagement and effectively improving their awareness and attention.

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Mindfulness Practices
Current trends and strategies around work-life balance and emotional and physical well-
being have been mainly centered around mindfulness and the individual focusing inward through
practiced techniques such as spirituality, meditation, self-hypnosis, and yoga (Fisch, Brinkhaus,
& Teut, 2017; Kabat-Zinn, 1994; Killian, 2008; Marques, 2011; Wolever et al., 2011). Each of
these can be understood as the following:
• Spirituality – not limited to religion but may include religion where individuals make
sense with the help of a higher power and connection to nature (Devendhiran & Wesley,
2017).
• Meditation – paying attention to the present and in a nonjudgmental way (Fredrickson,
Cohn, Coffey, Pek & Finkel, 2008; Kabat-Zinn 1994).
• Self-hypnosis – also known as autohypnosis which uses guided imagery to focus on
specific areas of need and reduction of stress (Dierolf, Wortmeier, Zeyer, Wolf, 2017;
Fisch et al., 2017).
• Yoga – focus on mind/body relaxation using breathing techniques and sequence of body
movements (Wolever et al. 2011)
As these mindfulness practices have produced positive qualitative and quantitative results,
organizations are investing and putting more resources behind them (Killian, 2008).
With respect to spirituality, Devendhiran and Wesley’s (2017) article discusses
spirituality at work and describes spirituality as a culture that recognizes the employee’s spirit at
work, not as an ideological system or religion. When organizations recognize the employee’s
spirit, employees are given more autonomy to be their true self (Ouweneel et al., 2012).
Furthermore, studies have found organizations supporting mindfulness usually supply employees
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with the resources to be self-efficacious and also connected with their coworkers to treat each
other with trust, kindness, and empathy which induces engagement with each other as well as
their organization (Ouweneel et al., 2012). Even though the definition of a spiritual organization
and a mindful organization are similar, the term “mindfulness” will continue to be used. Notably,
spirituality was used before the term mindfulness became popular (Devendhiran & Wesley,
2017).
Large organizations such as Google, Suzuki, and Apple have spiritual centers within their
campuses where employees can take courses on spirituality and mind enlightenment and practice
meditation (Devendhiran & Wesley, 2017). Not all organizations have the resources to have a
specific center but building mindfulness at work can happen in many shapes and sizes.
According to many scholars, even converting a conference room as a quiet space for one day a
week that encourages employees to practice mindfulness strategies such as meditation can make
a difference (Antanaitis, 2015; Fredrickson et al., 2008; Hyland et al., 2015). Providing
mindfulness training can give employees the tools they can use within their chosen timeframe
and space so they can mindfully deal with their potentially stressful tasks and tough situations
(Devendhiran & Wesley, 2017, Keng et al., 2011).
Benefits of Mindfulness in Organizations
A study by Allen et al. (2015) showed significant evidence that mindfulness-based
training can be effective in reducing employee stress and strain which can be a symptom of
disengagement. Similarly, multiple studies have empirically tested and identified links between
workplace mindfulness and employee engagement (Allen et al., 2015). Organizations that
practice mindfulness also support employees in feeling recognized, valued and provide the
resources to perform, be productive and have opportunities to grow (Saks, 2011, Millman et al.,
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34
2003). Organizations that have implemented campaigns to enhance mindfulness have seen higher
employee satisfaction, reduced employee turnover and absenteeism (Devendhiranm & Wesley,
2017). Mindfulness campaigns when built correctly with employee involvement, allow
employees to be more objective, flexible and open to new ways of doing things (Hyland et al.,
2015). Employee collaboration is an important factor as many mindfulness change efforts fail
because employees were not on board and accepting of the change due to low levels of job
control at work (Hyland et al., 2015).
Self-hypnosis, a technique of mindfulness, has shown positive results in decreasing stress
and anxiety (Dierolf et al., 2017; Fisch et al., 2017). The stigma of hypnotherapy is decreasing as
people are becoming more informed of its therapeutic effects (Golden, 2012). In a systemic
review of clinical studies investigating the effect of hypnosis and stress reduction, Fisch,
Brinkhaus and Teut (2017) found six of nine studies reported significant positive effects of
hypnosis for stress reduction. For example, one study showed significant positive effects in
reducing burnout and anxiety (Fisch et al., 2017). Another study showed reduction in the
Perceived Stress Scale and a feeling of overall better health while listening to a recording
focusing on breathing and guided imagery (Dierolf et al., 2017; Fisch et al., 2017). Hypnotic
interventions such as self-hypnosis have similar characteristics to guided meditation with an
addition of positive suggestions (Golden, 2012). Positive suggestions ranged from protecting
oneself from stressors to refocusing on positive thoughts about performance (Golden, 2012).
Studies continue to show that reduced stress and anxiety increases performance in employees
which results in increased workplace employee engagement (Allen et al., 2015, Golden, 2012,
Gumm, 2014). As research on mindfulness is relatively new, research on hypnosis is even newer
and further research would be beneficial.
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35
Wolever et al. (2012) evaluated mindfulness-based intervention campaigns and worksite
stress management campaigns and found evidence that yoga when practiced correctly is effective
in reducing depression or treating anxiety. The researchers found participants in a mindfulness-
based campaign using meditation achieved similar results with enhanced sleep quality and mood,
work productivity and lowered blood pressure (Wolever et al., 2012). Compared to the control
group, participants also experience improved well-being by measurement of heart rate variability
and autonomic balance (Wolever et al., 2012). Considering the low cost of implementation, the
improvements in well-being are significant. Wolever et al. (2012) confirm their findings were
consistent with other mind-body mindfulness campaigns across various organizations including
one study in Japan with a strictly male sample.
In conclusion, research suggests a systematic lack of employee engagement across
organizations with associated personal and organizational costs. A mindful organization could
provide an environment where employees feel comfortable to be their authentic selves. Studies
have shown the benefits of a mindful organization that honors employees as being innately
spiritual in nature in which humans naturally want to enhance their mental and physical well-
being results in feeling fulfilled and more engaged at work (Devendhiran and Wesley, 2017;
Keng et al., 2011). Mindfulness practices to increase employee well-being significantly connects
to employee engagement and, ultimately, organizational performance (Allen et al., 2015; Dane
and Brummel, 2014; Rodriguez-Carvajal et al., 2010).
Clark and Estes’ (2008) Gap Analysis Conceptual Framework
The Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis model is the conceptual framework that clarifies
organizational and stakeholder performance goals. The framework is suited to study Finance Me
because it systematically examines the employees meeting their organizational global goal of
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36
fully participating in a mindfulness campaign. Specifically, it identifies the difference between
employee’s actual performance level and their preferred performance goal. The identification of
gaps in performance allows for the examination of stakeholder knowledge, motivation and
organizational (KMO) influences that need to be addressed to reach goals (Clark & Estes, 2008).
This problem-solving process is based on 1) understanding the stakeholder of focus with
regard to their meeting of the organizational goal, and 2) identifying assumed performance
influences in the areas of knowledge, motivation and organization based on general theory,
context-specific literature and an existing understanding of the organization. Understanding the
interplay of knowledge and motivation within the organizational culture is critical to accomplish
goals and realize change because addressing knowledge and motivation alone is not enough to
achieve and sustain goals (Clark & Estes, 2008). Each of these assumed stakeholder specific
knowledge, motivation and organizational influences on performance will then be examined
through the methodology discussed in Chapter 3.
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Influences
Knowledge and Skills
It is essential for organizations to identify the necessary knowledge and skills to increase
performance, problem solve and implement change (Clark & Estes, 2008). Knowledge and skills
are helpful to determine if stakeholders know what and how to achieve a performance goal
(Clark & Estes, 2008). Addressing knowledge needs will allow an organization to proactively
move forward to achieve their goals. This section examines knowledge and skills related
influences that are relevant to Finance Me employees having the knowledge, motivation and
organizational support to fully participate in a mindfulness campaign.
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Knowledge influences. Clark and Estes (2008) explains that it is important for an
organization to examine the knowledge and skills of stakeholders to uncover any influences that
would hinder stakeholders from meeting their goals. Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) classifies
knowledge influences in four general categories: factual, conceptual, procedural and
metacognitive. Factual knowledge is the basic information such as details and terminology in
which a person must know to complete assigned tasks (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). The
authors describe conceptual knowledge as the interrelation of factual knowledge into a larger
structure of principles, theories and models and how they function together to meet goals.
Procedural knowledge includes specific methods on how to do something (Anderson &
Krathwohl, 2001). Lastly, metacognitive knowledge focuses on the employee’s self-knowledge
and their mental understanding of their own cognition (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). Rueda
(2011) further describes metacognitive knowledge as a necessity for a person to evaluate when,
why and how to solve a problem. Each knowledge influence will be categorized into knowledge
type so stakeholders can clearly understand goals and identify any needs in knowledge and skills.
Factual knowledge. Finance Me employees need to know what mindfulness entails in
order to give fully participate in a proposed mindfulness campaign. The definition and practices
of mindfulness have a broad range and through consensus can be narrowed down to an
operational definition (Bishop et al., 2004). The body of research shows that the essence of
mindfulness focuses on self-awareness, which can be brought out by strategies such as self-
reflection, breathing exercises, meditation, self-hypnosis or yoga (Jamieson & Tuckey, 2017).
Notably, many employees may already have an idea of what mindfulness means to them,
therefore it is important for employees to be aligned with an operational definition of
mindfulness for their organization (Bishop et al., 2004; Hulsheger et al., 2013). With an
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38
operational definition, employees can collaborate with their organization on the mindfulness
strategies they would like to incorporate in the organization sponsored mindfulness campaign.
Conceptual knowledge. Finance Me employees need to know the mindfulness strategies
that can be incorporated into their daily life to improve their well-being. In order for the
mindfulness campaign to be effective, employees must have a level of competency to know
when to integrate their learned mindfulness techniques to situations in their daily life (Good et
al., 2016). Employees must also be able to synthesize newly learned mindfulness principles with
their current self-care routine (Els et al., 2015; Raney, 2014).
Procedural knowledge. Finance Me employees need to know how to participate in the
proposed mindfulness campaign. The tasks and techniques relevant to implementation of
procedures require procedural knowledge (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). Participating in
building a mindfulness campaign would be an opportune time for employees to give feedback to
their organizations. Employees need to have clear and direct communication with their managers
and leadership on the procedures of the organization (Godkin, 2015, Lewis, 2011). It is important
for employees to know how to participate in workshops which solicits varying levels of
participation of employees (Lewis, 2011).
Metacognitive knowledge. Finance Me employees need to reflect on factors that prevent
them from being actively engaged at work. Employees will receive training so they may
constructively reflect. When asked to critically reflect on blocks that prevent them from being
actively engaged, employees should not need to have an instant answer. Instead, Nugent et al.
(2011) concluded it is pertinent that employees are given the opportunity to systematically take
time to be reflective, focus inward and consolidate knowledge. The researchers found in their
study that although reflection may cause discomfort, pain and uncertainty, ongoing reflective
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

39
practice can serve as a support for personal and professional development. Immordino-Yang,
Christodoulou, and Sing (2012) further note that reflection time also known as default time, has
shown to be important in processing and sifting through daily situations and making relevant
connections between complex thoughts. When employees are given the time to reflect on what
impedes their engagement at work, it allows them to construct knowledge on why that
impediment is happening. During reflection, when attention is focused internally, employees can
make connections and develop advanced critical thinking skills (Immordino-Yang et al., 2012).
In a high attention job such as those of sales agent at Finance Me, without the opportunity for
reflection, employees may never have or make the time to think about what is preventing them
from being actively engaged.
Table 2 below provides a summary of the four types of knowledge and the assumed
knowledge influences in connection with Finance Me’s mission and global goal in participating
in a mindfulness campaign that aims to improve their well-being.
Table 2

Assumed Knowledge Influence, Knowledge Types, and Knowledge Assessment

Organizational Mission
Finance Me’s goal is to provide a fun and supportive environment for all employees while
promoting healthy work-life balance.

Organizational Global Goal
By May 2020, 100% of employees will have participated in a mindfulness campaign, which aims
to promote growth opportunities to increase well-being and active employee

EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

40
Table 2, continued

Motivation
The purpose of this section is to review relevant motivation related influences that are
pertinent to Finance Me employees achieving their goal of participating in a mindfulness
campaign. Motivation is a necessary influencer as it can facilitate or inhibit the accomplishment
of goals (Clark & Estes, 2008). Even if a person knows how and what to do, a task will not be
completed without motivation. Clark and Estes (2008) determined that motivation influences
account for approximately 50% of issues in gap analyses. The authors categorize motivation into
three constructs: active choice, persistence and mental effort. Within these constructs a person’s
motivation can impact whether they start, continue, and finish a task (Clark & Estes, 2008;
Knowledge Influence Knowledge Type (i.e.,
declarative (factual or
conceptual), procedural,
or metacognitive)
Knowledge Influence
Assessment

Employees need to know what
mindfulness entails.
Factual Using survey and selected
individual interviews employees
will describe mindfulness.

Employees need to know the
mindfulness strategies that can be
incorporated into their daily life to
improve their well-being.
Conceptual Using survey and selected
individual interviews employees
will describe mindfulness
strategies they already practice
and would like to practice in the
future.
Employees need to know how to
participate in the mindfulness
campaign at work.
Procedural

Using survey and selected
individual interviews employees
will describe their ideal
procedure in participating in the
mindfulness campaign
Employees need to reflect on
factors that prevent them from
being actively engaged at work.
Metacognitive Using survey and selected
individual interviews employees
will reflect and identify what
prevents them from being
actively engaged at work.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

41
Rueda, 2011). Common motivational issues can be influenced by the principles of utility value,
emotions, interests, self-efficacy, attributions, goal content as well as goal orientation (Clark &
Estes, 2008; Rueda, 2011). Literature focusing on individual self-efficacy and utility value will
be reviewed and analyzed to identify needs and factors that impede performance.
Self-Efficacy. Bandura (1997) describes self-efficacy as the beliefs people have of
themselves and their capabilities. Clark and Estes (2008), in referring to motivation gaps, posits
“belief is (almost) everything” (p.79). A person must have a foundational belief in their own
capabilities which also serves as a motivator to complete a task successfully (Bandura, 1997;
Clark & Estes, 2008).
Employee self-efficacy. Finance Me employees need to believe they are capable of
improving their well-being by participating in a mindfulness campaign. Without self-efficacy, an
organization sponsored mindfulness campaign may be viewed by employees as one more thing
that is getting pushed on them (Hyland et al., 2015). Employees would be more motivated to
achieve their goal if they believe that they are the drivers of improving their well-being and are
capable to do so (Reb et al., 2014). Researchers have deducted that employee self-efficacy in
mindfulness can be developed with the support of the organization through consistent instruction
and ongoing cultivation of practice (Nugent et al., 2011; Van Gordon, Shonin & Garcia-
Campayo, 2017). It is unlikely an employee without prior mindfulness experience will feel
efficacious with a one-time training experience.
Utility value. A person will place more utility value on a task if they perceive it to be
useful and worthwhile for achieving future goals (Eccles & Wigfield, 1995). Utility value is
necessary in accomplishing short and long-term goals. Eccles and Wigfield (1995) further
delineate value into intrinsic or extrinsic utility value which is related to the person’s perceptions
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

42
of the task. In the case of intrinsic utility value, an individual is expected to like or enjoy tasks
they have done well in the past. Utility value can be influenced by many outside influencers and
are linked to goals and activities that are extrinsic to the task (Eccles & Wigfield, 1995). Outside
influences can be factors such as cultural values, religion, and gender-role stereotyping. An
individual would find more extrinsic utility value of a task if it is perceived as useful in other
aspects of their lives (Eccles & Wigfield, 1995)
Employee utility value. Finance Me employees need to feel a mindfulness campaign
would be valuable to them. Employee perceived value of mindfulness can predict the success of
the mindfulness campaign (Rodriguez-Carvajal et al., 2010). Employees would find intrinsic
utility value in giving input towards developing the mindfulness campaign if they feel enjoyment
in practicing mindfulness techniques (Antanaitis, 2015). It may, for example, be important to an
organization’s employees that the mindfulness campaign remain secular and ensure that it is
gender neutral as it may affect an employee’s extrinsic utility value (Adriansen & Krohn, 2016;
Antanaitis, 2015; Bishop et al. 2004). Table 3 provides a summary of the assumed motivational
influences that may contribute to Finance Me employees meeting their organizational global of
fully participating in a mindfulness campaign.
Table 3
Assumed Motivational Influences and Motivational Influence Assessment

Organizational Mission
Finance Me’s goal is to provide a fun and supportive environment for all employees while
promoting healthy work-life balance.

