Submitted:
05 December 2024
Posted:
06 December 2024
You are already at the latest version
Abstract
This study investigates the feasibility of integrating mindfulness and the Mediterranean lifestyle into corporate wellness programs, focusing on their potential to enhance workplace well-being. A survey of 485 employees from Greece and Cyprus examined the relationships between mindfulness, resilience, adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle, and work ability. Pearson correlation analysis revealed strong positive associations between mindfulness, resilience, and work ability. Mindfulness was also a significant predictor of higher work ability and job satisfaction, while adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle showed a modest, but positive, correlation with resilience and work ability. A notable finding was the sector-specific disparities in wellness scores, with employees in health and retail sectors demonstrating lower levels of resilience, work ability, and mindfulness compared to those in other sectors. Participants showed a high willingness to participate in future corporate wellness interventions, particularly those combining online and onsite formats. These results suggest that mindfulness and the Mediterranean lifestyle can positively influence employee well-being and productivity, and that sector-specific strategies may be needed to address gaps in workplace wellness. Future research should explore the long-term effects of such interventions and their applicability across different industries and employee groups.
Keywords:
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Design and Procedure
2.2. Scales
2.2.1. Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS-15)
2.2.2. Mediterranean Lifestyle Index (MEDIFE)
2.2.3. Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale - 10 Items (CD-RISC-10)
2.2.4. Single Item Sleep Quality Scale (SQS)
2.2.5. Single Item Job Satisfaction Scale
2.2.6. Work Ability Index (WAI)
2.3. Demographics, Anthropometrics, and Lifestyle
3. Results
3.1. Demographics
3.2. Correlations
3.3. Mindfulness and Psychological Resilience
3.4. Mindfulness and Job Satisfaction
3.5. Mindfulness and Work Ability
3.6. Mediterranean Lifestyle and Psychological Resilience
3.7. Mediterranean Lifestyle and Work Ability
3.8. Mediterranean Lifestyle and Body Mass Index
3.9. Work Ability and Other Wellness Related Parameters
3.10. Corporate Wellness and Work Sector
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Michaelsen MM, Graser J, Onescheit M, et al. Mindfulness-Based and Mindfulness-Informed Interventions at the Workplace: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis of RCTs. Mindfulness (N Y). Published online May 11, 2023. doi:10.1007/s12671-023-02130-7Author 1, A.; Author 2, B. Title of the chapter. In Book Title, 2nd ed.; Editor 1, A., Editor 2, B., Eds.; Publisher: Publisher Location, Country, 2007; Volume 3, pp. 154–196.
- Korre, M.; Tsoukas, M.A.; Frantzeskou, E.; Yang, J.; Kales, S.N. Mediterranean Diet and Workplace Health Promotion. Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep 2014, 8, 416. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Matthias, C.; Bu, C.; Cohen, M.; Jones, M.V.; Hearn, J.H. The role of mindfulness in stress, productivity and wellbeing of foundation year doctors: a mixed-methods feasibility study of the mindful resilience and effectiveness training programme. BMC Med Educ 2024, 24, 834. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- He, J.; Li, X.; Wang, H.; Xu, Z. A study on the relationship between mindfulness and work performance of web editors: Based on the chain mediating effect of workplace spirituality and digital competencies. Front Psychol. 2023, 13, 1068735. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Komariah, M.; Ibrahim, K.; Pahria, T.; Rahayuwati, L.; Somantri, I. Effect of Mindfulness Breathing Meditation on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: A Randomized Controlled Trial among University Students. Healthcare (Basel) 2022, 11, 26. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Navigating burnout…….
