Many workplaces have come to realize the important of caring for the health and well-being of their workers. High stress environments, productivity demands and maintaining a work-life balance are common issues many workers struggle with, which in turn have effects on workplaces such as decreased productivity and/or quality, decreased worker satisfaction, increased risk of workplace injuries, increased absenteeism and higher staff turnover. Mindfulness programs are increasingly becoming recognized as highly effective low cost way of helping workers maintain or improve their health and wellness, and thus reducing the risk of encoutering negative effects in the workplace.

Tai Chi and Qigong practice have both demonstrated evidence as being able to improve both the physical and the mental/emotional health of workers. Both Tai Chi and Qigong are well documented to have benefits to health and well-being, and now the evidence is growing to show that incorporating these programs into the workplace can have effects such as decreasing, stress, depression and anxiety, and improving sleep quality, attention and focus. This consequently reduces workplace stress, burnout, and mood disturbances, while increasing productivity and worker resiliance, improving health behaviours (such as smoking cessation and reducing substance abuse), all of which contribute to decreasing costs on employers’^1..

Health workers, and in particular nurses, have been a popular group for these programs to be trialed. For example, Palumbo and colleagues^2. demonstrated that 15 weeks of a 1 hour total Tai Chi class once per week, plus at home practice for at least 10 minutes at least 4 days per week, resulted in significant decrease in risk of musculoskeletal injuries (as determined by a significant improvement in Functional Reach Test and improved trunk flexibility), and non-statistically significant improvements in general and mental health, perceived work stress and general stress, than a control group receiving no intervention. The Tai Chi group also demonstrated a 3% increase in productivity. In addition, those doing Tai Chi had no unscheduled combined time-off hours, compared to the control group who lost a total of 49 hours over the 15 week intervention. It was further determined that the cost associated with providing a Tai Chi instructor for the 15 weeks was offset by not having to engage temporary staff to replace staff taking unscheduled time-off hours.

Another study by Marshall and colleagues^3. of similar design to that of Palumbo’s team further demonstrated that participants felt the program contributed to creating a positive workplace, which in turn improved workplace satisfaction. Examples of feedback from participants included:

“I look forward to it every week and feel calmer and more grounded. I feel that it shows me that my workplace values me more.” (pg 38)

“I definitely felt more positive about having that space in work and I think that filtered into how I felt in work, in a good way.” (pg 38)

Other studies have found similar results, particularly in relation to improving stress and perceived well-being, in healthcare settings^4. and well as office environments^5.. These benefits do not have to be limited to the workplace: any setting where performance and productivity are important, such as schools/colleges, sports teams, community groups, and so forth, can reap the same benefits as those found in these studies.

With the cost of healthcare provision unlikely to decrease in the future, and the associated costs of workers requiring downtime due to health related issues, finding ways to keep workers healthy and doing their job effectively should be a primary concern for all employers. Tai Chi and Qigong are excellent, low-cost and minimally intrusive programs which can be easily implemented within the workplace by a suitably qualfied instructor. Further, the benefits of implementing these programs, such as improved worker satisfaction, increased productivity and decreased unscheduled time-off, can translate into a balanced or even positive ROI.

If you want to benefit your workers, and thereby your workplace, consider including Tai Chi and Qigong as part of your workplace health and wellness program.

Wisconsin Tai Chi Academy’s Corporate and Community Programs can initiate and maintain Tai Chi and Qigong programs in your workplace or other environment. Contact us today for more information.

References

1. Kachen, D. et al. (2017). Prevalence of mindfulness practices in the US workforce: National Health Interview Survey. Preventing Chronic Disease 2017. 14:160034.
2. Palumbo, M. V. et al. (2012). Tai Chi for older nurses: a workplace wellness pilot study. Applied Nursing Research, 25(1): 54-59.
3. Marshall, D. et al. (2018). Evaluation of a Tai Chi intervention to promote well-being in healthcare staff: a pilot study. Religions, 9:35-41.
4. Cocchiara, R. A. et al. (2020). Tai Chi and workplace wellness for health care workers: a systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17: 343-350.
5. Lehmann, H. et al. (2024). Evaluation and comparison of relaxation-related workplace interventions among office workers at an insurance institution: an intervention study. The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision and Financing, 61:1-12.