Organizational Global Goal
By May 2020, 100% of employees will have participated in a mindfulness campaign, which
aims to promote growth opportunities to increase well-being and active employee engagement.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

43

Organization

General theory regarding organizational culture. The third and last cause that can
prevent achievement of performance goals is inefficient and ineffective organizational work
processes, practices, and procedures (Clark & Estes, 2008). Performance relies on the strength of
the organizational culture and can be analyzed based on the cultural models and cultural settings
within the organization (Clark & Estes, 2008; Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). Gallimore and
Goldenberg (2001) describe cultural models as the practices and mental schema within an
organization that are less tangible and invisible to others (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). The
authors further explain cultural models as the unconscious understanding within the organization,
the practices and what is valued. An example of cultural models within an organization may be
the way employees interpret the employee handbook and what is the norm and values that guide
their behavior. Gallimore and Goldenberg (2001) contrast cultural settings as concrete and more
tangible aspects of a workplace, aspects one can see and feel. An example of cultural setting
would be the actual employee handbook and observing the social context in which employees do
their work and the ability to explain how and why they complete tasks (Gallimore & Goldenberg,
2001). An ideal situation would be when the cultural model and settings are aligned; however,
cultural models and cultural settings may also work against each other. For example, a cultural
Table 3, continued

Assumed Motivation Influences

Motivational Influence Assessment

Individual Self-efficacy- Employees need to
believe they are capable of improving their
well-being by participating in a mindfulness
campaign.
Using survey and selected individual interviews
employees will describe their self-efficacy in
improving their well-being.
Value (Utility) - Employees need to feel a
mindfulness campaign would be valuable to
them.
Using survey and selected individual interviews
employees will describe their value or
importance of participating in a mindfulness
campaign to improve their well-being
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

44
setting of an organization may be an eight-hour workday, yet within the cultural model
employees may feel the pressure to stay at work until all tasks are completed which may be more
than eight hours.
Cultural models. As stated previously, cultural models are the hidden and less visible
beliefs and values present in an organization. Cultural models may be barriers or assets to an
organization. From a cultural model perspective, two specific cultural model factors may be
needed at Finance Me to achieve their organizational global goal: (a) trust, and (b) employee
buy-in.
Employee trust. Finance Me employees need to have trust and buy-in that the
mindfulness campaign prioritizes employee well-being and does not aim to manipulate or control
them. The most successful and effective mindfulness campaigns are when employers recognize
their employees as their most important and valuable asset and consequently offer campaigns
that are aimed at improving well-being (Haynes, 2018). Alternatively, employees may not trust a
campaign that specifically aims to reduce health insurance costs or to increase performance and
productivity (Haynes, 2018). Not only will employees not trust the campaign, but a misguided
campaign can also build resentment and deteriorate company culture (Haynes, 2018). Obtaining
employee trust will be key to Finance Me meeting their organizational global goals.
Finance Me employees must also have buy-in that the mindfulness campaign will be
helpful to them in their daily life. Buy-in is different from employees simply participating
because one can participate half-heartedly yet not truly believe that mindfulness will have a
positive effect. A study by Wyatt et al. (2015) identified a lack of trust and buy-in as the top
barriers to overcome to have a successful mindfulness campaign. The barriers can be overcome
when the workplace culture changes to be more centered around employees. For complete buy-
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

45
in, employees must feel as though the campaign is not merely a nice-to-have new toy, but a
necessary tool to maintain healthy well-being (Haynes, 2018). In addition, employees may be
cynical towards a mindfulness campaign that can mimic short-term incentive-based campaigns
because they may not see the true health outcomes or feel its value when extrinsic behavior is
rewarded for something that should be intrinsically valued (Hansen, Smith & Hansen, 2002;
Kerr, 1975; Lewis, 2012). To aid in buy-in, if new campaigns were to have a presence of visible
“quick wins,” employee buy-in may increase at a faster rate (Wyatt et al., 2015). Therefore, for
Finance Me employees to have employee trust and buy-in from the mindfulness campaign, they
must feel confident that it would be helpful to them and use the strategies in their daily life to
improve their well-being.
Cultural settings. Cultural settings are the more obvious outcomes and products of
cultural models. These settings can be visually observed and studied through employee behavior
and leadership management style. The following section describes the assumed need of
organizational support that is related to the success of employees meeting their organizational
global goal of having the knowledge, motivation and organizational support to fully participate
in a mindfulness campaign.
Organizational support. The organization needs to provide Finance Me employees with
time to participate in a mindfulness campaign. It is necessary for Finance Me to support the
mindfulness campaign by carving out time for each employee to participate. The organization
needs to show that time spent participating in the mindfulness campaign is just as important if
not more important than some of their other tasks (Allen et al., 2015). The potential success for
wellness campaigns provided by the workplace is directly related to the amount of support given
to employees when well-being initiatives are adopted (Allen et al., 2015; Antanaitis, 2015;
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

46
Haynes, 2018). In a study by Wyatt et al. (2015) organizational barriers were a key reason for the
lack of success in a health campaign. Employees need direction and permission from managers
and leaders to participate in wellness campaigns for the campaign to remain effective long-term
(Heward, Hutchins & Keleher, 2007; Ozminkowski et al., 2016). Organizational support at
Finance Me is necessary for the cultural model as well as in the cultural setting. Providing time
for employees to participate is just the first step; employees must also feel supported when they
return to their work after participation and not feel the added stress in having to make up for lost
time in work (Allen et al., 2015; Antanaitis, 2015). Table 4 illustrates a summary of Finance
Me’s assumed organizational needs and related assessments for Finance Me employees to fully
participate in a mindfulness campaign which aims to promote growth opportunities to increase
well-being and active employee engagement.

Table 4

Assumed Organizational Factors Regarding Cultural Models and Settings

Assumed Organizational Influences

Organizational Influence Assessment
(Cultural Model)
Employee trust:
The organization needs trust and buy-in from
employees that the mindfulness campaign
prioritizes employee well-being.

Survey questions and interviews that explore
the level to which employees have trust that
their organization is prioritizing employee
needs in the mindfulness campaign.
Organizational Mission
Finance Me’s mission is to provide a fun and supportive environment for all employees while
promoting healthy work-life balance.

Organizational Global Goal
By May 2020, 100% of employees will have participated in a mindfulness campaign, which aims to
promote growth opportunities to increase well-being and active employee engagement

EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

47

Conceptual Framework: The interaction of Stakeholders’ KMO Influences
The purpose of this conceptual framework is to identify the key variables and influencers
of the study and explore their interrelationships. This conceptual framework utilizes Clark and
Estes’ (2008) KMO gap analysis to analyze possible needs related to Finance Me’s ability to
implement an innovative solution to activate employee engagement and increase employee well-
being through a mindfulness campaign. The mindfulness campaign would be considered
innovative because Finance Me has not attempted such a campaign and promoting mindfulness
in the workplace is still considered a relatively new concept (Allen et al., 2015; Antanitis, 2015;
Dane & Brummel, 2014). The conceptual framework figure presented in graphic form shows
how the organizational global goal of 100% employee participation in a mindfulness campaign
can be achieved by ensuring that there is organizational support of employee’s knowledge and
motivational needs. Although each influencer is presented independent of each other, it needs to
be recognized these influencers do not remain in isolation from each other.
According to Maxwell (2013), a conceptual framework is a tentative model or theory that
is constructed to present ideas and beliefs that guide investigation of the phenomena studied.
Maxwell (2013) as well as cited authors in his book recommends incorporating identity and
experience in research as it is a valuable and enriching component and not doing so may be
cutting off “major sources of insight, hypothesis and validity checks” (p. 45). In this case, one
cannot ignore that the researcher in this study has technical knowledge as well as a personal
Table 4, continued

(Cultural Setting)
The organization needs to provide employees
with time and other resources that support their
participation in a mindfulness campaign.

Survey question and interviews about the
ways in which the organization provides
an environment that supports employee
participation in a mindfulness campaign.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

48
background in mindfulness. One may assume balancing the experience and background of the
researcher in this study with Finance Me’s organizational global goal may come with challenges
of bias. To counter issues of bias, Maxwell (2013) recommends using paradigms in designing
research as a “clear philosophical, and methodological stance helps to explain and justify design
decisions” (p.43). One such paradigm is the experiential knowledge of the researcher in which
the researcher has found the professional and personal practice of mindfulness to be beneficial to
one’s well-being. Through combining existing research and literature, and the researcher’s
experiential knowledge and thought experiments, a tentative theory of the interactions can be
constructed to further build on what has already been contributed (Maxwell, 2013; Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016).
As a conceptual framework is partially constructed from information borrowed from
prior research, this study is also informed by a constructivist worldview in which it seeks to
construct meaning using new information observed from the participants’ experience (Creswell,
2014; Maxwell, 2013). Through the construction of multiple realities, a pragmatic worldview is
taken to propose solutions to practical problems (Creswell, 2014). Constructivism allows for
meaning making around the causes of employee disengagement while pragmatism offers
multiple perspectives in finding innovative solutions that would work for employees at Finance
Me such as a mindfulness campaign. Interweaving the previous body of research on employee
engagement with the construction of new knowledge allows for the pending innovation of a
mindfulness campaign that would support Finance Me’s need to activate employee engagement.
For Finance Me to support their employees in meeting their global goal, accountability
concepts also come to play as the success of an innovative solution is dependent on all
stakeholders embracing the same global goal. Burke (2005) describes accountability as having
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

49
many faces and directions; the underlying theme is each stakeholder is entitled to make demands,
but also responsible for their actions. Borrowing from Hentschke and Wohlstetter’s (2004)
description of accountability as a contractual relationship between a provider providing services
and a director that has the power to replace their provider, Finance Me as an organization would
be the provider of a workplace environment that strives to satisfy the needs of their employees as
directors. Wong et al. (2017) would describe this director-provider relationship as “employer of
choice” where the employer offers an environment and work culture that favors the well-being of
their employees. Adhering to their organizational mission, high employee turnover and the need
to attract prospective employees are a few reasons Finance Me as an organization must take
accountability to recognize their employees’ hard work and provide an environment that
promotes healthy work-life balance and prioritizes healthy well-being. The majority of the
workforce as millennials demand work-life balance and feel entitled to it, failure of the
organization to meet millennials demands will result in higher employee turnover (Douglas,
2015; Knouse, 2011; Mihelič & Aleksić, 2017; Myers & Sadaghiani, 2010).
Figure 1 below illustrates the assumed KMO variables influencing Finance Me’s ability
to support their employees in meeting their organizational global goal. Working through the
diagram in reverse allows for a bird’s eye view of how Finance Me can obtain their innovative
global goal of providing a mindfulness campaign that all employees can participate in to increase
their well-being and active employee engagement. A secondary gain from achieving their global
may result in Finance Me retaining their employees as well as attracting prospective employees.
The dashed red line shows that meeting the global goal is contingent on first supporting the
employee’s knowledge and motivational influences in participation of a mindfulness campaign at
work. Finance Me’s knowledge, motivation and organizational support of employees to fully
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

50
participate in a mindfulness campaign can be achieved if all organizational and stakeholder
influencers are considered. Finance Me’s employee knowledge and motivational needs are
shown in the green oval and is encircled by the bold blue oval of the organization as it is
symbolic that Finance Me must support their employee’s knowledge and motivational needs by
also modifying their organization’s cultural models and setting. Finance Me has the ability to
provide their employees with a cultural model and setting that is supportive of employees
participating in an innovative solution to increase their well-being as well achieving a healthy
work-life balance.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

51

Finance Me Organizational Influencers
Cultural Models: Employee trust and buy-in
Cultural Setting: Organizational support

Employee Knowledge
* Factual- what mindfulness entails
* Conceptual- incorporate mindfulness
strategies into daily life
* Procedural- need to know how to
participate in the campaign
* Metacognitive- self-reflection on
engagement at work
Employee Motivation
* Individual self-efficacy- belief in
capability of improving life through
mindfulness
* Utility value- need to feel a
mindfulness campaign would be
valuable to them.

Key
Finance Me Organizational Influencers

Employee Stakeholder Influencers

Finance Me’s Organizational Global Goal

Organizational Global Goal
100% Employee participation in mindfulness
campaign to increase well-being and active
employee engagement.
Unidirectional arrows

Bi-directional arrow
Employee Stakeholder Influencers
Figure 1. Finance Me’s conceptual framework.
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

52
Conclusion

The literature relating to mindfulness and its connection to increasing employee is
continuing to grow and evolve. Current research is positive in terms of how mindfulness can
promote healthy well-being and address symptoms of workplace disengagement. This chapter
presented literature to generate the assumed knowledge, motivation and organizational needs of
Finance Me employees as the key stakeholder in this study to achieve their goal of having the
knowledge, motivation and organizational support to fully participate in a mindfulness campaign
and ultimately leading to increased employee well-being and engagement. The conceptual
framework from a constructivist and pragmatic world view shows how the organizational global
goal of 100% employee participation in a mindfulness campaign can be achieved by
organizational support of employee’s knowledge and motivational influences. Chapter Three
presents the study’s methodological approach in discovering and understanding the lives of
Finance Me employees and their needs to embrace mindfulness for their own well-being and
workplace engagement.

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53
CHAPTER THREE: METHODS
This innovation study is focused on exploring employee knowledge, motivation, and
organizational needs to achieve their stakeholder performance goal related to developing a
mindfulness campaign to suit their needs. The study first sought to understand the needs of all
employees at Finance Me with a census sampling survey, then purposefully selected participants
for interviews that represented the broad range of employees. Qualitative methods were
necessary to enhance the understanding of participants (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). This chapter
provides the study’s research questions, a description of the stakeholder group of focus, the data
collection methods and concludes with a discussion of the data analysis.
The questions that guide this study are the following:
1. What are the knowledge, skills, motivation, and organizational resources necessary for
100% of Finance Me’s employees to participate in a mindfulness campaign?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and employee
knowledge and motivation?
3. What are the recommended knowledge, motivation, and organizational solutions for
Finance Me to reach its goal of 100% employee participation in the mindfulness
campaign to promote well-being and engagement?
Participating Stakeholders
While all stakeholders play a crucial role in the success of a mindfulness campaign at
Finance Me, the employees play the most critical role in the development of a campaign that is
best suited to their needs. With the insight of all employees, Finance Me can develop a
mindfulness campaign that can promote positive employee well-being. Therefore, survey and
interview data were shaped around Finance Me’s employees as the stakeholder of focus. The
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

54
survey and interviews sought to understand employee knowledge, motivational and
organizational needs in achieving their organizational global goal of having the knowledge,
motivation and organizational support to fully participate in a mindfulness campaign.
There is an average of 60 employees at Finance Me. Approximately 80 percent of the
employees are sales agents. Executives, team leads, and operation managers make up the
remainder 20 percent of employees. Team leads and operation managers are also allowed to
close sales deals acting as a sales agent if the opportunity presents itself. Approximately 70
percent of the sales agents are millennials. For this study and organization, race was not
considered as a variable. Due to the high turnover rate, the overarching criteria for participation
in this study were that all participants must be employees at Finance Me and have received at
least one paycheck. Employees are paid after the first two weeks they have been employed every
two weeks thereafter.
Survey Sampling Criteria and Rationale
Criterion 1. Employment classification. To assure adequate representation of
employees and their development of issues and concerns at Finance Me, employment was
necessary. Finance Me conducts a weeklong onboarding training program for new hires once a
month. A Finance Me employee in the first week of employment spends most of their time in the
training room and has not been incorporated onto the sales floor yet. Within the first week of
training, there is a possibility that the new hire may be terminated or may voluntarily leave. After
an employee has completed the onboarding training program and spent one week on the
salesfloor, they would have received one paycheck. Also, after at least one week on the sales
floor, new hires would have a clearer idea of their job duties and the company culture. Therefore,
EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

55
employees in the first two weeks of hire or who have not received at least one paycheck will be
excluded from the sample.
Survey Sampling Strategy and Rationale
A census sample seeking total population participation was given to all qualifying
participants to gather the most possible information (Johnson & Christensen, 2015). All
qualifying employees were recruited to participate in the study in an effort to reach saturation.
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) describes saturation of information when participants are responding
with redundancy, and no new information is given.
In an effort to gather an information-rich sample for interviewing, an initial survey was
sent to all qualifying employees of Finance Me. Seeking input from all qualifying employees
was appropriate in order to meet the organizational goal. The initial population size was on
average 60 employees at Finance Me, but approximately 55 qualified under the stated criterion.
As all employees have access to a desk computer, an electronic survey was administered. The
electronic survey was given in the beginning of the data collection process to aid in describing
and categorizing the group.
Interview Sampling Criteria and Rationale
The sample sought a representation of those who have self-reported on the survey that
they either do not value, moderately value or highly value a mindfulness campaign. Within this
variation, the sample also strived to get an equitable representation of sales agents, team leaders
and managers. A set amount of resources was allotted for the interview stage which allowed for
interviews to be conducted past the point of saturation if desired.

