Workplace stress is taking a significant toll on the well-being and effectiveness of employees, through its direct impact on physical and emotional wellness, as well as its effects on focus, innovation and collaboration. Mindfulness training has been shown to reduce stress, as well as having additional salutary effects. But beyond individual well-being, mindfulness also has the potential to shift organizational culture in a positive direction. Aetna has been a pioneer in bringing the benefits of mindfulness to its employees. We are currently engaging in a process of embedding mindfulness in our culture.

In this session, you will learn what mindfulness is and how it reduces stress and enhances well-being and performance. We will also discuss how Aetna is approaching bringing mindfulness into its culture. Finally, a model will be presented for bringing mindfulness into organizations in order to drive engagement.

You will learn:

• The definition, practice and benefits of mindfulness
• Best practices in mindfulness training
• A three-phase model for bringing mindfulness into organizations
• Aetna’s strategy for leveraging mindfulness for culture change