- Dinesh, T.K.; Shetty, A.; Dhyani, V.S.; TS, S.; Dsouza, K.J. Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on well-being and work-related stress in the financial sector: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol. Syst Rev 2022, 11, 79. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Christodoulou, E.; Deligiannidou, G.-E.; Kontogiorgis, C.; Giaginis, C.; Koutelidakis, A.E. Natural Functional Foods as a Part of the Mediterranean Lifestyle and Their Association with Psychological Resilience and Other Health-Related Parameters. Applied Sciences. 2023, 13, 4076. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Damigou E, Georgoulis M, Chrysohoou C, Barkas F, Vlachopoulou E, Adamidis PS, Kravvariti E, Tsioufis C, Pitsavos C, Liberopoulos E, et al. Mediterranean-Type Diet Adherence and Body Mass Index through 20 Years of Follow-Up: Results from the ATTICA Cohort Study (2002–2022). Nutrients. 2024, 16, 1128. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Christodoulou, E.; Markopoulou, V.; Koutelidakis, A.E. From Mind to Plate to Pillow: Examining the Interplay of Mental Health, Eating Disorders, and Sleep Quality. International Journal of Translational Medicine. 2024, 4, 278–285. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Cohen, C.; Pignata, S.; Bezak, E.; Tie, M.; Childs, J. Workplace interventions to improve well-being and reduce burnout for nurses, physicians and allied healthcare professionals: a systematic review. BMJ Open 2023, 13, e071203. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Shiri, R.; Nikunlaakso, R.; Laitinen, J. Effectiveness of Workplace Interventions to Improve Health and Well-Being of Health and Social Service Workers: A Narrative Review of Randomised Controlled Trials. Healthcare (Basel) 2023, 11, 1792. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sidossis, A.; Gaviola, G.C.; Sotos-Prieto, M.; Kales, S. Healthy lifestyle interventions across diverse workplaces: a summary of the current evidence. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2021, 24, 490–503. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Kunzler AM, Helmreich I, Chmitorz A, et al. Psychological interventions to foster resilience in healthcare professionals. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020, 7, CD012527. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Robbins, R.; Jackson, C.L.; Underwood, P.; Vieira, D.; Jean-Louis, G.; Buxton, O.M. Employee Sleep and Workplace Health Promotion: A Systematic Review. Am J Health Promot 2019, 33, 1009–1019. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Ahmad, N.; Ullah, Z.; Ryu, H.B.; Ariza-Montes, A.; Han, H. From Corporate Social Responsibility to Employee Well-Being: Navigating the Pathway to Sustainable Healthcare. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2023, 16, 1079–1095. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Di Tecco C, Nielsen K, Ghelli M, et al. Improving Working Conditions and Job Satisfaction in Healthcare: A Study Concept Design on a Participatory Organizational Level Intervention in Psychosocial Risks Management. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020, 17, 3677. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Christodoulou, E.; Markopoulou, V.; Koutelidakis, A.E. Exploring the Link between Mindful Eating, Instagram Engagement, and Eating Disorders: A Focus on Orthorexia Nervosa. Psychiatry International. 2024, 5, 27–38. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Menon, V.; Muraleedharan, A. Internet-based surveys: relevance, methodological considerations and troubleshooting strategies. Gen Psychiatr 2020, 33, e100264. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Saeedbakhsh, M.; Omid, A.; Khodadoostan, M.; Shavakhi, A.; Adibi, P. Using instant messaging applications to promote clinical teaching of medical students. J Educ Health Promot. 2022, 11, 254. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Christodoulou, E.; Mpali, T.; Dimitriadou, M.-E.; Koutelidakis, A.E. Mindfulness, Gut–Brain Axis, and Health-Related Quality of Life: The Paradigm of IBD Patients. Healthcare. 2024, 12, 1209. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12121209Osman A, Lamis DA, Bagge CL, Freedenthal S, Barnes SM. The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale: Further Examination of Dimensionality, Reliability, and Concurrent Validity. J Pers Assess 2016, 98, 189-199. doi:10.1080/00223891.2015.109576125.
- Brown, K.W.; Ryan, R.M. The benefits of being present: mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. J Pers Soc Psychol 2003, 84, 822–848. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Poorebrahim A, Lin CY, Imani V, et al. Using Mindful Attention Awareness Scale on male prisoners: Confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch models. PLoS One 2021, 16, e0254333. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Mantzios, M.; Wilson, J.C.; Giannou, K. Psychometric Properties of the Greek Versions of the Self-Compassion and Mindful Attention and Awareness Scales. Mindfulness 2015, 6, 123–132. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sotos-Prieto, M.; Moreno-Franco, B.; Ordovás, J.M.; León, M.; Casasnovas, J.A.; Peñalvo, J.L. Design and development of an instrument to measure overall lifestyle habits for epidemiological research: the Mediterranean Lifestyle (MEDLIFE) index. Public Health Nutr 2015, 18, 959–967. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Galanis P, Psomiadi ME, Karagkounis C, et al. Psychometric Properties of the Greek Version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) in a Sample of Nurses. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023, 20, 6752. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Christodoulou, E.; Deligiannidou, G.