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Interview Sampling Strategy and Rationale
A maximum variation purposeful sample was chosen because the study thought it was
essential that information should reflect the full range of employees at Finance Me and their
attitudes towards the value of a mindfulness campaign at work. According to Merriam and
Tisdell (2016) a maximum variable sample would include a broad range of participants along
key criteria. Therefore, this study aimed to interview six to ten employees which would represent
approximately 20 percent of qualifying employees.
Although this study intended to include a representation from each of the three categories
concerning their value of mindfulness: do not value, moderately value, and highly value. After
scrubbing the quantitative data from the surveys, a deviation from the interview criteria emerged.
There was only one participant that stated they did not value mindfulness. That same participant
did not volunteer to be interviewed. Although this is fortunate for Finance Me to have the
majority of their employees in favor of a mindfulness campaign at work, this study will not have
equal distribution of qualitative data regarding employee’s value of mindfulness. In other words,
although this study aspired to have a maximum variation sample of the full range of employees’
value on mindfulness, this study will lack interview data from employees that do not value
mindfulness.
Another unanticipated response in the surveys was the large percentage of employees that
volunteered to be interviewed. Approximately 50% of those surveyed volunteered to be
interviewed. After the quantitative data was collected and paired with the climate of the
organization, the researcher felt it was important to honor the enthusiasm of the volunteers to be
interviewed. Therefore, the researcher made the decision to conduct interviews past the point of
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saturation as time allotted. Although saturation of information was reached around the eighth
interview, this study included data from 16 interviews.
Data Collection and Instrumentation
This research was endorsed by the Institutional Review Board of the University of
Southern California prior to data collection. This study leveraged surveys and interviews to
determine the knowledge, motivational and organizational needs necessary for Finance Me to
reach its organizational goals. Starting with an initial information gathering survey followed by
interviews would allow for the researcher to review all the data, construct meaning and organize
information into themes (Creswell, 2014). Succeeding these two methods, data was compiled to
assess the thoughts and needs of the participants. The survey allowed for an initial knowledge,
motivation, and organizational needs assessment to capture the pulse of the organization and
employee’s needs. Consequently, information from the survey data contributed to shaping the
criterion for deeper investigation with the smaller interview group and allowed for maximum
variation. Interviews were necessary to retrieve information in a more organic way that may not
have been possible in surveys (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The interviews were performed a
month after the surveys and was intended to provide more insight into the knowledge,
motivational, and organizational needs that would support employees in reaching their
organizational global goal. Furthermore, interviews gave insight into how organizational goals
around employee well-being, engagement and ultimately retention can be achieved.
Surveys
Survey Instrument. Approximately, data from 54 employees met the criterion to be
included in the data analysis. The purpose of the survey is to gain understanding of the
knowledge, motivational and organizational needs of employees as the stakeholder of focus to
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develop a mindfulness campaign to suit their needs. The instrument involved in this survey
included four background questions. There were a total of 19 questions using four-point Likert
scale responses (see Appendix A). As this was an initial survey to gather an information-rich
sample for interviewing, Likert scale responses were adequate.
Survey Procedures. The survey was piloted with an appropriate audience to enhance
reliability and flow (Fink, 2012). The sample survey was administered to individuals who were
similar to individuals in the sample in which they work full-time in an office, but not at the
Finance Me office. Piloting surveys respects the time of participants and gives the researcher an
opportunity to make the survey efficient as well as effective in gathering rich data (Fink, 2012).
After the pilot, surveys were conducted online as this was the most convenient for participants.
The survey protocol was sent to each participant by email with instructions on how to access the
survey. Participants had access to the survey for five consecutive workdays. To retrieve as many
participants as possible, the researcher collaborated with the managers of each team to give their
sales agents scheduled time to complete the survey. Participants were given a time frame of five
workdays to complete the survey, with a reminder email each passing day. The surveys were
administered online through the Qualtrics campaign. Qualtrics stored the survey responses
securely. There was a final question that asked participants if they would be willing to be
included in the interview phase with a section to include their name and contact information.
The survey instrument can be found in Appendix A.
Interviews
Interview Protocol. A total of 16 employees equaling approximately 30% of Finance Me
employees were interviewed using a semi-structured approach. Of the 16 interviewed, all were
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employed as sales agents, team leads or operations managers. All 16 volunteered to participate in
the interviews.
A semi-structured interview format allowed for flexibility during the interview so the
interviewer may further probe and guide the interview to follow the interviewee’s responses
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). One of the goals of a semi-structured interview is to encourage the
interviewee to speak freely and speak more in-depth when necessary which will allow for a
deeper understanding of knowledge, motivation and organizational needs suggested by the
survey. The interview had a selection of pre-determined questions which allowed for flexibility
to change the order of questions or ask more questions dependent on participant’s responses.
Questions were formulated using both Patton’s (2002) six types of questions and Strauss,
Schatzman, Bucher and Sabshin’s typology of four major categories of questions (as cited in
Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) as a guide to stimulate responses rich in data. If responses did not
yield information-rich responses the interviewer would ask probing questions such as “Can you
please tell me more?” Dependent on the flow of the interview, these questions were asked in
varied order and satisfied the KMO conceptual framework in understanding influences for
employees as a stakeholder to meet their goal.
Interview Procedures. The interviews were scheduled and conducted face-to-face and
onsite at Finance Me during work hours in a private conference room. Although, if face-to-face
was not possible or participant preferred a telephone interview, the researcher would have
accommodated accordingly. According to Weiss (1994), telephone interviews are the next best
thing when face-to-face interviews do not work for the study. Interviews were scheduled and
conducted at the best time for the participant. With respect for the participants’ time away from
their desk, interviews lasted approximately 30-45 minutes. This research accumulated
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approximately 14 hours of interview data. Data was captured with interviewer notes and with
interviewee permission audio recordings using a handheld device. Audio recordings were sent to
otter.ai a third-party transcription service to cross reference transcriptions.
The survey instrument can be found in Appendix B
Data Analysis
This mixed-methods study used quantitative data from surveys and qualitative data from
interviews. It was important for the researcher to make an effort to analyze the data immediately
following data collection as is recommended by expert researchers (Maxwell, 2013; Merriam &
Tisdale, 2016). Once data was collected from the surveys and interviews, separate reports were
created to document findings. A set of descriptive statistics was developed based on responses to
highlight frequency for the quantitative data from the surveys. For the qualitative data from the
interviews, analytic codes were developed throughout each interview transcript as a means of
inductive reasoning with the data. Once the codes were assigned to the various responses by
interviewees, the researcher constructed meaning to deduct themes from the data. The data
helped to validate patterns amongst respondents’ and assumed KMO influences. Lastly, the
researcher analyzed the quantitative and qualitative data to identify components that would allow
for employees to meet their organizational goal of participating in a mindfulness campaign that
suits their needs.
Credibility and Trustworthiness

Merriam and Tisdell (2016) refers to credibility as the internal validity of research
matching reality and whether findings are reliable and accurate. As this study relied partially on
qualitative data, this study recognized the inherent bias when the researcher is also the
interviewer. The researcher was aware that the integrity of findings must take into account
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researcher’s world views and the reactivity the researcher may have on participants (Maxwell,
2013). To address reactivity of responses, the researcher described oneself as a doctoral student
studying mindfulness as a possible intervention to increase employee well-being and
engagement. Lincoln et al. (1985) outlined strategies to increase the trustworthiness of data
include: triangulation, having rich data, peer reviews and audit trails.
This study exploring mindfulness and employee engagement started with an information
gathering survey. The survey sought a census sample and due to the representation of qualified
participants, lent itself to be credible and trustworthy as it provided enough accurate data to
reliably generalize about the organization’s population (Johnson & Christenson, 2014; Krueger
& Casey, 2009). Pre-survey and pre-interview, peers and experts were asked to review both
instruments and give honest and critical feedback. The tool of peer debriefing and piloting the
instruments with a peer group to review and ask questions about the study was included to
increase the validity of the study (Creswell, 2014). The researcher sought to make sure each of
the survey items and interview questions allowed for measurement of knowledge, motivation or
organizational elements and to interpret the responses without bias. In hopes to decrease non-
response bias, non-responses were given one email reminder daily for five consecutive days.
This study received a 100% response rate.
Following the survey, one-on-one interviews were conducted in which the researcher was
diligent in reflecting on possible undesirable consequences from leading questions or value
statements. The researcher as interviewer took responsibility in establishing credibility and
trustworthiness by not asking leading questions and making correct inferences of the responses
with a peer review. Capturing data rich notes during the interview process allows for
transferability of findings (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). This study aimed to obtain rich data from
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all the interviews by asking open-ended questions and probing for clarification. The reliability of
the data received from participants was still dependent on their authenticity of responses, which
was out of the researcher’s control. To have confidence in responses from both survey and
interviews, a researcher must be diligent and careful in how they collect, analyze, interpret and
present data (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). To increase trustworthiness, it is recommended to have
an audit trail of data starting from receipt of responses, data reduction to data reconstruction into
themes (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). This study kept a detailed audit trail and post interviews, a peer-
reviewed process was used to check for consistency, trackability, and logic of findings.
To continually address the possibility of researcher bias, the researcher compiled
information from the findings and provided an opportunity for a random sample of participants
to comment on the findings. Member checking is a form of validity procedure to double check
the accuracy of the information (Creswell, 2014). The researcher in this study prioritized the
trustworthiness of the data collected and has taken key steps in ensuring information is reliable
by spending prolonged periods of time with the organization. Before the study, the researcher sat
in on meetings and week-long onboarding programs to develop a deep understanding of the
organization as well as its employees. Therefore, triangulation of data was possible through
informal observation. Spending prolonged time in the field allows for the researcher to have a
deep understanding of the site and people which adds credibility and validity to the research
(Creswell, 2014).
Ethics
This mixed-methods study involved frequent interaction through interviews with adult
human subjects who are employees of Finance Me. Qualitative research focuses on making
meaning of people’s experiences and their unique thoughts and perspectives (Merriam & Tisdell,
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2016). At the same time, the study was aware of potential biases the researcher may bring to this
work. To mitigate potential bias, survey and interview questions were straightforward and
checked by colleagues for potential bias. In order for the employees to feel safe in participating,
this study followed its ethical obligation to “do no harm” (Rubin & Rubin, 2012, p.89). To
conduct the study ethically, the researcher considered several responsibilities in ensuring
confidentiality such as using pseudonyms. The ethical responsibility of participant privacy took
precedence over the goal of obtaining new information (Glesne, 2011).
This doctoral study started with the necessary approval of the Institution Review Board
(IRB) of the University of Southern California. A study involving human subjects requires the
investigator of the study have informed consent from all participants (Rubin & Rubin, 2012). At
the beginning of the survey and interview, participants were provided the informed consent
statement to review so they completely understood the voluntary nature of their participation and
that their responses would be kept private and confidential. Through informed consent,
participants must be informed that participation is entirely voluntary, and they may stop at any
time (Glesne, 2011). All participants have a right to privacy and will not be coerced or deceived
in any way to participate (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Confidentiality of participants was
prioritized throughout all phases of the study. Before any interaction, verbal and written
communication (email and/or hard copy) informed employees that participation is voluntary and
non-participation does not carry any maleficence. Participants were reminded verbally at every
interaction that they may withdraw participation at any time.
Participant privacy and confidentiality was prioritized throughout all phases of the study.
To ensure initial privacy and confidentiality of survey participants, random numbers were
assigned to each participant by the survey campaign. It was necessary to assign numbers to the
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survey participants as their responses may have met the criterion for further data collection in an
interview. All data was carefully handled with a password-protected computer. Interviews were
recorded with a handheld device when given consent by the participant. Recorded words were
then transcribed by third-party transcriber otter.ai. Transcriptions were coded by the researcher to
ensure confidentiality. All participants were given pseudonyms in data presentation and all
responses from survey or interviews were sorted so they would not be identifiable to one person.
Post-study after defense of the researchers’ dissertation, all raw data and files will be destroyed.
At the time of the study, the researcher was not affiliated with the organization as an
employee or member. The researcher is a practitioner in the mindfulness field. To the extent
employees may know this, employees may have felt an inherent bias to respond to questions
more positively. It was the goal of the researcher to acknowledge the possible bias yet urge
participants to answer questions authentically. Participants were offered the researcher’s contact
information to address any questions or potential confusion. Potential participants were asked to
separate researcher and the researcher’s background as a practitioner in the mindfulness field.
Also, potential participants were verbally briefed before the interviews to view the research
solely as information gathering. It was guaranteed by leadership that participants’ employment,
job advancement or performance evaluations would not be affected by any participation. To limit
bias in participating in the research, no incentives were provided for participation.
Limitations and Delimitations
There may be several limitations inherent in this type of research. As some employees
may have known of the researcher’s background in mindfulness, it was possible the participants
truthfulness in responses may not be authentic. Creswell (2014) cites the inherent limitation of
interviews may yield researcher-biased responses and not all people are equally able to articulate
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their thoughts and feelings. The researcher viewed this study through a constructivist worldview
and prioritized constructing meaning from the data presented and current literature. Therefore,
research of this nature is highly subjective. Delimitations may have also occurred in which the
number of participants involved in this study is small. Therefore, the small sample size would
inhibit broad based conclusions or widespread generalizations across similar organizations. Also,
as needs vary by organization, the takeaways and findings would vary by organization and may
not be generalizable across organizations.

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CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS AND RESULTS
The focus of this study was to explore connections between the development of an
employee mindfulness campaign and increasing employee well-being and active employee
engagement. The study investigated the set of assumed knowledge, motivation and
organizational needs and resources for Finance Me employees to fully participate in an
organization sponsored mindfulness campaign, with the organizational goal of increasing
employee well-being and engagement. Proper identification of organizational performance needs
is a crucial component of the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis methodology that framed this
study. The research questions guiding this study were:
1. What are the knowledge, skills, motivation, and organizational resources necessary for
100% of Finance Me’s employees to participate in a mindfulness campaign?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and employee
knowledge and motivation?
3. What are the recommended knowledge, motivation, and organizational solutions for
Finance Me to reach its goal of 100% employee participation in the mindfulness
campaign to promote well-being and engagement?
Participating Stakeholders
At the time of the study, Finance Me had approximately 60 employees. Approximately
90% of Finance Me employees, 55 employees, met the selection criteria for the survey and
interview portion of the study. All 55 employees that met the criteria for the survey completed
the survey. One survey was disqualified due to the participant marking the first bubble at every
response. Therefore, this study used quantitative data from 54 completed surveys. Both surveyed
and interviewed employees varied in levels of experience, age, and length of employment.
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English is the primary language spoken at Finance Me; consequently it was appropriate for both
surveys and interviews to be conducted in English. Of the participants surveyed, a little less than
half, or 26 volunteered to be interviewed.
When reviewing demographic data for employee length of employment, the majority of
employees have only been employed less than a year at Finance Me. As Finance Me has been in
business for over 10 years, the larger percentage of new employees confirms their need to
address employee engagement and retention. Figure 2 provides demographic information
regarding survey participants’ length of employment. The blue portion shows the largest grouped
length of employment is in the 0-3 months category and accounts for half of Finance Me
employees.

Figure 2. Employee length of employment at Finance Me.
The demographic data of generational composition of Finance Me employees is parallel
to that of the nation, showing Millennials as the largest working group with Gen X as the next
largest group (Figure 3). This study paid special attention to the two largest generations in the
nation’s workforce because studies have cited these two generations as being at variance to
27
4
8
15
0-3m 4-6m 7-12m 13+m
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Employee Length of Employment at Finance Me
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generations past (Deloitte, 2016; Gallup, 2016; Mihelič & Aleksić, 2017). The most significant
difference is how Millennials and Gen X highly prioritize work-life balance and their well-being
when compared to other generations (Madou et al., 2018; Pandita & Singhal, 2017). Considering
current research on Millennials in the workforce, with the large percentage of Millennials
employed at Finance Me, and Finance Me’s low retention rate form the trifecta which fueled this
innovative study in gathering data-rich information from the participating stakeholders to build a
mindfulness campaign in hopes to increase employee well-being, engagement and retention.

Figure 3. Generational composition of Finance Me employees.
Data Validation

Each knowledge, motivation, and organizational results section below begins with a
summation of the findings. Then, it is followed by a table that reiterates the researcher’s
interpretation and the assertion associated with each need and influence. The assertion states
whether the assumed need or influence was validated (a definitive area for improvement),
partially validated, or not validated (lacks supporting evidence that it is a continuing need or
2
9
35
3
4
Baby Boomers GenX Millennials GenZ PREF not to say
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Generational Composition of Finance Me Employees
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suggests that it is already an area of strength). A detailed discussion of each K, M, O need and
influence follows the summary and includes the crucial points gleaned from the data sources that
substantiated the researcher’s findings. The thresholds used in the assessment of each need and
influence are presented in Table 5.
Table 5
Thresholds Used for the Evaluation of Assumed Needs and Influences

Assertion Threshold
Validated (a) A single data source was utilized, and evidence supporting the need was greater than
70%, or; (b) two data sources were utilized, and the average of the evidence supporting
the need was greater than or equal to 70%.
Partially
Validated
(a) A single data source was utilized, and evidence supporting the need was greater than
or equal to 50% and less than 70%, or; (b) two data sources were utilized, and the
average of the evidence supporting the need was greater than or equal to 50% and less
than 70%.
Not
Validated
(a) A single data source was utilized, and evidence supporting the need was less than
50%, or; (b) two data sources were utilized, and the average of the evidence supporting
the need was less than 50%.

Results and Findings for Knowledge Needs

The assumed knowledge-related needs evaluated in this study fell into one of 4 sub-
categories delineated as factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive knowledge (Table 6).
Factual knowledge pertains to Finance Me employees knowing what mindfulness is and the
mindfulness strategies that can be incorporated into their daily life. Conceptual knowledge is
when employees can apply their factual knowledge of mindfulness into their daily life to
improve their well-being. Procedural knowledge involves Finance Me employees knowing how
to participate in their work-sponsored mindfulness campaign. Metacognitive knowledge
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identifies the need for Finance Me employees to reflect on their progress and process in
maintaining their well-being as well as challenges in being actively engaged in their tasks.
Through survey and interviews, this study was able to determine if the assumed knowledge
needs were validated, as shown in Table 6.
Table 6
Summary of Finance Me Employee Knowledge Findings
Assumed Knowledge Need Sub-category Validated Not Validated
1. Employees need to know what
mindfulness entails.

Factual
X
2. Employees need to know the mindfulness
strategies that can be incorporated into their
daily life to improve their well-being.

Conceptual

X

3. Employees need to know how to
participate in the mindfulness campaign at
work.

Procedural X

4. Employees need to reflect on factors that
would help them be more mindful and
actively engaged at work.

Metacognitive

X

Factual and Conceptual Knowledge
Employees need to know what mindfulness entails and the strategies that can be
incorporated into their daily life to improve their well-being. To assess the current state of
factual knowledge, Finance Me employees were asked which mindfulness strategies they have
participated in the past. According to the quantitative data, Ninety-six percent of Finance Me
employees have participated in at least one mindfulness strategy: meditation, reflection,
exercising, yoga, or journaling. Exercise followed by reflection and meditation were the
dominant strategies employees stated were the most practiced (Figure 54). Ninety-four percent
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strongly agreed or agreed that their participation in mindfulness strategies was beneficial to their
well-being. However, when asked if they knew which strategies could be incorporated into their
daily life to improve their well-being, their conceptual knowledge need increased to 22% (Figure
5).

Figure 4. Employee history of participation in mindfulness strategies.

