WORKPLACE MEDITATION A Quasi-Experimental Study on Intrapersonal Communication as a Strategy for Coping with Organizational Stress and Improving Concentration

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effect of meditation on a manager’s level of work stress and concentration. As stress, when not handled well, is detrimental not only to the individual but also to the organization, meditation was proposed as a strategy for coping with organizational stress and improving concentration. Two hypotheses were set by which the effect of meditation on a manager’s level of work stress and concentration could be established: 1) a manager’s level of work stress will be lower after engaging in meditation (Hypothesis 1); and 2) a manager’s level of concentration will be higher after engaging in meditation (Hypothesis 2). The study was conducted at the Santos Pharmacy, and the manager of the organization was enlisted as the participant. She completed several Work Stress Questionnaires, underwent the Stroop Test, and engaged in the meditation procedureprocedural checking of the study. Further, she wrote journal entries in a Participant-Kept Journal, and was interviewed by the researcher in the culmination of the study. The researcher employed the A-B-A-B variant of the single-case quasi-experimental research design to test the research hypotheses. Quantitative data were analyzed via visual inspection, and qualitative data were interpreted via analysis, categorization, narration, and subjective interpretation. Data analysis and interpretation revealed that the manager had indeed experienced meditation during the treatment phases of the experiment. Her level of work stress did not change whenever she was exposed to the experimental treatment, but conversely, her level of concentration changed whenever she was exposed to the experimental treatment. Further, although her feelings, described in her journal entries, were consistent with the measurements of her level of work stress and concentration throughout the experiment, interview data however were inconsistent with the quantitative data in terms of the effect of meditation on work stress. Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that Hypothesis 1 is rejected while Hypothesis 2 is accepted. Moreover, two implications were derived: 1) noise is a distraction to meditation that should be mitigated; and 2) the quantitative rejection of Hypothesis 1 and its qualitative acceptance generated a research issue on how and to what extent the quantified general effect of meditation could be supplemented by its subjective value. Further, several recommendations were suggested by the researcher to future researchers. First, future researchers could pursue the research issue generated by this study. Second, they could continue this study’s attempt to be proactive in dealing with organizational stress, and they could assist in shifting the descriptive trend of Organizational Communication stress research to a prescriptive one. Third, they could consider certain methodological enhancements to improve their research. Fourth and lastly, future researchers could delve into the cultural aspect of meditation and stress via: 1) the investigation of how Philippine organizations perceive and value meditation and stress; and 2) the analysis of how stress is reflective of bureaucracy in Philippine organizations.