Return on Investment

SAP announced in 2017 that their Mindfulness Initiative contributed directly to their profitability.  They calculate an ROI of >200%.  You can read the full Reuters article here.

Gone are the days when companies ask for the exact ROI figure when it comes to physical fitness.  Many organizations actively encourage employees to join some sort of fitness program and many subsidise the expense.  It is simply taken as fact that any money spent on employees physical well-being will, in the long term come back to the company in terms of increased productivity, reduced health care costs, lower sick days etc. 

The same can be said for mindfulness initiatives.  In fact many health professionals now believe that our mindset drives our physical well being.  Having a positive outlook for example lowers stress hormones and that has a positive affect on our physical bodies and physical well being. 

Studies in positive psychology are showing that an optimistic mindset can be learned and it all starts with understanding and being aware of where you are and mindfulness enables this insight.  With this new mindset we are able to do away with old narratives, stories and beliefs and achieve our goals while becoming more productive in both our personal and professional lives.

While you can spend hours trying to calculate an ROI for your Mindfulness initiative there is one simple method of calculating ROI that can easily address any concerns of potential skeptics.  It can be done as follows:

• 47% of the time our minds wander (Harvard University Study).
• Wasted productivity: 47% of a $50,000 salary = $23,000.
• Increasing FOCUS by a modest 5% results in productivity gain of $1,150.
• Cost of attending one of Optimistic Brain Programs Online: $149
• ROI > 700%
• Note: This ROI does not include the ROI from other skills improvements such as:
  • More Engaged Employees
  • Increased Collaboration and Teamwork
  • Improved Communication
  • Improved Creativity and Innovation
  • Reduced Stress and Sick Days