Figure 5. Gradation from knowing strategies that were beneficial to incorporating into daily life.
29
34
43
23
21
4
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Meditation Reflection Exercising Yoga Journaling Other
I have participated in the following mindfulness strategies:
16
0
30
26
0
21
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
I know how to incorporate mindfulness strategies into my
daily life.
Participation in mindfulness strategies was beneficial to
my well-being.
Strongly agree Agree
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Although the increase in percentage from factual knowledge to conceptual knowledge
may be considered minor, this increase matches the statistics at a larger scale in current research.
Data from research historically shows that individuals with factual knowledge may know the
theoretical principals of mindfulness but have difficulty in making the transition to connecting it
to their life to improve their well-being (Murdoch, 2016). In some cases, factual knowledge can
be misapplied and be detrimental to the individual (Murdoch, 2016). A correlating example of
the decrease in conceptual knowledge from factual knowledge can be seen with individuals
striving to exercise more to maintain well-being. Individuals may know exercise strategies, but
lack conceptual knowledge in incorporating the strategies into their daily schedule (Keng, 2019).
The quantitative data shows Finance Me employees know mindfulness strategies, but some have
a disconnect transferring the knowledge to relate to their own well-being. While factual
knowledge is important and serves as the foundation for individuals to improve their well-being
with mindfulness, knowledge must move from the abstract to the reality in order to make a
difference in improving well-being (Evans, Eisenlohr‐Moul, Button, Baer, Segerstrom, 2014).
In the qualitative portion of the assessment, when given the definition of mindfulness as
attention to oneself and the experiences of the present moment on personal well-being through
strategies such as meditation, quiet reflection time, body movement activities such as yoga and
exercising as described in the research of Bishop et al. (2004) and Kabat-Zinn (2004), 100% of
interviewees confirmed they had knowledge of mindfulness. When probed in the interviews,
employees with a conceptual knowledge need expressed their interest in closing that need. For
example, one employee described their emerging interest in applying mindfulness into their daily
life:
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Mindfulness is very new and popular. I know you’re supposed to go inside, but I don’t
know when I’m supposed to do that. I like to go on walks outside, I guess that’s when I’m
also supposed to go inside. (laughter) I know most of the time, I would usually play music
or go on social media when I’m on a walk. The walk is for exercise, but it’s also to get a
break from the monotony and stress of the office. But sometimes when I go on social media,
I get annoyed because I have friends that don’t have to work at all. Maybe I would feel
more relaxed if I go for a walk and just being quiet and not be on my phone.
Here the employee describes their awareness in knowing they need to take a break and also
showing interest in maximizing their break time to get the full benefits of the break to return to
the office. The employee is candid about their negative feelings when on social media and
recognizes that using social media during breaks can also be a disservice to their mood. In this
example, the employee is aware of the value of mindfulness strategies to improve their well-
being but is not sure which strategies would be helpful to relieve their stress in the short time
frame of their break.
As Finance Me has a high turnover rate, the significant amount of employee knowledge
of mindfulness is a very optimistic appraisal of the participants at that time. The conceptual
knowledge need may continue to increase as new employees enter the program. Therefore, it
would be sensible to pay careful attention to employee knowledge dropping approximately 25%
when asked to conceptualize factual knowledge and application to daily life. Although it is a
small percentage of employees that may have a need in conceptualizing mindfulness strategies
into their daily life, closing the conceptual knowledge need to 100% would allow all employees
to fully participate in the mindfulness campaign and reap full benefits to their well-being and
give Finance Me the opportunity to provide employees with individualized attention. However,
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the qualitative and quantitative data show the majority of Finance Me employees already know
what mindfulness entails and the strategies that can be incorporated into their daily life to
improve their well-being. Therefore, Finance Me employees do not have a validated declarative
or conceptual knowledge need.
Procedural Knowledge
Employees need to know how to participate in the mindfulness campaign at work.
Since there is no existing mindfulness campaign at Finance Me, there is currently a 100% need
in procedural knowledge. In order to practice mindfulness strategies at work, eighty percent
stated they would need the support of a work-sponsored mindfulness campaign. When asked the
preferred method of communication for such a campaign, survey participants were given the four
typical modes of communication at Finance Me and were allowed to check all that apply. The
most popular route chosen to disperse procedural information on the participation of the
mindfulness campaign was through email and manager communication, as shown in Figure 6.
This result may not be surprising as recent studies confirm Millennials prefer electronic
communication for the convenience and also its accessibility with their mobile phones (Hartman
& Mccambridge, 2011; Omilion-Hodges & Sugg, 2019).
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Figure 6. Employee preferred method of communication to receive procedural information.
Although all participants of a mindfulness campaign would need to attend an in-person
introductory session that details the campaign, the emails would contain the basic information
such as the time of sessions and location. Studies of successful well-being programs have shown
email communication would also serve as a convenient method to raise awareness for the
program and a reminder for employees to schedule and organize their attendance in their
calendar (Stan, 2018; Terrell, 2015). Once employees confirm on their calendar that they will be
attending mindfulness sessions, their managers and leaders will be able to support them in
participating. As managers were the second chosen mode of communication, managers can also
announce the procedures of how to attend the mindfulness sessions by giving procedural
information such as how to navigate their schedule and work duties to support participation. The
procedural knowledge of how to participate in attending sessions in the mindfulness campaign
should not be confused with the procedural knowledge of how to engage in mindfulness
strategies. Once in attendance of the mindfulness sessions, participants will have the opportunity
to learn the procedures of practicing mindfulness strategies customized to their daily life.
41
24
19
8
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Email Manager communication Leader Communication Flyers
Employee preferred method of communication to receive
procedural information on how to attend mindfulness
campaign sessions.
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Metacognitive Knowledge
Employees need to reflect on factors that would help them be more mindful and
actively engaged at work. The qualitative data showed 98% of Finance Me employees reflect
on factors that would help them be more mindful and actively engaged at work. During the
interviews, many participants stated they usually reflect on their workday when driving to and
from work. When driving to work some participants stated they reflect on their goals for that
day. When driving home, many participants reflected on if they met their productivity and
performance goals. Most participants stated they reflected on their emotions throughout their day
and interactions that caused them stress. If they did not meet their daily goals or productivity
quota, participants reflected on what hindered them from meeting their goals. The participant’s
process of metacognitive reflection allows them to feel co-responsible for improving their health
and quality of life and were more empowered to adopt positive health habits (Lang, 2017; Stan,
2018).
The quantitative data showed Finance Me employees reflect on factors that would help
them be more mindful and engaged at work. The majority of participants stated they know how
to reflect on factors that would help them be more mindful and actively engaged at work.
Therefore, there is not a validated need for metacognitive knowledge at Finance Me. At the same
time, while employee reflection and acknowledgment of factors that keep them from being
actively engaged at work is necessary for problem-solving, the utility of an organization
sponsored mindfulness program would be remiss without unearthing the specific factors and
trends within their organization (Lang, 2017). This study took a step further in the interviews to
probe for details on the factors employees feel prevent them from being more mindful and more
engaged at Finance Me. At Finance Me, three themes emerged during interviews when
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participants were probed to describe the factors and challenges that prevent them from being
more engaged at work. The first theme was monotony of tasks in which participants described
how repetitive tasks caused many to “zone out.” The second theme of stress was stated by many
participants as a factor in disengagement because it caused them to focus on the negative and
possible negative outcomes. The third theme was the emotional toll of their job in which
participants felt negatively affected by the angry or negative reactions from prospective
customers. The three themes are further detailed below.
Theme 1. Monotony of tasks
Finance Me sales agents are expected to make 100 outbound calls a day at minimum.
Repetitive tasks have been cited as a factor for impaired well-being and burnout at work
(Lugisani, Marweshi, Modau, Phiri, & Dhanpat, 2018). Many interviewees described the
difficulty in the monotony of the tasks such as this employee:
Sometimes, it gets boring making the calls over and over again. It can be depressing.
Sometimes all I get are “no’s,” and it starts to sound like a broken record. Just the same
thing call after a call until I get lucky, but I don’t know when that one call will happen. I
need to figure out how to ride out the rollercoaster. The lows are really low, and the highs
are high. I want to figure out how to let that “high” feeling last to carry me through the
lows.
For employees with similar feelings as this employee, a mindfulness program at Finance
Me could increase the satisfaction and duration of the wins, which would make tasks more
meaningful and less monotonous. Studies have shown monotony of tasks frequently leads to
boredom and is an inhibitor of creativity (Holm, 2015; Mihelič & Aleksić, 2017). Interview data
showed boredom at work was cited by many participants as a reason for lack of engagement.
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Studies have shown organizations with employees that perform repetitive tasks have usually had
a problem of employee engagement and retention (Lugisani et al., 2018; Mihelič & Aleksić,
2017).
Theme 2. Stress
Research continually suggests that stress leads to low job satisfaction and poor
performance at work (Dhawan, 2017). Qualitative data showed the majority of Finance Me
employees mentioned stress on the job as a factor in decreased engagement. Many employees
connected their stress with money, ranging from the size of their commission check to the
possibility of not meeting monthly goals such as this employee:
If I could meet my margins every month, that would make me feel more engaged at work
because then I’m feeling on cloud nine, and I’m making the money. Money would
remind me of why I’m doing this job. If I don’t meet my margins, then I have to worry
about getting fired. That’s stressful. I sometimes see other people making their margins
every month, and they don’t have to stress about getting fired, and they’re getting big
commission checks.
This employee’s reflective connection to increasing stress correlating with the desire to
make more money and stress in losing their job due to underperformance may open this
employee to feeling as if they are in a no-win situation with stress. According to Kabat-Zinn
(2016), individuals may become completely entangled in their reactive emotions, and finding
relief from stress may seem like they are on a treadmill of endless pain. In Kabat-Zinn’s
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, individuals are taught mindfulness
strategies such as yoga, meditation, and quiet reflection to relieve some of their stress (Kabat-
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Zinn, 2016). These same mindfulness strategies can be incorporated into Finance Me’s
mindfulness campaign.
Theme 3. Emotional toll of job
Employees must have personal behavioral and psychological competencies to deal with
challenges (Dhawan, 2017). Otherwise, the harmful consequences of stress can continue to take a
toll on well-being. Multiple interview participants mentioned dealing with angry customers.
Many stated they go to their coworkers or managers to process and cope with these types of
interactions. When probed to reflect on the challenges they experience at work, this employee
describes the emotional toll of the job:
If I didn’t get the irate customers, that would be awesome! Sometimes it can affect my
whole day and bring me down. Then I’m not motivated to do anything because the next
call could be another angry customer. I know some people can just brush it off and not
think about it. I’m trying to get better at that.
Although customer reactions are unpredictable, a mindfulness campaign at Finance Me
can also support participants in disconnecting from the negative emotions stemming from angry
customers. A major component of mindfulness is to reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and
sadness (Kabat-Zinn, Massion, Kristeller, et al., 1992). When participants were asked how they
can resolve the emotional toll of dealing with angry customers, many reflected on the possibility
of mindfulness strategies to assist in releasing the negativity from the interaction and move
forward. Some participants also cited the need to balance the positives of closing a deal with the
emotional toll from performing job tasks that were more challenging.
The qualitative data from the interviews give more depth to which Finance Me
employees have the metacognition to engage in mindfulness. The quantitative data from the
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survey confirms Finance Me employees already reflect on factors that would help them be more
mindful and actively engaged at work. There is a meaningful relationship between employee
engagement and performance, which can be measured through self-reflection (Selby et al.,
2010). Although it is clear that Finance Me employees experience negative feelings while on the
job, they also show they have the metacognition required to engage in a mindfulness campaign at
work. Consequently, the data from the surveys and interviews confirm that Finance Me
employees do not have a valid metacognitive knowledge need and are ready to move forward in
participating in a mindfulness campaign.
Summary of Knowledge Findings
The quantitative and qualitative data demonstrates strong evidence that Finance Me
employees perceive themselves to be knowledgeable about mindfulness. Since Finance Me
employees have a solid foundation of knowing what mindfulness entails, this frees up resources
in the introductory sessions to focus more on raising the level of employee conceptual and
procedural knowledge. The data from this study shows Finance Me employees lack procedural
knowledge on how to participate in a future mindfulness campaign at work. The knowledge need
is due to the lack of an existing program. Therefore, it is appropriate for the introductory sessions
to focus less on basic knowledge of mindfulness and move forward to how mindfulness can
conceptually work for each individual and tailor sessions to employee needs. A large percentage
of employees know what mindfulness entails but may need more clarity on how it can be applied
in their daily life. The sessions will allow employees to participate in the mindfulness campaign
where they can gain more procedural knowledge on strategies to apply to their daily life.
Research continually shows when participants have a strong knowledge foundation of
mindfulness, there is less confusion in the future implementation of such programs (Dhawan,
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2017, Godkin, 2015) In turn, this allows Finance Me employees to build on their solid
knowledge foundation. As the mindfulness campaign is not a one-off program, having a strong
knowledge foundation allows Finance Me employees to know what they should be motivated
about and not on false promises or quick fixes.
Results and findings for Motivation Needs
The quantitative and qualitative data suggests that Finance Me employees have the
motivation to actively participate in the mindfulness campaign once developed. Clark and Estes
(2008) and Rueda (2011) categorize motivation in the workplace into three constructs: active
choice, persistence, and mental effort. The authors claim common motivational issues can be
influenced by the principles of utility value, emotions, interests, self-efficacy, attributions, goal
content as well as goal orientation (Clark & Estes, 2008; Rueda, 2011). Bandura’s social
cognitive theory of self-efficacy validates Clark and Estes motivational constructs. The
understanding of both theories has been used as the framework for performing the motivational
needs analysis. On the whole, Finance Me employees show a strong desire to participate in a
mindfulness campaign at work and do not have validated motivation needs, as described in Table
7.
Table 7
Summary of Motivation Findings
Assumed Motivation Need Sub-category Validated Not Validated
1. Employees need to believe they are
capable of improving their well-being
by participating in a mindfulness
campaign.

Self-Efficacy X
2. Employees need to feel a
mindfulness campaign would be
valuable to them.

Utility Value X
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Self-Efficacy
Employees need to believe they are capable of improving their well-being by
participating in a mindfulness campaign. Ninety-three percent surveyed strongly agreed or
agreed that mindfulness practices would be helpful to their work-life. The percentage increased
to 96% when asked if they agreed that mindfulness practices would be helpful in their personal
life (Figure 7). Finance Me’s data is aligned with research in which many individuals consider
their well-being at work as comingled with their personal well-being. Saks (2011) found trends
in higher employee retention and engagement within business organizations who focus on
employee well-being in their work-life as well as in their personal life because they coalesce into
each other.

Figure 7. Employee opinion of mindfulness practices and if helpful in work or personal life.
During the interviews, participants were probed on why they felt a mindfulness campaign
would improve their well-being. Many participants felt if they were taught strategies to deal with
stress at work, they would build confidence in using these strategies and also use the strategies in
their personal life. The model of focusing on the well-being of an employee in both dimensions
14
14
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
Mindfulness practices
would be helpful to me
in my work life
Mindfulness practices
would be helpful to me
in my personal life
Agree
Strongly Agree
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acknowledges that they are related and increases meaningfulness at work and activates employee
engagement (Saks, 2011). Fortunately for Finance Me, the qualitative and quantitative data
indicate that Finance Me employees have confidence in themselves to fully commit to building
and participating in a mindfulness program tailored to their needs. During the interviews, two
motivational themes emerged when asked how participation in a mindfulness campaign can
improve their well-being. The theme of stress relief was cited by the majority of interviewees.
The second theme of mindfulness as a strategy to improve overall mood was cited by many
interviewees. Both themes are detailed below.
Theme 1: Stress relief
The strategy of practicing daily mindfulness strategies to relieve work stress was
reflected in the majority of responses. Several interviewees mentioned “stress” as a need to
practice mindfulness. For example, this employee provided their perspective on the potential of
daily mindfulness practice at work:
Right when I wake up, I meditate for 20 minutes. I think about my day and what I need to
get done. I think about the stuff that will be hard and how I can handle it. If I had a hard
day the day before, I think about how I can make it better. Then when I get to work, I try
to get through the day and all the shit. I know I could probably get through the day easier
if I took some time to just recharge, but then my manager will probably just think I’m just
“Fucking off.” If I was given time to just catch up and recharge with meditation or
whatever I know I won’t feel so drained and stressed out. But then I know some people
will probably take advantage of and screw it up for all of us.
While many employees feel their stress arises from work, this employee has also identified that
practicing mindfulness strategies at work would reinforce their ability to maintain their well-
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being. This employee believes they are capable of improving their well-being, but cites lack of
time or guilt in practicing mindfulness strategies at work as they do not feel supported by upper
management. This would suggest a work-sponsored mindfulness campaign at Finance Me would
allow employees to feel more supported in improving their well-being without worrying about
penalization from participation. Participation in a work-sponsored mindfulness campaign can
continue to increase employee self-efficacy to practice mindfulness strategies in organized as
well as self-prescribed times (Reb, Narayanan & Chaturvedi, 2014).
Comprehensive workplace mindfulness programs that teach strategies to relieve stress as
well as enhance current mood have shown to build confidence within employees to practice the
strategies in their everyday lives (Kabat-Zinn, 2016; Lang, 2017). Providing opportunities for
employees to learn and practice mindfulness strategies at work supplements what individuals are
currently practicing and is growing in popularity with employees, as shown in a 2014 survey by
the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust (Lang, 2017). The
quantitative and qualitative data suggest that Finance Me employees would be motivated to
participate in a mindfulness campaign that was tailored to work with their need to reduce and
relieve stress.
Theme 2: Better Mood
The qualitative data in this study shows the majority of employees are aware of their
negative moods that they attribute to their work environment or job tasks. These same employees
also acknowledge that they know being in a negative mood is not conducive to healthy well-
being and show interest in striving to be in better moods. Additionally, many of the interviewees
felt participation in a mindfulness campaign at work would help them feel happier or less sad.
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During the interviews, when employees were asked of their opinion of a potential work-
sponsored mindfulness campaign, this is an example of an employee response:
If there was a mindfulness program here, I would participate because it would probably
make me enjoy work more. I feel like if I had a break to do a yoga class or a meditation
class, maybe I could appreciate the positives more. Maybe I would be more grateful for
what I have and feel happier. Otherwise, I just scroll through Instagram, and I get more
depressed.
Research continually shows happiness is a contributing factor to employees being more engaged
in their job tasks (Hulsheger et al., 2013; Holm, 2015). This employee commented that they do
not enjoy every aspect of their job, while also acknowledging their awareness of strategies that
would help them be happier and enjoy work more. It can be implied through this employee’s
comments that they believed through reflection they could improve their well-being and also
believe they are capable of improving their well-being through participation in a work-sponsored
mindfulness campaign.
Some employees gave insight to components they would want included in a mindfulness
program at work such as this employee:
Sometimes the sales floor can get really loud, like a frat house. I sometimes wish we had
a room that we can go to just to be quiet. I would enjoy the wildness of the sales floor if I
could take a break from it sometimes. Google and Facebook have quiet rooms. I know
we’re not Google, but we have so many conference rooms. We could just use one to be a
quiet room.
This employee notes his overstimulation due to high audio noise in his workspace. The data from
the interviews showed that many employees did not feel they can get in the flow of the day due
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to audio and visual noise. Many participants believed they are capable of improving their mood
if they could find a time and space for quiet. Immordino-Yang et al. (2012) research on human
development expounds the argument that the brain must engage in default mode away from high
environmental, social situations. Finance Me employees work in a “war room” type environment
where everyone is located in the center of the office with low separating cubicle walls. Jahncke’s
(2012) study on open plan office design cited workspaces that have high audio noise can
negatively affect worker’s concentration, trigger stress, and fatigue and eventually impact
employee engagement.
The tone of the majority of interviewees indicated that they felt participation in a
mindfulness program would provide them with more tools to step away from the negatives and
move towards the positives of being happier. Many interviewees smiled when giving their
opinion about a possible mindfulness program. Often times, interviewees’ attitudes and voice
became more upbeat when discussing components of the mindfulness campaign.
The data from surveys and interviews make it clear that the majority of employees at
Finance Me feel self-efficacious in the ability to incorporate mindfulness strategies such as
exercise, meditation, and reflection in their daily life to maintain and improve their well-being.
Using the data from surveys and interviews, Finance Me employees do not currently show a
valid motivational self-efficacy need. Therefore, Finance Me can have confidence that their
employees believe they are capable of improving their well-being by participating in a
mindfulness program.
Utility Value
Employees need to feel a mindfulness campaign would be valuable to them. The
quantitative data from the survey indicates 96% of Finance Me employees strongly agreed or
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agreed that a mindfulness campaign would be valuable to them. Quiet time, meditation, and desk
ergonomics were the mindfulness strategy sessions that were chosen as most likely to attend, as
referenced in Figure 8. The assumption would be that the most chosen sessions would be
considered what employees found to be the most valuable in a work-sponsored mindfulness
campaign. A few employees noted in the survey and interviews that they would attend and value
yoga sessions, but see a challenge when wearing business attire.