-E.; Kontogiorgis, C.; Giaginis, C.; Koutelidakis, A.E. Fostering Resilience and Wellness: The Synergy of Mindful Eating and the Mediterranean Lifestyle. Applied Biosciences. 2024, 3, 59–70. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Snyder, E.; Cai, B.; DeMuro, C.; Morrison, M.F.; Ball, W. A New Single-Item Sleep Quality Scale: Results of Psychometric Evaluation in Patients With Chronic Primary Insomnia and Depression. J Clin Sleep Med 2018, 14, 1849–1857. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Dereli, M.; Kahraman, T. Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of single-item Sleep Quality Scale in healthy adults. Sleep Med. 2021, 88, 197–203. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Nakata, A.; Irie, M.; Takahashi, M. A single-item global job satisfaction measure is associated with quantitative blood immune indices in white-collar employees. Ind Health 2013, 51, 193–201. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Wanous, J.P.; Reichers, A.E.; Hudy, M.J. Overall job satisfaction: how good are single-item measures? J Appl Psychol 1997, 82, 247–252. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Magnavita, N.; Meraglia, I.; Viti, G.; Borghese, L. The Work Ability Index (WAI) in the Healthcare Sector: A Cross-Sectional/Retrospective Assessment of the Questionnaire. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2024, 21, 349. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Ebener, M.; Hasselhorn, H.M. Validation of Short Measures of Work Ability for Research and Employee Surveys. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019, 16, 3386. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Jones, T.L.; Baxter, M.A.; Khanduja, V. A quick guide to survey research. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2013, 95, 5–7. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hodge, J.M.; Shah, R.; McCullough, M.L.; Gapstur, S.M.; Patel, A.V. Validation of self-reported height and weight in a large, nationwide cohort of U.S. adults. PLoS One 2020, 15, e0231229. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Nuttall, F.Q. Body Mass Index: Obesity, BMI, and Health: A Critical Review. Nutr Today 2015, 50, 117–128. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Montero-Sandiego, E.; Ferrer-Cascales, R.; Ruiz-Robledillo, N.; Costa-López, B.; Alcocer-Bruno, C.; Albaladejo-Blázquez, N. Assessment Strategies to Evaluate the Mediterranean Lifestyle: A Systematic Review. Nutrients 2022, 14, 4179. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Christodoulou, E.; Meca, A.; Koutelidakis, A.E. Herbal Infusions as a Part of the Mediterranean Diet and Their Association with Psychological Resilience: The Paradigm of Greek Mountain Tea. Nutraceuticals. 2023, 3, 438–450. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Williams, E.C.; Polito, V. Meditation in the Workplace: Does Mindfulness Reduce Bias and Increase Organisational Citizenship Behaviours? Front Psychol. 2022, 13, 747983. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Bartlett, L.; Buscot, M.J.; Bindoff, A.; Chambers, R.; Hassed, C. Mindfulness Is Associated With Lower Stress and Higher Work Engagement in a Large Sample of MOOC Participants. Front Psychol. 2021, 12, 724126. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Elmaliklis, I.-N.; Miserli, E.; Filipatou, M.; Tsikouras, I.; Dimou, C.; Koutelidakis, A. Association of Mediterranean Diet Adherence, Functional Food Consumption and Anthropometric Characteristics with Anxiety and Depression Indexes in a Sample of Healthy Greek Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study. Psychiatry International. 2020, 1, 135–149. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kapolou, A.; Karantonis, H.C.; Rigopoulos, N.; Koutelidakis, A.E. Association of Mean Daily Polyphenols Intake with Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Anthropometric Indices in Healthy Greek Adults: A Retrospective Study. Applied Sciences. 2021, 11, 4664. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Poulimeneas, D.; Anastasiou, C.A.; Mylona, R.; Kokkinos, A.; Panagiotakos, D.B.; Yannakoulia, M. Adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle pattern is associated with favorable weight loss outcomes: the MedWeight study. Nutr Res. 2022, 108, 73–81. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Peng J, Zhang J, Wang B, et al. The relationship between sleep quality and occupational well-being in employees: The mediating role of occupational self-efficacy. Front Psychol. 2023, 14, 1071232. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Martinez, V.M.L. The importance of workplace exercise. Rev Bras Med Trab 2021, 19, 523–528. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ghani, B.; Memon, K.R.; Han, H.; Ariza-Montes, A.; Arjona-Fuentes, J.M. Work stress, technological changes, and job insecurity in the retail organization context. Front Psychol. 2022, 13, 918065. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Rink, L.C.; Oyesanya, T.O.; Adair, K.C.; Humphreys, J.C.; Silva, S.G.; Sexton, J.B. Stressors Among Healthcare Workers: A Summative Content Analysis. Glob Qual Nurs Res. 2023, 10, 23333936231161127. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Andrade, C. The Limitations of Online Surveys. Indian J Psychol Med 2020, 42, 575–576. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]








| MAAS-15 | MEDLIFE | CD-RISC-10 | WAI | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAAS-15 | 1 | 0.076 | 0.389** | 0.371** |
| MEDLIFE | 0.076 | 1 | 0.170** | 0.095* |
| CD-RISC-10 | 0.389** | 0.170** | 1 | 0.408** |
| WAI | 0.371** | 0.095* | 0.408** | 1 |
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).