Transforming managers with mindfulness-based training: a journey towards humanistic management principles

Abstract

This study examines the transformative impact of a 6-week mindfulness-based training program on managers within the framework of humanistic management principles. Implemented as a randomized controlled trial (RCT), the research involved 97 managers from the R&D department of a technology development company in Turkiye. Participants were allocated to either an intervention group (N = 47) or a waitlist control group (N = 50), with assessments conducted at three time points: pre-test, post-test, and a 16-week follow-up. The findings reveal significant improvements in empathy, mindfulness, and wisdom among managers who completed the program, compared to those who did not. While the impact on inclusive leadership was less pronounced, the results indicate potential benefits for organizational culture as a whole. This study provides empirical evidence supporting the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions in fostering key elements of humanistic management—such as empathy, mindfulness, and wisdom—and underscores their broader implications for cultivating a more humanistically oriented workplace.