Figure 8. Employee chosen mindfulness sessions most likely to attend.
As timing is consequential at Finance Me, sessions offered during work hours may
interfere with employee productivity, which may eventually interfere with the organization’s
bottom line. At the same time, if Finance Me is sending the message that they value their
employees’ well-being, it is pertinent to know when employees would prefer to participate in the
mindfulness sessions. Therefore, the survey also asked employees the timeframes in which they
would find the mindfulness sessions most valuable in attending (Figure 9). The survey allowed
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50
Quiet time Meditation Ergonomics Yoga Art Journaling
Employee chosen most likely to attend sessions
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for multiple responses when asked preferred times for sessions to be offered.

Figure 9. Employee preferred timeframes for participation.
The majority of Finance Me employees chose sessions to be offered during work hours. Many
participants felt entitled to participate in sessions while “clocked in” as they felt Finance Me
should hold some accountability in their employee’s well-being. The data for employees valuing
mindfulness sessions during work hours is aligned with the employee belief that many stressors
or negative feelings stem from work. It would be valuable for employees to find relief through
mindfulness strategies while at work. Studies have shown mindfulness intervention strategies,
and stress recovery from work tasks and the work environment, have been cited as a vital need
for employee well-being and performance (Hülsheger et al., 2015; Raney, 2014).
Approximately 40% of the survey responses chose sessions to be offered during breaks
and lunchtime. This can be considered another data point that shows almost half of Finance Me
employees value the opportunity to learn and practice mindfulness sessions so much that they are
willing to participate while clocked out. At the same time, when probed during the interviews on
why participants chose specific timeframes, some were worried of negative repercussions if they
participated when they were “clocked in.” In the end, the quantitative and qualitative data
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0
5
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35
During work hours During breaks During lunch After work Before work
Employee preferred times for sessions to be offered
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concludes that there is not a valid need in Finance Me employees finding the utility value of a
mindfulness campaign. Finance Me can be confident that their employees find utility value in a
mindfulness campaign and, as such, will not lack the motivation to participate.
Summary of Motivation Findings
The qualitative and quantitative data shows Finance Me employees do not lack
motivation in the participation of a work-sponsored mindfulness campaign. The strong
motivation to participate builds on the employees’ strong knowledge foundation of mindfulness.
When employees are taught strategies to deal with stress at work, they build confidence in using
these same strategies in their personal life. The model of focusing on the well-being of an
employee in both dimensions acknowledges that they are related and increases meaningfulness at
work and activates employee engagement (Saks, 2011). For this reason, Finance Me, as an
organization, can capitalize on the high motivation of their employees to improve their well-
being with a customized program that is best suited for their employee’s needs. The assumed
organizational needs for Finance Me are evaluated in the following section.
Results and Findings for Organizational Needs
This study evaluated the cultural setting and cultural model of Finance Me to identify
organizational needs to meet their organizational goal of all employees to participate in a
mindfulness campaign. Clark and Estes (2008) state that organizational culture must be
considered when presenting any solution. Organizational culture is split into two themes: cultural
models and cultural settings (Clark & Estes, 2008; Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). As a
reminder, cultural models are invisible and are manifested in internal beliefs and values in an
organization (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). Cultural settings are visible and usually stem
from the outcome of cultural models (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). Table 8 shows Finance
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Me’s assumed organizational needs. Finance Me does not have a validated need in their cultural
models. At the same time, Finance Me does show a validated need in their cultural settings.
Table 8
Summary of Organization Findings
Assumed Organization Need Sub-categories Validated Not Validated
1. Employee trust:
The organization needs trust and buy-in
from the employees that the mindfulness
campaign prioritizes employee well-
being.

Cultural Models
(invisible)
X
2. The organization needs to provide
employees with time and other resources
that support their participation in a
mindfulness campaign.

Cultural Settings X

Cultural Models
The organization needs trust and buy-in from the employees that the mindfulness
campaign prioritizes employee well-being. The qualitative survey used two questions to gauge
employee trust in their organization. The first question measured employee opinion on if they
felt their organization prioritized their well-being without a mindfulness campaign in place.
Approximately 75% of employees surveyed felt Finance Me currently prioritizes their well-being
with existing programs in place, as referenced in Figure 10.
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Figure 10. Employee opinion if their organization prioritizes their well-being
When probed during the interviews regarding which existing programs employees
participated in, many employees referenced a wellness challenge, which was an optional
competition in which employees competed in the most steps walked, most pounds lost, and daily
intake of water. The winner of all 3 for the week each received a championship belt and was
paraded around the office to their favorite exercise song while other employees clapped and
cheered (personal communication, 2019). Some employees referenced an intermittent yoga class
conducted by an employee who was also a trained yoga instructor (personal communication,
2019). That program is now defunct as the employee no longer works at Finance Me.
When asked if they thought a mindfulness campaign would help their organization
prioritize employee well-being, 96% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed. When probed in
the interviews, employees gave more details on why they thought Finance Me would be
interested in investing in a mindfulness campaign.
An interviewee said:
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25
30
35
40
45
Agree Disagree
Finance Me currently prioritizes employee well-being.
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Honestly, I feel like it’s not an easy job. They let me know from the beginning that it is
not easy. They were very transparent about it in the interviews; it is not an easy job. It can
be draining because we are dealing with people who need money and they are not gonna
always be the happiest people. So, I think that if we had a mental outlet to be able to
release some of that frustration, it would be healthier. You know? For a lot of people
here, they do bad stuff like smoke cigarettes. I do not smoke. So, what am I supposed to
do? I get emotional. It’s one of those things that would be nice to have, to let our
frustrations out in a healthy way.
This employee seemed to appreciate the candidness of Finance Me during the hiring process. At
the same time, this employee may have been overconfident in their ability to manage the difficult
job as described. It appears that the employee connected the honesty of the job description to
also hoping that Finance Me would also implement a mindfulness campaign to help with the
difficulty and stress of the job tasks. This employee implied they would have trust and buy-in
that Finance Me would implement a mindfulness program to benefit employee well-being for the
reason that it is taking responsibility for the negative effects caused on employees while
operating in an inherently difficult and stressful job.
Multiple studies have shown strong promise that strategies such as meditation decrease
stress among a variety of workers from health care providers to office workers (Trowbridge,
Mische Lawson, Andrews, Pecora, Boyd, 2017; Verweij, Ravesteijn, Hooff, Lagro-Janssen,
Speckens, 2018). In one study, the group that was taught meditation through the program
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction reported significantly greater improvements in personal
accomplishment, stress-reduction skills, and self-compassion (Verweij et al., 2018). Many
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employees assumed Finance Me wanted to help their employees with stress relief, such as this
employee.
Bottom line, it’s stress. There’s no way (Finance Me ) would want us to feel stress all the
time. They know we can’t work with stress hitting us left and right. They can’t tell us to
not work so hard, so mindfulness would be the alternative. Stress is alleviated by
focusing on the moment. If I can figure out a way to train my brain to stay focused and
try my best to be mindful of myself, hands down, it would be the thing to happen in sales.
To have a break from stress, to give your mind a mental break, would be extremely
beneficial.
Many more employees, when probed during interviews, expressed or implied Finance Me would
provide strategies to help relieve stress, burnout and improve employee well-being because they
trusted that Finance Me would be accountable and responsible as per the company’s core values.
The quantitative and qualitative data shows that Finance Me currently has trust and buy-
in from employees that the mindfulness campaign prioritizes employee well-being. Therefore,
Finance Me can be confident that their employees have trust and buy-in that employees will most
likely feel a future mindfulness campaign is aimed at prioritizing their well-being. The interview
data shows Finance Me’s employee trust stems from their assumption that Finance Me as an
organization stands behind their core values of accountable, reliable, resourceful, respectful, and
trustworthy. Finance Me core values are displayed in every room and often referenced in
monthly all hands-on deck meetings (personal communication, 2019). Trust and buy-in from
employees give Finance Me the ability to build a stronger cultural model of prioritizing their
employee well-being by implementing a mindfulness campaign tailored to suit employee needs.

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Cultural Settings
The organization needs to provide employees with time and other resources that
support their participation in a mindfulness campaign. The quantitative data shows
approximately 80% of employees agreed or strongly agreed in order to practice mindfulness
strategies, Finance Me would need to provide the resources during work hours. The qualitative
data from the interview responses gave more insight into employees’ thoughts on why they felt
strongly that the mindfulness campaign must be available during work hours. Many employees
cited if it was not at work, they would not have the time or resources to practice some of the
strategies. An example of the lack of resources is shown with this employee:
So, I come into work at 6:30 in the morning, and sometimes I stay till 6ish. That is a 12-
hour day. I’m exhausted. Then I’m expected to get home as soon as I can so the
babysitter can go home. When am I supposed to meditate or have any time for myself to
do anything? When the kids go to bed, I go to bed. I know some people wake up early
and go to the gym, but then who takes my kids to school? It’s this cycle of pay the sitter
so I can make money. Going to yoga or even the gym costs money, so it costs me double
to exercise than other parents who has a spouse to help out.
This employee describes their lack of resources in time and cost. This employee’s sentiment was
echoed often as interview data showed many employees referenced lack of time or finances to
participate in mindfulness or well-being activities.
Another employee stated, “I just don’t know where I would find the time to do anything
more than what I’m already doing.” Finance Me employees are in the office as early as 6:30
a.m., and many do not leave until deals close, which can be 5 p.m. or later (personal
communication, 2019). For many employees, this leaves just enough time to fight Los Angeles
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traffic, have dinner, and sleep (personal communication, 2019). Studies have shown many well-
being and intervention programs failed due to the burden of responsibility resting on the
employee (Karanika-Murray & Biron, 2015). The burdens range from resources such as cost or
time or the research needed to find quality programs.
Summary of Organization Findings
While there is no current mindfulness program in place at Finance Me, the data from the
survey and interviews clearly show employees have the knowledge and motivation to effectively
participate in a mindfulness campaign that holds the potential to improve well-being and increase
employee engagement. Also, organizations recognize a psychological or health condition in an
employee is not independent and does not diminish when at work; therefore, organizations are
continually searching for best practices to build comprehensive workplace well-being programs
(Lang, 2017; Saks, 2011). With the listed challenges Finance Me employees place on their job, it
is pertinent for Finance Me to build a comprehensive mindfulness campaign.
The quantitative and qualitative data show the majority of Finance Me employees are
requesting that Finance Me provide the time and resources in order to participate in a
mindfulness campaign. There is a small percentage of employees who would participate in a
mindfulness campaign during off-work hours but not enough to restrict the program to after
hours. In order for Finance Me employees to fully participate in a mindfulness campaign, they
must not feel the burden of time or finances. Therefore, Finance Me must close the validated
need in their cultural setting by providing the resources to receive full participation of
employees.

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Synthesis of KMO Findings
This study evaluated eight KMO influences assumed to be impacting the organization’s
ability to implement a mindfulness campaign to benefit employee well-being and active
employee engagement. As Finance Me is currently experiencing low employee engagement and
retention, a mindfulness campaign is being explored to improve well-being, thereby activating
employee engagement. This study shows that Finance Me employees are knowledgeable and
motivated to participate in a work-sponsored mindfulness campaign. The data concludes that
Finance Me employees do not have a validated need in factual or metacognitive knowledge.
This study also examined motivational needs impacting stakeholders’ ability to
participate in a mindfulness program fully. Fortunately for Finance Me, the motivational needs
were minor and not considered a validated need. On the other hand, this study confirmed a
validated need organizationally. In order for Finance Me employees to participate in a
mindfulness campaign to improve their well-being, Finance Me must provide the resources for
employees to participate. As studies have confirmed, when organizations focus on improving the
well-being of their employees, it serves as a platform to enhance engagement and retention and
attract talent (Stan, 2018). Table 9 provides a summary of the eight KMO influences and
evaluation results.
Table 9
Summary of KMO Needs, Influences and Evaluation Results.
Need Sub-category Evidence Assertion
Knowledge

Employees need to know what
mindfulness entails.

Factual Not Validated
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Table 9, continued

Employees need to know the mindfulness
strategies that can be incorporated into their
daily life to improve their well-being.

Conceptual Not Validated
Employees need to know how to participate
in the mindfulness campaign at work.

Procedural Validated
Employees need to reflect on factors that
would help them be more mindful and
actively engaged at work.

Metacognitive Not Validated
Motivation
Employees need to believe they are capable
of improving their well-being by
participating in a mindfulness campaign.

Self-Efficacy Not Validated
Employees need to feel a mindfulness
campaign would be valuable to them.

Utility Value Not Validated
Organization

The organization needs trust and buy-in from
the employees that the mindfulness
campaign prioritizes employee well-being.

Cultural Model Not Validated
The organization needs to provide
employees with time and other resources that
support their participation in a mindfulness
campaign.

Cultural Settings Validated

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CHAPTER FIVE: RECOMMENDATIONS
Chapter Four presented KMO influence findings pertaining to the study’s first two
research questions.
1. What are the knowledge, skills, motivation, and organizational resources necessary
for 100% of Finance Me’s employees to participate in a mindfulness campaign?
2. What is the interaction between organizational culture and context and employee
knowledge and motivation?
Based on those findings, this chapter seeks to answer the third research question guiding this
study:
3. What are the recommended knowledge, motivation, and organizational solutions for
Finance Me to reach its goal of 100% employee participation in the mindfulness
campaign to promote well-being and engagement?
Analysis of data gathered from interviews and surveys either validated or did not validate
the presumed KMO needs for Finance Me to achieve their global goal of all employees
participating in a mindfulness campaign aimed to promote well-being and engagement. Chapter
Five answers the third research question by delivering recommendations and solutions for each
supported influence based on data and literature. Each recommendation is grounded in the
Kirkpatrick New World Evaluation Framework (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016).
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences
Each of the recommendations to address the KMO influences is derived from principles
discussed in literature. Due to the current high turnover rate at Finance Me, as new employees
enter, individual evaluations will likely be needed to assess knowledge and motivation needs
before proceeding in the participation of the mindfulness campaign. Another ramification of high
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turnover may be that the needs of Finance Me as an organization will ebb and flow with the
hiring flow of new employees. For example, at the time of the study, approximately 42
employees knew how to conceptualize mindfulness in their daily life, 12 employees did not.
Twelve employees account for approximately 22% of the organization and does not meet the 50-
70% threshold as a partially validated or validated conceptual knowledge need. Yet there is a
possibility the conceptual knowledge needs will increase as new employees join Finance Me, as
with other knowledge or motivation needs. With the current turnover rate at 156%, Finance Me
hires approximately five new employees monthly. As Finance Me is a small organization, five
new employees can move the pendulum from a non-validated need to a partially validated or
validated need in one month.
Therefore, this study will offer recommendations for all KMO influences regardless of
Finance Me showing a current validated need. While some KMO influences may be assets now,
they may evolve into needs in the future. Offering recommendations for all KMO influences
provides for possible contingencies in Finance Me’s evolving employee population. Secondly,
offering recommendations for all KMO influences broadens the reach to other organizations also
facing low employee engagement and high turnover to help address their current needs. This
section will be organized in which validated KMO influence needs at Finance Me will be
addressed first, then proceed with making recommendations for anticipated future needs. The
anticipated future needs are currently non-validated needs at Finance Me that may evolve into
needs in the future or may be current needs for other organizations.
Knowledge Recommendations
It is essential for organizations to identify the necessary knowledge and skills to increase
performance, problem-solving, and implement change (Clark & Estes, 2008). Knowledge and
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skills are helpful in determining if stakeholders know what and how to achieve a performance
goal (Clark & Estes, 2008). Addressing needs in knowledge will allow an organization to move
forward to achieve their goals proactively. Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) classify knowledge
influences in four general categories: factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive. Factual
and conceptual knowledge are both considered declarative knowledge. Finance Me employees
must have declarative, procedural, and metacognitive knowledge to fully participate in a
mindfulness campaign. The knowledge influence section will start with Finance Me’s validated
knowledge needs and recommendations, followed with possible future knowledge needs and
recommendations. Table 10 is a summary of Finance Me’s validated knowledge influences and
recommendations.
Table 10
Summary of Validated Knowledge Influences and Recommendations
Validated Knowledge
Influence
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
Employees need to
know how to
participate in the
mindfulness
campaign at work.
(Procedural)

The tasks and techniques
relevant to the implementation
of procedures require
procedural knowledge
(Anderson & Krathwohl,
2001).

