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The IUP Journal of Soft Skills

Mindfulness Training at Google

Article Details

Pub. Date	: December, 2021
Product Name	: The IUP Journal of Soft Skills
Product Type	: Article
Product Code	: IJSS61221
Author Name	: Jitesh Nair* and Bitra Vasudev**
Availability	: YES
Subject/Domain	: Management
Download Format	: PDF Format
No. of Pages	: 6

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Description

The case study aims to bring to light the growing importance of emotion regulation trainings in organizations. In 2007, Chade Meng Tan, a software engineer at Google, started the "Search Inside Yourself" (SIY) program at the company in collaboration with experts in the fields of neuroscience and Emotional Intelligence (EI). The program aimed to teach EI to Googlers through the mindfulness meditative technique. The two-day program teaches Google employees the methods of mindfulness, self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, and empathy and leadership skills. The SIY program at Google has been very successful, with many employees registering for the program that generally has a long waiting period. Numerous Googlers have attributed their new-found calmness, resilience to demanding situations, empathy, and attentive listening skills to the SIY program. The SIY team went on to set up the "The Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute," in 2012 as an independent nonprofit organization to offer EI courses to Googlers and non-Googlers. Many multinational companies, including AT&T, Philips Electronics, and Autodesk, conduct EI workshops on a regular basis for their employees. Aetna, a US-based health insurance company; General Mills, a global consumer goods company; and computer chip maker Intel have also implemented mindfulness courses for their employees.

Introduction

In 2019, Google was the most sought-after employer in the world. According to the report, 'Global 2000: The World's Best Employers,2 Google was the best company to work for in 2019.3 The success of the company, which had been number one for three consecutive years, was generally attributed to the high salaries, generous perks, flexible working schedules, and free meals offered to employees. However, the company's efforts to foster employee well-being had also played a key role in Google's success. Google's "Search Inside Yourself" (SIY) program, aimed at boosting the Emotional Intelligence (EI) of its employees, was the flagship program that had played an important role in the exceptional performance of Googlers.4 Conceptualized by Chade Meng Tan (Meng), a former Google employee, SIY trained Google employees on EI5 through mindfulness.6