UK healthcare organisation Nuffield Health has teamed up with Mindlab to develop a new corporate mindfulness training programme for businesses to optimise employee performance and build emotional resilience.

Based on research which has found mindfulness improves cognitive performance, emotional regulation and management of stress, the programme will comprise bespoke workshops, as well as a complete foundation course to establish mindfulness practice. Sessions are delivered live, either face-to-face or via webinars to increase accessibility, while courses are also supported digitally by an app.

Already providing corporate wellness services to 60 per cent of companies listed on the UK’s FTSE 100 index, the move is Nuffield Health’s initiative to gain an even greater market share. It follows the recent acquisition of two health clubs on the doorstep of the City of London, as it bids to make wellness a mainstay of corporate life.

With 15 million working days lost during 2013 in the UK alone due to stress, anxiety and depression, it’s easy to understand why the concept of mindfulness is gaining greater traction. In a recent article, the president and CEO of the Global Wellness Summit Susie Ellis said workplace wellness will become a major focus in the next couple of years, predicting that the movement is “about to explode.”

“Living in the 21st century means we now all lead such busy lives,” said Dr Davina Deniszczyc, Nuffield Health wellbeing medical director.

“We work longer and harder than ever before so it’s really important we take a step back and look after our mental wellbeing. Mental wellbeing is just as vital as being physically fit and we need more businesses to help their staff adopt mindfulness into their daily lives.”