Employees need to have clear
and direct communication with
their managers and leadership
on the procedures of the
organization
(Godkin, 2015; Lewis, 2011)

The mindfulness campaign should
provide employees with
electronic, verbal, and written
communication of where, how,
and when to participate.

The mindfulness campaign should
use job aids such as a schedule of
Mindfulness sessions throughout
the office.

The mindfulness campaign should
provide job aids as well as
modeling to-be-learned strategies.

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Table 10, continued
Effective observational
learning is
achieved by first organizing
and rehearsing modeled
behaviors, then
enacting them overtly.
(Denler, Wolters, &
Benzon, 2009)
Effective observational learning is
achieved by first organizing and
rehearsing modeled behaviors,
then enacting them overtly.
(Denler, Wolters, &
Benzon, 2009)

Procedural knowledge recommendations. The results and findings from this study
showed Finance Me employees demonstrated a 100% procedural knowledge need in knowing
how to participate in an upcoming mindfulness campaign since no mindfulness campaign
currently existed. Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) explain that tasks and techniques relevant to
the implementation of procedures require procedural knowledge. A solution based on
information processing theory states that instruction, which includes “how” and “when,” helps
the individual organize knowledge and apply what they learned (Schraw & McCrudden, 2006).
Finance Me employee’s procedural knowledge will vary depending on their prior
procedural experience of similar functions in this cultural setting. Findings from interviews
showed some employees have been hesitant to participate in fear of managers and leadership not
truly supporting their time away from their desks. Therefore, the recommendation is two parts:
first, employees must receive step-by-step training on how to participate, and second, employees
must receive procedural knowledge training on the actual mindfulness strategies. Job aids such
as training schedules printed on poster board and flyers should be posted around the office to
encourage participation as well as reinforce procedural knowledge on strategies.
Once procedural knowledge on how to participate is introduced, Finance Me employees
may learn procedural knowledge of how to implement mindfulness strategies in their daily life.
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Devendhiran and Wesley (2017) assert that organizations that provide an environment where
mindfulness is demonstrated, as well as practiced, will allow employees to feel comfortable in
participating in the same strategies. Also, continued training and modeling of mindfulness
strategies by leadership and all employees promote automaticity, which increases germane
cognitive load (Schraw & McCrudden, 2006). Furthermore, Dane and Brummel (2016) assert
that the consistent practice of mindfulness strategies yields the highest gain. It is beneficial for
employees to receive regular training as it will support their practice and allow for corrective and
supportive feedback (Clark & Estes, 2008). These theories combined demonstrate that
effectively closing the procedural knowledge need through step-by-step training and modeling
can encourage participation in the upcoming mindfulness campaign as well as the practice of
strategies.
Anticipating Future Knowledge Needs
As stated previously, at the time of the study, Finance Me was fortunate to have
employees that did not show a large need in declarative or metacognitive knowledge for
participation in a mindfulness campaign. Recommendations for declarative and metacognitive
knowledge influences will be addressed below in anticipation of future needs of Finance Me or
for organizations showing a current need. Table 11 is a summary of possible declarative and
metacognitive knowledge influences and recommendations.

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Table 11
Anticipating Future Knowledge Needs
Future Validated or
Partially Validated
Knowledge Influence
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation

Employees need to
know what
mindfulness entails.
(Declarative)
Factual knowledge is the basic
information such as details and
terminology in which a person
must know to complete
assigned tasks (Anderson &
Krathwohl, 2001).

The mindfulness campaign should
provide employees with a unified
definition of mindfulness.

Employees should be provided
with a short introductory
information session on what
mindfulness entails.

The mindfulness campaign should
use job aids such as flyers and
electronic communication to
reinforce what mindfulness entails
for the organization.
Employees need to
know the mindfulness
strategies that can be
incorporated into their
daily life to improve
their well-being.
(Declarative)
In order for the mindfulness
campaign to be effective,
employees must have a level
of competency to know when
to integrate their learned
mindfulness techniques to
situations in their daily life
(Good et al., 2016).

Employees must also be able
to synthesize newly learned
mindfulness principles with
their current self-care routine
(Els et al., 2015; Raney, 2014).
The mindfulness campaign should
provide employees opportunities
to attend informative sessions to
learn mindfulness strategies to use
in their daily life.

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Table 11, continued

Future Validated or
Partially Validated
Knowledge Influence
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation

Employees need to
reflect on factors that
prevent them from
being actively engaged
at work.
(Metacognitive)
Nugent et al. (2011) concluded
it is pertinent that employees
are given the opportunity to
systematically take time to be
reflective, focus inward, and
consolidate knowledge.

Immordino-Yang,
Christodoulou, and Sing
(2012) note that reflection time
also known as default time,
has shown to be important in
processing and sifting through
daily situations and making
relevant connections between
complex thoughts
The mindfulness campaign should
provide Finance Me employees
opportunities to reflect on factors
that prevent them from being
actively engaged at work.

The mindfulness campaign should
provide employees training so
they may constructively reflect on
their challenges.

The mindfulness campaign should
provide training time to reflect,
self-assess, and talk out loud so
employees can make connections
and collaborate with peers to
discuss factors and mindfulness
strategies to assist with challenges
and meet goals.

Declarative knowledge recommendations. Research suggests that mindfulness
programs are more successful when participants have a unified working definition of
mindfulness (Antanaitis, 2015). According to the knowledge dimension in Bloom’s taxonomy
(Bloom, 1956), factual knowledge is the basic information such as details and terminology in
which a person must know to complete assigned tasks (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001).
Conceptual knowledge builds on factual knowledge and incorporates principles and theories into
one’s life (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001).
The results and findings of this study indicated that the majority of Finance Me’s current
employees know what mindfulness entails. Although the majority of employees also knew how
to go a step further and conceptualize strategies to apply to their daily life, there was a drop-in
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percentage when comparing factual knowledge to conceptual knowledge. Keeping in mind that
declarative knowledge may drop considerably with the influx of new hires, the following
recommendations will be contingent on when Finance Me shows a declarative knowledge need.
Providing information on what mindfulness entails, such as common strategies and
terminology, would establish a foundation to build the scaffolding that would support employee
learning so they may fully participate in the program. It would be challenging to move forward
with a mindfulness campaign if Finance Me employees did not have a continual unified working
definition of mindfulness as the mindfulness campaign continues to add new participants.
Therefore, the recommendation is to provide all employees with an introductory information
session so they may share a common foundation of understanding the elements of mindfulness.
Job aids such as flyers and electronic communication could be used to reinforce learning. The
introductory sessions should be ongoing, so future new participants of any tenure may actively
participate in the mindfulness campaign within one month of deciding to participate.
Antanaitis (2015) found that for mindfulness campaigns to be successful, organizations
must provide comprehensive training. Clark and Estes (2008) confirm the importance of
providing factual information to reduce uncertainty and confusion in employees. Providing all
employees with the basic knowledge of mindfulness allows for everyone to participate in the
campaign on equal footing. Although the information may seem repetitive for some participants
with prior knowledge of mindfulness, the introductory training should also support those with
prior mindfulness experience to enhance their learning by connecting with prior knowledge
(Kirschner, Ayers & Chandler, 2011). Providing employees with comprehensive knowledge
training on mindfulness strategies encourages a higher rate of new participation (Antanaitis,
2015). As participation in the mindfulness campaign is voluntary, closing the knowledge need
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allows for the wide range of tenure of Finance Me employees to make informed decisions on
their participation, and employees can feel confident that the program supports all levels of
learning. Therefore, it is recommended that Finance Me provides opportunities for employees to
participate in mindfulness sessions specifically geared towards teaching strategies that can be
applied to daily life and outside of work-life.
Metacognitive knowledge recommendations. The data from the surveys and interviews
showed the majority of Finance Me employees know and practice the strategy of reflection on
what would help them be more mindful and actively engaged at work and do not have a
validated need. As Finance Me is a growing organization, the metacognitive knowledge need
with employees may increase as job responsibilities or stress levels increase, which fluctuates
with the market. Employees may not feel they have the time to constructively reflect on factors
that prevent them from being actively engaged at work during those busier times. A solution
rooted in cognitive load theory states that learners must have opportunities to engage in self-
reflection and self -assessment for learning to be effective (APA, 2015; Baker, 2006). Studies
have shown the skill of self-reflection may be seen as a luxury during busy and stressful times as
employees may feel the pressure to show they are actively working (Wyatt et al., 2015). To close
any metacognition need, employees must be given the opportunity and training to systematically
be reflective, focus inward, and consolidate knowledge (Nugent et al., 2011).
Thus, it is recommended that time and training be provided for Finance Me employees to
reflect, self-assess, talk out loud, and collaborate with peers to discuss factors that prevent them
from being actively engaged. It is important that employees volunteer and not be coerced into
reflection so they may constructively reflect on challenges (Wyatt et al., 2015). As many
employees cited monotony of tasks, stress and the emotional toll of their job as a factor in their
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disengagement, studies have shown organizations have seen success when they prioritize the
well-being of their employees and give employees the opportunity to share creative ideas in
working through their challenges (Holm, 2015; Lugisani et al., 2018; Mihelič & Aleksić, 2017).
Also Kabat-Zinn, Massion, Kristeller, et al. (1992) has found in their study that group
mindfulness meditation programs can effectively reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and
panic. In addition, this training time is opportune for employees to collaborate and connect with
colleagues to discuss mindfulness strategies to assist with challenges and meet personal or work
goals.
When people are given opportunities to reflect, their metacognitive skills increase, which
is beneficial for the brain long-term (Immordino-Yang, Christodouulou, and Sing, 2012).
Wolever et al. (2012) found in their evaluation of mindfulness campaigns that when participants
were given time to practice reflection, employee engagement, as well as workplace productivity
improved. Moreover, when employees reflect on possible causes of an event or the reasons for
an action, it is a crucial factor in problem-solving (Rueda, 2011). In a comparative analysis
study comparing several corporate initiatives that aim to enhance the well-being of employees, it
was found that a self-concept profile which includes reflection and self-regulation were
necessary for the development of a corporate mindfulness program to match their employees’
needs (Stan, 2018). Instead of employees being told the reason they are not engaged by upper
management or leadership, it is more strategic to support a person’s natural need for autonomy
by promoting individual metacognition (Bono et al., 2007; Goette et al., 2012). These theories
combined affirms the need for Finance Me to provide continuous opportunities at work for their
employees to reflect on factors that prevent them from being actively engaged at work.
Anticipating Future Motivation Needs
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The results and findings of this study showed that Finance Me employees are highly
motivated to participate in an upcoming mindfulness campaign. As motivation to actively
participate may fluctuate due to the organic nature of motivation and Finance Me’s employee
hire rate, this study includes possible future motivation influences and their corresponding
recommendations. The three significant indicators of motivation in performing tasks and
achieving goals are active choice, persistence, and mental effort (Clark & Estes, 2008; Rueda,
2011). Clark and Estes (2008) describe active choice is when a person invests mental effort in
choosing to do something despite distractions. The authors further explain persistence and
mental effort are necessary accompaniments to active choice as unanticipated challenges may
appear, and the person must continually choose to complete the tasks and achieve goals (Clark &
Estes, 2008). As a mindfulness campaign at Finance Me is a new initiative, Finance Me
employees must actively choose to participate in the campaign despite any challenges. The data
suggests Finance Me employees have a high possibility of actively choosing to participate in a
future mindfulness campaign. Table 12 shows recommendations based on theoretical principles
to address possible future needs for Finance Me employees or current needs of other
organizations.
Table 12
Anticipating Future Motivation Needs
Future Validated or
Partially Validated
Motivation Influence

Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
Individual Self-efficacy-
Employees need to believe they
are capable of improving their
well-being by participating in a
mindfulness campaign.
Individuals must believe they
are capable of effectively
changing and improving
their life (Bandura, 1997;
Clark and Estes (2008)
Organizational support in
developing self-efficacy
through instruction and the
opportunity to continuously
practice mindfulness
strategies.
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Table 12, continued

Value (Utility) - Employees need
to feel a mindfulness campaign
would be valuable to them.
It is necessary for individuals
to feel an activity is useful
and valuable to accomplish
goals.
Eccles & Wigfield, 1995)

The value employees place
on a mindfulness campaign
will predict the campaign's
success.
The campaign must include
activities and techniques that
employees feel enjoyment
when practicing.

The campaign should
provide opportunities for
employees to feel it has
intrinsic value. Adriansen &
Krohn, 2016; Antanaitis,
2015; Bishop et al. 2004

Self-Efficacy Recommendations. Although Finance Me employees did feel self-
efficacious in believing they are capable of improving their well-being by participating in a
mindfulness campaign at work, they cited high stress and negative mood as reasons for needing a
mindfulness campaign. When stress levels are high, and individuals get in the maze of being in a
bad mood, it is possible for confidence and self-efficacy to decrease. Also, new employee self-
efficacy will be unknown. As no such mindfulness campaign currently exists at Finance Me, the
theory of self-efficacy will be used to preemptively address a possible future motivation need.
Pajares (2006) explains that modeling and feedback increases an individual’s self-efficacy in
their learning while also strengthening an individual’s belief that they are capable of achieving
success. This would suggest providing consistent opportunities for employees to practice
strategies after seeing demonstrations and then be provided with feedback to continually improve
their practice to allow employees to increase their own self-efficacy and feelings of being
supported in their learning. As the reasons for lack of self-efficacy vary, continuous exposure of
leadership and employees enjoying their participation may motivate resistant employees to
participate (Pajares, 2006; Pintrich, 2003). Therefore, the recommendation is that all employees,
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including leadership and management, attend at minimum one introductory information session
of the campaign.
Multiple researchers have noted that in order to strengthen self-efficacy, training of
mindfulness strategies must be consistent and ongoing (Nugent et al., 2011; Van Gordon, Shonin
& Garcia-Campayo, 2017). Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick (2016) notes that targeted outcomes are
more likely to occur as a result of consistent training and support. The researchers further posit
that organizations that reinforce training with support systems will increase application on the
job by 85%. This suggests that the increase of employee application of mindfulness strategies on
the job would occur due to ongoing support and training and not merely a one-time experience.
From these theoretical perspectives, it would appear that Finance Me employees must see
consistent training and modeling of mindfulness strategies in order to strengthen their belief that
they are capable of improving their well-being. Therefore, Finance Me must provide consistent
support and varied instruction for employees to learn and practice mindfulness strategies to
continually strengthen their employee self-efficacy.
Utility Value Recommendations. The results and findings of this study indicate that the
majority of Finance Me employees currently feel a mindfulness campaign would be valuable to
them. As with the other knowledge and motivation influences, the value of a mindfulness
campaign can fluctuate with participation as well as future new hires. According to Schraw and
Lehman’s (2009) interest theory, personal interest can develop if enthusiasm or interest was
modeled and if the relevance of the task was valuable to the learner. Eccles and Wigfield (1995)
add that personal interest increases intrinsic value when the value and relevance of the task are
explicitly communicated. This would suggest that clear, direct information on the value of a
mindfulness campaign should be disseminated to all employees to continually reinforce the value
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of the mindfulness campaign. The recommendation then is to ensure the mindfulness campaign
provides all Finance Me employees, including leadership and management, with information on
the value and relevance of a mindfulness campaign, while also providing opportunities for
employees to feel the intrinsic value in improving their well-being through mindfulness.
Studies have shown the value of a mindfulness campaign may be more apparent as participation
and self-efficacy increases (Nugent et al. 2011; Rodriguez-Cavajal et al., 2010). These same
studies have also shown the value employees place on a mindfulness campaign will predict the
campaign’s success. A study by Pykett (2016) found workplaces that focused on positive
psychology in mindfulness training are showing a positive shift in workplace culture as well as
employee engagement.
Therefore, it is essential for an organization to find the factors that would make a
mindfulness program interesting to their employees (Antanaitis, 2015). One technique to ensure
employee interest and increase personal value is by obtaining employee input on which strategies
would be most valuable to them (Rodriguez-Carvajal et al., 2010). Since 96% of Finance Me
employees already saw the value of a mindfulness campaign, their participation would model
behavior for those who have yet to see the value. Therefore, the recommendation of providing
consistent opportunities to train and practice strategies that are of interest to employees should
fulfill possible motivational needs in the utility value of a mindfulness campaign at work.
Organization Recommendations
This section will respond to the final question of this study, which is how the
organizational culture and context interact with employee knowledge and motivation. As Finance
Me has been fortunate with their current employees having high knowledge and motivation
related to a mindfulness campaign, organization support in employee participation of a
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mindfulness campaign is crucial for success. The results and findings of this study show that
Finance Me has a validated need in their cultural setting. The majority of Finance Me employees
felt their organization must provide the resources of a mindfulness campaign to reinforce the
importance of practicing mindfulness strategies at work. The current organizational need is
mainly due to the lack of a current campaign. In order to fulfill the need, Finance Me will need to
shift their resources to fully support all their employees to actively participate in the mindfulness
campaign. While the results and findings of this study show that Finance Me does not have an
organizational need in their cultural model of employee trust and buy-in that a future
mindfulness campaign would prioritize their well-being, recommendations will still be addressed
as the need may shift with the onset of new hires. This study will start with addressing the
validated organizational need in their cultural setting, followed by addressing a possible future
need in their cultural model and their correlating recommendations. Table 13 shows the
organizational cultural setting and the recommended treatment based on theory.
Table 13
Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Organization
Influence
Principle and Citation

Context-Specific
Recommendation
Employees lack time and
other resources that support
their participation in a
mindfulness campaign.
(Cultural Setting)

Organizational performance
increases when leadership
and management is
continually involved in the
improvement and
implementation process
(Clark & Estes, 2008)
Schedule consistent time for
employees to participate in the
mindfulness campaign as well
as time to review and reflect on
progress.

Cultural setting recommendations. The results and findings of this study indicated that
approximately 80% of employees felt they lacked time and other resources to practice
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mindfulness strategies away from work, and they would need the support of their organization to
participate in a mindfulness campaign. The qualitative data from this study found that many
employees did not have the finances or time after work to participate in mindfulness training
sessions. In addition, employees felt if there were to be a mindfulness campaign, some feared
negative repercussions in attending as attendance would take them away from completing job
tasks and meeting their daily productivity goals. With Finance Me implementing a mindfulness
campaign at work, that would remove the burden of employees using their personal time and
resources. Also, studies have shown when organizations implement well-being initiatives at
work, the burden of time and resources is lifted off of the employee and improves the overall
culture of the organization (Allen et al., 2015; Ozminkowski et al., 2016).
To address the fear of possible negative repercussions for participating, a principle rooted
in organizational change theory has been selected to fulfill this organizational need.
Organizational performance increases when leadership and management are continually involved
in the implementation and improvement process (Clark & Estes, 2008). This would suggest that
if leadership saw a lack of participation due to employees’ fear of negative repercussions from
not meeting daily productivity goals due to participation, leadership can improve participation by
decreasing tasks in favor of participation. As many would consider mindfulness as a strategy to
improve their health, Wyatt et al. (2015) state organizational barriers are a primary reason for the
failure of organizational sponsored health campaigns. As such, multiple studies have shown
organizational barriers towards participation in change initiatives can be removed by leadership
providing employees with clear direction and continued support (Heward, Hutchins & Keleher,
2007; Ozminkowski et al., 2016).
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The recommendation then is for leadership and management to assist employees in
scheduling consistent time for participation in the mindfulness campaign as well as time to
review and reflect on their progress. With continued involvement and support of leadership in
the implementation of the mindfulness campaign, employees would feel more encouragement in
participating. Also, with leadership and managers actively participating in the scheduling of
employee participation in the mindfulness campaign, employees will not need to fear negative
repercussions due to participation. After participation in activities related to the mindfulness
campaign, employees must also feel support in returning to work and not feel the added stress of
meeting the same productivity goals as they would without participation (Allen et al., 2015;
Antanaitis, 2015; Heward et al., 2007; Ozminkowski et al., 2016). With the burden of personal
time and resources removed from employees and sensitivity to employees’ fear of negative
repercussions, and with full organizational support, the mindfulness campaign can be more
effective for Finance Me employees and sufficiently fulfill the cultural setting need. Increasing
support for participation would also substantiate Finance Me’s desire to improve their
employee’s well-being through the mindfulness campaign and build on their strong cultural
model foundation, which will be addressed next.
Anticipating Future Organizational Needs
The results and findings of this study indicated that the majority of Finance Me
employees have trust and buy-in that the organization sponsored mindfulness campaign
prioritizes employee well-being. Although research indicates that trust and buy-in in an
organization can shift quickly (Hulsheger, 2013). The reasons for distrust and lack of buy-in for
organization sponsored well-being programs vary from employees thinking the campaign is
implemented as “just a one-time feel-good event” or some employees thinking the money spent
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on the campaign could be better used to raise wages (Hulsheger, 2013; van Berkel et al., 2015).
Although, current Finance Me employees trust that the implementation of a future mindfulness
campaign will be built to meet their needs, the reasons for distrust as stated in research can
materialize quickly within Finance Me or any organization. Table 14 shows recommendations
based on theoretical principles to address possible cultural model needs for Finance Me
employees or current needs for other organizations to safeguard trust and buy-in of employees.
Table 14
Anticipating Future Organizational Needs
Future Validated or
Partially Validated
Organizational Influence
Principle and Citation

Context-Specific
Recommendation
Employees lack trust and
buy-in that the organization
sponsored mindfulness
campaign prioritizes
employee well-being.
(Cultural Model)

Organizational performance
increases when all
organizational stakeholders
agree on vision, mission, and
goals of change initiatives
(Clark & Estes, 2008)
Conduct whole organization
meetings with all members of
leadership and management
present to communicate the
vision, mission and goals of
mindfulness campaign.

According to Clark and Estes (2008), organizational performance increases when all
organizational stakeholders agree on the vision, mission, and goals of change initiatives. This
would suggest that if employees, managers, and leadership of Finance Me are aligned in their
vision, mission, and goals for the mindfulness campaign, each stakeholder can be accountable in
working towards the same goal and serve as a check and balance for each other. As a result,
Finance Me would create a cultural model in which employees can wholeheartedly participate in
the campaign without reservations because they were included in the complete process from
design to implementation. Finance Me employees would also be given opportunities to voice
their reasons for distrust and lack of buy-in while setting the framework for the mindfulness
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campaign. New employees would have trust and buy-in that the mindfulness campaign was built
by their colleagues and not just handed down by leadership. The recommendation to increase
trust and buy-in from employees that Finance is sponsoring a mindfulness campaign to prioritize
employee well-being is first to conduct whole organization meetings to communicate the vision,
mission, and goals of the future mindfulness campaign.
Haynes (2018) states that organizational culture plays a critical role in supporting well-
being programs. To address the possibility of employees lacking trust and buy-in that the
mindfulness campaign does not aim to manipulate them or that it is a one-time event, it is
important for Finance Me leadership to gain employee trust through communication and
modeling. Clark and Estes (2008) also note that when the vision, mission, and goals are aligned
and communicated from the top, it increases the success of an organizational initiative. The
authors also note that the performance of an organization can be improved with transparent and
consistent communication (Clark & Estes, 2008). To reinforce participation, leadership and
managers must also model that they value their own well-being and participate in the
mindfulness campaign (Haynes, 2018). Although leadership modeling may sound simplistic, it is
necessary and valuable as it optimizes those already embracing the campaign and encourages
those who resist. As such, the literature supports the combination that clear communication from
leadership as well as their own participation in the mindfulness campaign will sufficiently fulfill
future cultural model needs to increase trust and buy-in of Finance Me employees.
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan
Implementation and Evaluation Framework
This implementation and evaluation plan is modeled after the New World Kirkpatrick
Model, which was based on the original Kirkpatrick Four Level Model of Evaluation, as
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illustrated in Figure 11 (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). As both old and new models include
four levels of training, the most noticeable difference in the New World version is that it
addresses the four levels in reverse order in which results of a change initiative is addressed at
the beginning of the planning phase. Therefore, participants and trainers are well aware of goals
and observable outcomes to come from training when starting with level four, which connects
results with solutions. Level three is the critical behaviors that are desired from participants to
reinforce on-the-job performance and productivity. Learning (level two) determines the degree to
which participants learned the knowledge and skills needed to perform their job functions with
confidence. Lastly, Reaction is the first level which measures participants’ attitudes and
impressions of the training program. Having the desired end result of a training program in mind
would further assist in the successful planning, implementation, and evaluation of a learner-
centered training program (Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick, 2016).

Figure 11. The New World Kirkpatrick Model. Reprinted from Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of
Training Evaluation (p. 11), by J. D. Kirkpatrick and W. K. Kirkpatrick, 2016, Alexandria, VA:
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ATD Publications. Copyright 2016 by Kirkpatrick Partners, LLC www.kirkpatrickpartners.com.
Organizational Purpose, Need, and Expectations
The mission of Finance Me is to provide a fun and supportive environment for all
employees while promoting a healthy work-life balance. The focus of this study was to explore
employee engagement, well-being and mindfulness and its connection to employee’s knowledge,
motivation, and organizational supports to participate in a mindfulness campaign at Finance Me.
A viable option was to implement a mindfulness campaign. Therefore, Finance Me’s
organizational goal was for 100% of employees to participate in a mindfulness campaign in the
year 2020. The recommended mindfulness campaign aims to promote opportunities and
activities to increase well-being and employee engagement for all employees. If Finance Me
employees are given the knowledge and skills to fully participate in the campaign as well as full
support by management and leadership, they may strengthen their motivation to participate in the
mindfulness campaign fully. As a result, Finance Me employees may achieve the full potential of
their healthy well-being and engagement at work.
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2106) describe leading indicators as short-term observations
and measurements that show an organization is on its path to achieving desired results. External
leading indicators are related to how stakeholders can respond and benefit from the performance
of an organization, while internal leading indicators can be observed within organizations, and
desired results can be measured (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). Table 15 presents the
proposed Level 4 evaluation in the form of outcomes, metrics, and methods for both external and
internal outcomes for Finance Me. If Finance Me achieves the external outcomes described in
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Table 15, and employee participants achieve their internal outcomes, then the organizational
goals for Finance Me can be met.
Table 15
Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes

Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
Maintain or increase the
knowledge of
mindfulness for
employees.
The number of employees who
can confidently describe
mindfulness.
Survey question or verbal
assessment.
Maintain or increase the
knowledge of
mindfulness strategies
that can be incorporated
into daily life to improve
well-being for employees.
The number of employees who
can confidently
describe/practice the
mindfulness strategies that can
be incorporated into their life
plan.
Survey question or verbal
assessment
Increase the knowledge of
how to participate in the
mindfulness campaign for
employees.
The number of employees who
can confidently describe how to
participate in the mindfulness
campaign.
Survey question or verbal
assessment
The mindfulness
campaign is made
available to all
employees.
The number of employees
participating in the mindfulness
campaign.
Observations of employees
participating and completed
sign-in sheets.
Employees are more
engaged in their work
tasks
Increased productivity and
performance. Increased sales
Observation, survey questions
or verbal assessment. Work
metrics
Employees feel more
confident that they can
handle their stress
Increased employee retention,
less employee turnover due to
burnout
Observation, survey questions
or verbal assessment. Quarterly
data on employee retention.
Increased participation of
employees in mindfulness
campaign.
The number of employees
participating in the mindfulness
campaign.
Observations of employees
participating and completed
sign-in sheets.

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Table 15, continued

Internal Outcomes
Increased happiness in
employees.
Positive feedback from
employees, employee self-
evaluation
Surveys administered at the
beginning of the mindfulness
program for baseline data, and
six weeks afterward.
Decreased stress in
employees
Positive feedback from
employees
Surveys administered at the
beginning of the mindfulness
program for baseline data, and
six-weeks afterward.
Employees increase their
own self-awareness
Positive feedback from
employees, employee self-
evaluation
Survey questions or verbal
assessment
Employees demonstrate
increased interest in
participating in the
mindfulness campaign.
Positive feedback from
employees. Increased interest
questions and feedback about
mindfulness campaign.
Observations, verbal
assessment, informal
conversations.
Employees feel the
impact and value of the
mindfulness campaign.
Positive change in performance,
employee self-evaluation
Observation, survey questions,
verbal assessment or informal
conversations.
Employees are feeling
improvement in their
well-being
Positive feedback from
employees, employee self-
evaluation
Observation, survey questions,
verbal assessment or informal
conversations.
Increased employee
satisfaction.
Positive feedback from
employees, employee self-
evaluation
Observation, survey questions
or verbal assessment. Quarterly
data on employee retention.

Level 3: Behavior
Critical behaviors. The stakeholders of focus are all the employees of Finance me. The
first critical behavior is that each employee must attend an introduction to mindfulness campaign
session with leadership and management present. The second critical behavior is employees must
complete the initial intake evaluation to retrieve baseline data of their well-being, socio-
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emotional health, and level of job satisfaction and happiness in their life. The third critical
behavior is employees must put effort into participating in the mindfulness campaign at
minimum bi-monthly, preferably once a week. The fourth critical behavior is employees
complete a review evaluation of their current data to be compared with their baseline data to
assess changes and correctly identify needs every six weeks. The specific metrics, methods, and
timing for each of these outcome behaviors appear in Table 16.
Table 16

Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation
Critical Behavior Metric(s)
Method(s)
Timing
1. Attend
mindfulness
campaign
introduction
meeting.
The number of
employees attending
meeting.
Completed sign-in
sheet
Introduction meeting
will be scheduled and
coordinated with team
manager meeting.
2. Complete intake
evaluation for
baseline data.
The number of
completed
evaluations.
Mindfulness
campaign
coordinator will
track completed
evaluations.
100% of evaluations for
current employees
should be completed at
the introductory
meeting.
Thereafter for new
employees within one
week of the start of next
rolling 6-week
campaign.
3. Participation in
mindfulness
sessions.
The number of
sessions each
employee has attended
Completed sign-in
sheet
Sign-in sheets will be
analyzed monthly.
4. Complete 6-
week review
evaluation.
The number of
completed
evaluations.
Mindfulness
campaign
coordinator will
track completed
evaluations.
100% of evaluations
should be completed at
week 7 after each 6-
week session.

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Required drivers. Employees require the support of their managers and leadership to
encourage participation in the mindfulness campaign. Mangers, leadership, and the mindfulness
director should consistently encourage employees to participate in the mindfulness sessions by
assisting in scheduling attendance as well as suggestions on when to use mindfulness strategies
throughout the day. Table 17 shows the recommended drivers to support the critical behaviors of
stakeholders.
Table 17
Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors
Method(s) Timing Critical Behaviors
Supported
Reinforcing
Leadership and managers encourage participation. Ongoing 1, 2,3,4

Encouragement at team meetings for scheduling of
participation.
Weekly 1,2,3,4
Newsletter describing mindfulness campaign Weekly 1,3,4
Meetings to attain feedback and collaboratively improve
mindfulness campaign.
Monthly 1,3,4
Use Hoopla and other internal communication to
describe mindfulness strategies and programs.
Ongoing
and
Weekly
1,3,4
Use Hoopla and other internal communication to
reinforce participation.

Ongoing
and
Weekly
1,3,4

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Table 17, continued

Encouraging
Newsletter encouraging participation of mindfulness
campaign
Weekly 1,3,4
Leadership modeling participation Ongoing 1,2,3,4
Feedback and encouragement from mindfulness
coordinator, manager, and leadership
Ongoing 1,2,3,4
Rewarding
Leadership and managers verbally reward employees
for participating
Ongoing 1,2,3,4
Public acknowledgment for usage of mindfulness center
and participation in the campaign
Weekly 1,2,3,4
Monitoring
Share success stories Monthly 3,4
Check-ins with employees that are not participating Weekly 1,2,3,4

Organizational support. Finance Me can support their employees critical behaviors to
achieve their organizational goal with three strategies: a) Leadership and the mindfulness
director can create opportunities at monthly meetings to share success stories; b) At the end of
every 6-week session, leadership and management can ask employees to self-report their
confidence and self-efficacy in managing their well-being and engagement in their work tasks;
and c) managers must assess the performance of their team members weekly. Finance Me’s
implementation of support strategies supports employee participation as well as building trust
and buy-in of the mindfulness campaign. Haynes (2018) and Wyatt et al. (2017) assert that
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124
employees must trust that a newly implemented mindfulness campaign is aimed at improving
their well-being long-term, yet participants must also experience quick wins for a mindfulness
campaign to be successful. Frequent check-ins by the mindfulness campaign director will also
help gauge the level of employee trust and buy-in that Finance Me employees have in the
mindfulness campaign. Ozminkowski et al. (2016) study reiterates that without organizational
barriers removed and organizational supports in place, employees may not feel they have
permission to participate in wellness campaigns during work hours. With consistent monitoring
of employee progress, Finance Me can make necessary adjustments in their organizational
support of employees fully participating and reaping the benefits of participation in the
mindfulness campaign.
Level 2: Learning
Learning goals. Following the completion of the recommended solutions through the
implemented introductory phase of the mindfulness campaign, employees of Finance Me will be
able to:
1. Know what mindfulness entails.
2. Know mindfulness strategies that can be incorporated into their daily life to improve
their well-being.
3. Know how to participate in the mindfulness campaign at work.
4. Reflect on factors that prevent them from being actively engaged at work.
5. Believe they are capable of improving their well-being by participating in a
mindfulness campaign.
6. Feel the mindfulness campaign would be valuable to them.
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7. Trust and have buy-in that the Finance Me sponsored mindfulness campaign
prioritizes employee well-being.
8. Use the time and resources provided by Finance Me to support their participation in
the mindfulness program.
Program. The learning goals listed in the previous section will be achieved, beginning
with introductory sessions of the more in-depth mindfulness program to follow at Finance Me.
The learners, which are the employees of Finance Me, will be introduced to the mindfulness
campaign and have a universal working definition of what mindfulness entails and the
mindfulness strategies that will be taught in sessions to promote healthy well-being. Account
executives are grouped by sales teams, supervised by a manager. Account executives will
participate in the introductory sessions with their sales team, their manager, the human resources
director, and at minimum, one executive. The attendance of the human resource director and
executive in the introductory sessions is to confirm to employees that they are fully supported by
Finance Me to participate in the mindfulness program during work hours. The introductory
sessions will consist of two 30-minute sessions: the first session will be a learner-centered
informative talk with time to complete the intake evaluation for baseline data, the second session
will be active participation of a sample session with opportunities for questions. It will be
established at both introductory sessions that any unfavorable responses from managers or
leadership towards participation should be reported to the director of human resources. The total
introductory phase will be 60 minutes and led by Finance Me’s director of the mindfulness
campaign.
Finance Me’s director of learning and development developed the mindfulness campaign
and, therefore, will lead the in-depth mindfulness campaign as well as the introductory sessions.
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Group sessions ranging from a variety of topics such as meditation, yoga, goal setting, and
healthy nutrition habits will be offered throughout the week with the schedule posted and
communicated weeks beforehand. Employees will also be given an opportunity to schedule one-
on-one sessions with the director through an electronic calendar organization system. All
sessions will be approximately 30 minutes in length. In order for employees to feel the full
benefits of the program, employees will be encouraged to participate in at least one group session
every two weeks and a one-on-one session bi-monthly. Finance Me has dedicated the training
room in the office to also be the mindfulness center. When group mindfulness sessions are not in
session, it will double as a space that employees may use for quiet time. During the quiet time,
employees will have the opportunity to unplug from technology and lay down on padded mats.
Employees will self-select their usage time with vibrating timers so they may stay on track with
their schedule.
During monthly sales team check-ins, the director of learning will emphasize
participation, and the application of strategies learned to the sales floor or personal life. After
each 6-week module, Finance Me employees will have the opportunity to give in-depth feedback
in the 6-week review evaluation. Participants will also participate in informal weekly check-ins
with the director to ensure the program is meeting the participant’s expectations. With informal
and formal feedback, mindfulness program components can be revisited and modified to match
the needs of Finance Me employees in real-time. Employees can also track their growth and set
new targets for themselves. This cyclical 6-week practice is designed to encourage individual
learning and metacognition.
Evaluation of the components of learning. As Finance Me employees attempt to
implement mindfulness strategies into their daily lives, they need to feel they have the pertinent
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knowledge to implement with confidence. Demonstrating declarative knowledge is often
necessary as a precursor to applying the knowledge of using mindfulness strategies to benefit
their well-being. Thus, it is important to evaluate the degree to which employees have learned
both declarative and procedural knowledge. It is also important that learners value the training as
a prerequisite to using their newly learned knowledge and skills on the job as well as in their
personal life. Therefore, Finance Me employees must be confident that they can succeed in
applying their knowledge and skills and be committed to using them in their work and personal
life. As such, Table 18 outlines the evaluation methods and timing for these components of
learning.
Table 18
Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program
Method(s) or Activity(ies) Timing
Declarative Knowledge “I know it.”
Knowledge checks through discussions, partner
sharing, and another individual/group activities
Periodically and at minimum weekly, in
person and via observation
Knowledge checks through surveys Every 6 weeks following each 6-week
module.
Procedural Skills “I can do it right now.”
Demonstration of employee use of mindfulness
center.
Through sign-in sheets, observation, and
reports from team leaders.
Demonstration of employee use of mindfulness
group sessions.
Through sign-in sheets, observation, and
reports from team leaders.
Demonstration of employee use of one-on-one
sessions
Through sign-in sheets, observation,
reports from the director of learning, and
reports from team leaders.
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Table 18, continued

Procedural Skills “I can do it right now.”
Demonstration of employee use of mindfulness
strategies on the sales floor.
Through observation and reports from
team leaders.
Quality of mindfulness sessions and the degree to
which the sessions are useful for employees.
Through feedback from employees.
Attitude “I believe this is worthwhile.”
Pre and post-surveys Every 6 weeks
Discussion of the value of the mindfulness
strategies learned and application.
During feedback sessions.
Feedback from employees Anonymous feedback ballot box
Reflective pre- and post-assessment item Before and after each 6-week module
Confidence “I think I can do it on the job.”
Pre and post surveys Every six weeks
Discussions following practice and feedback During feedback sessions
Feedback from employees Anonymous feedback ballot box
Reflective pre- and post-assessment item Before and after each 6-week module
Commitment “I will do it on the job.”
Creation of individual goals During group and one-on-one sessions
Creation of team goals During team meetings
Reflective pre- and post-assessment item Before and after each 6-week module

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Level 1: Reaction
Level one in Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick’s (2016) New World evaluation model consists
of three reactions: engagement, relevance, and satisfaction. All three components are vital to the
success of the mindfulness program at Finance Me. Table 19 outlines the components to measure
reactions from the mindfulness program.
Table 19

Components to Measure Reactions to the Program
Method(s) or Tool(s) Timing
Engagement
Attendance During introductory sessions, team meeting
sessions, mindfulness campaign sessions and
one-on-one sessions
Observation During introductory sessions, team meeting
sessions, mindfulness campaign sessions and
one-on-one sessions
Active participation During introductory sessions, team meeting
sessions, mindfulness campaign sessions and
one-on-one sessions
Completion of intake evaluation During the introductory session.
Relevance
Completion of review evaluation Following end of 6-week module
Verbal pulse-check with participants During weekly mindfulness sessions and team
meetings

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Table 19, continued

Customer Satisfaction
Completion of review evaluation Following end of 6-week module
Verbal pulse-check with participants During weekly mindfulness sessions and team
meetings

Evaluation Tools
Immediately following the program implementation. After the introductory
mindfulness sessions, participants will complete a brief survey to gather baseline data of the
participant (see Appendix A for baseline evaluation). The survey will include questions asking
their overall satisfaction with their well-being. For level 1, during the sessions, the director will
conduct periodic brief informal pulse-checks by asking the participants if they have any
questions regarding participation in the mindfulness campaign and its effectiveness. Level 2 will
include informal checking for understanding using think, pair, and share activities.
Delayed for a period after the program implementation. Approximately six weeks
after participation mindfulness program, the director of the campaign will administer a survey
similar to the baseline survey to compare movement in satisfaction of one’s well-being as well as
satisfaction with the mindfulness campaign (see Appendix B for 6-week evaluation). Another
brief survey will measure the participants satisfaction of the program (Level 1), confidence and
value of applying learned mindfulness strategies in their work and personal life (Level 2), actual
application of the mindfulness strategies in their work and personal life and received support
from their managers and leadership (Level 3), and the extent to which their well-being has
improved.

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Data Analysis and Reporting
The Level 4 goal of participants is measured by their perceived improvement of their well-
being, which in turn improves their productivity and performance at work. Productivity at Finance
Me can appear as an increase in outbound sales calls. Improved performance can appear as
increased call talk time, which usually correlates to a better quality of a call. Increased productivity
and performance is ultimately tracked by an increased number of closed deals and net margin in
profits. The software as a service (SaaS) Salesforce dashboard will be used as a monitoring tool to
report the number of calls and talk time of participants, as shown in Figure 14. A participant’s
productivity in the number of calls and talk times can be tracked and compared by day, week,
month, quarter, and longer. Each participant’s performance can be monitored by their sales funnel.
Figure 15 shows a data table example that lists each participant, and their sales funnel, starting
with the beginning of the sales process by tracking the number of applications submitted, to deal
funded and closed or lost.

Figure14. Salesforce dashboard reporting number of calls and talk time.

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Figure15. Number of applications submitted to accounts funded and closed.

Implementation and Evaluation Plan Summary
In implementing a new initiative, the New World Kirkpatrick Model has a focus on
working backward from results to reactions (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). Although the
authors describe planning, implementing, and evaluating recommendations as working
backwards, for Finance Me this may seem natural and forward-thinking because reviewing
expected results sets the target on what stakeholders can expect to gain from implementation.
Organizations would not want to squander valuable resources by not sharing the same target and
expectations from the onset. Having a clear organizational goal with expected results in the
forefront allows all stakeholders involved to actively play their part. Throughout this chapter, the
recommendations utilized the Kirkpatrick New World Four Levels of Training Evaluation to
prepare Finance Me in implementing a mindfulness campaign. The campaign is expected to
provide all Finance Me employees with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in the
campaign and ultimately use the strategies learned to improve their well-being. By utilizing this
framework, the mindfulness campaign director and Finance Me leadership can receive feedback
from employees that will constantly improve the experience of participants in the mindfulness
campaign.
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The outlined methods the campaign will seek to measure in results, behavior, learning,
and reactions. Based on the data, ultimately, Finance Me will be able to gauge the effectiveness
of meeting stakeholder goals and the effectiveness of the mindfulness campaign before, during,
and after implementation. Comparing baseline data to data 6-weeks post-participation will allow
for further improvement to the curriculum as well as identify needs where additional knowledge
may be needed for all Finance Me employees to reach their stakeholder goal of participating in
the mindfulness campaign.
There are multiple influences of employee engagement, and this study sought to focus on
the role of the employee influencing their own engagement by improving their well-being in an
organization sponsored mindfulness campaign. The findings of this study revealed the
knowledge, motivation, and organizational supports needed for all employees to participate in a
mindfulness campaign. Fulfilling the need mitigates the cost and strain of employees improving
their well-being without assistance. As found in various studies, employees cite stress and
burnout from long hours at work as a barrier to self-care and maintaining their well-being. In
implementing a mindfulness campaign, leaders at Finance Me are taking accountability of the
stress that may be caused by work and also taking active responsibility in restoring the healthy
well-being of their employees. It was only through the engagement of inquiry that allowed
Finance Me to assess the knowledge, motivation, and organizational barriers that kept their
employees from being actively engaged at work. Through inquiry, Finance Me was able to
develop a more informed outcome for effective recommendations in the implementation of an
organization sponsored mindfulness campaign.

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Future Research
In reflecting on the goals for this study, there were a few limitations that can be overcome
in future research. Further research with a larger population would allow for generalization
across other organizations. The research can be broadened to encompass organizations that
invests in programs that focus on the well-being of their human capital. As research of this
nature is highly subjective, further research with the ability to use a control group within a larger
organization may minimize the effect of variables.
Past research, as well as data in this study, highlights the strong belief that the workforce
has evolved in which employees prefer a work experience that prioritizes their well-being. For
many organizations, balancing the company’s bottom line with employee’s needs may seem at a
paradox. As much as employers desire engaged employees, are they willing to do what it takes to
activate engagement? Or rather, can organizations continue to afford the cost of disengagement?
Further research on organizations with implemented well-being programs with the ability to
quantify its effect in revenue or cost may give more points of comparisons to future
organizations when conducting a cost-benefits analysis. Then, perhaps mindfulness campaigns
within organizations will be seen as a necessity versus a luxury.
Conclusion
In hopes to activate employee engagement, mindfulness is a proven strategy to help
individuals obtain a better overall experience when completing tasks. The impetus for this study
centered on Finance Me achieving their goal of 100% participation of their employees in a
mindfulness campaign, which aims to promote growth opportunities to increase well-being and
active employee engagement. This study examined the KMO influences for Finance Me and
recommended solutions in order for Finance Me or other organizations to implement a
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mindfulness campaign. Finance Me employees cite stress and negative emotions as a reason for
disengagement. Also, Finance Me employees have connected the majority of their negative
feelings stemming from their job duties. The disengagement of employees can be seen in the
high turnover rate and lowered productivity and performance of employees.
As mindfulness is relatively new in organizations, Finance Me employees are highly
motivated to participate in a future mindfulness program to improve their well-being. Although
participants cited a variety of possible challenges in practicing mindfulness strategies in their
daily life, the option to learn and practice mindfulness strategies at work alleviated the bulk of
the challenges. Transferring the burden of resources from employee to employer allows
employees to learn and participate in mindfulness strategies without obstacles at work. In turn,
Finance Me employees can leverage the positive effects of practicing mindfulness strategies in
their daily life to their work experiences in their organization. Thus starts the cycle of both
employee and employer benefiting from an implemented mindfulness program at work.
Both Finance Me and employees view engagement in tasks as beneficial to their well-
being. By understanding and identifying employee needs in a mindfulness campaign, there is
potential for Finance Me to improve the health of their organization by implementing a
mindfulness campaign. The recommended solutions listed in this study when executed correctly
should result in positive consequences with minimal negative repercussions. As of current,
Finance Me has not found another method that has the potential for such high gains at a low risk.
The next logical step would be to follow through with the implementation of a mindfulness
campaign immediately.

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APPENDIX A
Employee Survey

For the purpose of this survey, the definition of mindfulness entails attention to oneself and
the experiences of the present moment on personal well-being through strategies such as
meditation, quiet reflection time, body movement activities such as yoga, exercising…

1. I have participated in any of the following mindfulness strategies. Check all that apply:
Meditation, Reflection, Exercising, Yoga, Journaling, other (If you checked any of the boxes,
continue to question 2, if you have not checked any of the boxes, continue to question 3.

2. Participation in mindfulness strategies was beneficial to my well-being.
Likert scale: Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree
3. I know how to incorporate mindfulness strategies into my daily life.
Likert scale: Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree
4. Mindfulness practices would be helpful to me in my personal life.
Likert scale: Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree

5. Mindfulness practices would be helpful to me in my work-life.
Likert scale: Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree
6. I know how to reflect on factors on that would help me be more actively engaged at work.
Likert scale: Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree
7. Finance Me currently prioritizes employee well-being.
Likert scale: Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree

8. A mindfulness campaign would help my organization prioritize employee well-being.
Likert scale: Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree
9. If Finance Me initiated a mindfulness campaign how likely would you attend the following
sessions:
Yoga: Very likely, likely, unlikely, very unlikely
Meditation: Very likely, likely, unlikely, very unlikely
Quiet time to reflect: Very likely, likely, unlikely, very unlikely
Ergonomics body awareness: Very likely, likely, unlikely, very unlikely
Journaling: Very likely, likely, unlikely, very unlikely
Expression through art: Very likely, likely, unlikely, very unlikely
10. When would you prefer such above sessions to be offered?
Likert scale: before work, during work hours, during breaks, during lunch, after work.

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11. For me to practice mindfulness strategies at work, Finance Me would need to provide the
resources and time during work hours.
Likert scale: Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree
12. A mindfulness campaign provided during non-work hours such as breaktime, lunchtime
and/or after work would be most helpful for me.
Likert scale: Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree
13. If there were a mindfulness campaign at work, what kinds of communication would be most
helpful to you to know how to participate? (check all that apply)
Memo, email, flyers, manager communication, leadership communication, other

Background Questions:

14. How long have you been employed at Finance Me?
0-3 months
4-6 months
7 -12 months
13 + months

15. What is your gender?
Male
Female
Prefer not to say

16. In what age range were you born? Check off
(before 1945), (1946-1964), (1965-1976), (1977-1995), (1996-Present)

17. May we contact you for an interview to get more input? Please type your email or phone
number. (All information will be kept confidential and your privacy is our top priority).

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APPENDIX B
*Script for beginning of survey to participants. Thank you for your participation. This whole
interview is voluntary, and you may refuse to answer any questions or end the interview at any
time. This interview should take approximately one hour and is confidential. No identifying
information is being collected. Would you mind if I record this interview, so I do not miss any
important information?
Interview Questions
1. If you can please describe your role and responsibilities here at work.
2. Please describe an ideal workday for you.
3. What is your approach to improving or maintaining your well-being?
4. What comes to mind when you hear the terms well-being and mindfulness?
5. Have you ever participated in any mindfulness strategies? If so, tell me about them
a. Probe: Did you enjoy it? What were the benefits? If you didn’t enjoy, what would
have improved your experience?
6. If you were to have a negative issue at work, how would you handle these issues?
7. Tell me about the kinds of reflection, if any, you engage in at work.
a. Probe: do you ever reflect on factors that would help you feel more actively
engaged at work (e.g. happy, productive, less stressed)? If so, tell me about your
process
8. What mindfulness strategies if any, could be incorporated into your daily life to improve
your well-being?
a. Do you feel capable of improving your well-being by participating in mindfulness
activities?
9. Why do you think Finance Me is interested in investing in a mindfulness campaign?
10. What do you think might be some challenges in your participating in a mindfulness
campaign at work?
a. Probe: What kinds of support from Finance Me would you need?

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APPENDIX C

Pre-Participation survey for Participants of the Mindfulness Campaign

Thank you for completing this survey. It should take approximately 10 -15 minutes to complete.
Your identity and responses will be kept confidential.

NAME: ___________________________

1. What is your current satisfaction with the following?

Likert scale: 1, low, 2, ok, 3,
good, 4, great, 5 excellent

a. overall well-being
b. physical self
c. emotional well-being
d. overall nutrition intake
e. engagement at work
f. how you currently handle stress
g. focus at work
h. overall work-life
i. overall personal life

EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

158
APPENDIX D
Six-week Post Participation survey for Participants of the Mindfulness Campaign

Thank you for completing this survey. It should take approximately 10 -15 minutes to complete.
Your identity and responses will be kept confidential.

NAME: ___________________________

1. How much did participating in the mindfulness campaign impact each of the following?
My participation in this activity: Not at all Slightly Moderately A Great Deal
a. improved my overall well-being
b. improved my satisfaction with my
physical self

c. improved my emotional well-
being

d. improved my satisfaction with my
nutrition intake

e. improved my engagement at work
f. improved my satisfaction with how
I handle stress

g. improved my focus at work
h. improved my satisfaction with my
work-life

i. improved how I handle stress
j. improved my satisfaction with my
personal life

2. Has the mindfulness campaign contributed to any improvement in your overall well-being not
listed in the above questions? If so, please describe.

3. Please describe a work event in which you used a strategy learned from the mindfulness
campaign.

4. Please describe a mindfulness strategy that you will continue to use in your work-life.

5. How can the mindfulness campaign improve to suit your needs or improve your experience?
Please describe.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGMENT AND MINDFULNESS

159
6. Is the mindfulness campaign worthwhile for you to continue to participate in during work
hours?

7. Do you feel confident that you can and will continue to use mindfulness strategies in your
daily life:

Abstract (if available)

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Asset Metadata

Creator Tam, Lilly (author)

Core Title Exploring mindfulness with employee engagement: an innovation study

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Publication Date 04/20/2020

Defense Date 04/20/2020

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag employee disengagement,employee engagement,employee retention,employee turnover,FOCUS,Meditation,mindfulness,mindfulness strategies,OAI-PMH Harvest,organizational change,organizational climate,organizational culture,work life balance,workflow

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Krop, Cathy (committee chair), Malloy, Courtney (committee member), Pearson, Mark (committee member)

Creator Email Lilly.tam@usc.edu,lilly@drlillytam.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-282573

Unique identifier UC11673987

Identifier etd-TamLilly-8269.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-282573 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-TamLilly-8269.pdf

Dmrecord 282573

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Tam, Lilly

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA