A BUDDHIST-APPROACH TRAINING PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING IN TECHNOLOGY-OVERUSED WORKPLACE

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Nowadays, technology-overused workplaces place employees under constant pressure through continuous notifications, digital tasks, and expectations of constant availability. Although many organizations have tried to improve external working conditions, sustainable relief may also require inward forms of mental cultivation. While mindfulness has become increasingly popular in workplace wellness programs, many existing approaches focus mainly on stress reduction techniques without addressing the deeper mental habits and emotional attachments that cause suffering in employees' daily lives. Therefore, the research objectives were to examine the impacts of technology overuse on employee well-being in the workplace, to explore the role of Buddhadhamma and meditation practices in promoting employee well-being, and to develop a training program integrating Buddhadhamma and meditation practices for technology-overused work environments.

Methodology: This qualitative study used data triangulation to gather insights from 33 key informants, involving 22 employees facing technology-induced strain, 9 Buddhist scholars or meditation masters, and 2 organizational experts. Data were collected across three stages of a training program (Pre-training, During-training, and Post-training) through online open-ended questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and focus discussions, followed by thematic analysis. A pilot training program was then delivered to 3 selected case studies through eight individual online sessions conducted over one month via Zoom. Each participant followed the same core structure and themes while receiving individualized guidance and reflection throughout the process. The sessions combined discussions of Buddhadhamma, meditation practices, and practical reflection on every workday experience.

Main Results: Findings indicated that the excessive reliance on digital technologies significantly deteriorated employee well-being. Buddhadhamma provided a profound understanding of these experiences not only as workplace problems but also as reflections of craving, attachment, restlessness, and habitual mental reactivity. Besides, meditation practices helped practitioners become more aware of their thoughts, emotions, and deep-seated behaviors in daily situations involving technology use. After completing the pilot training program, participants reported positive changes in their awareness, emotional regulation, and mental and physical well-being. They also described the program as a meaningful way to reconnect with balance and purpose in life and expressed a strong desire to continue practicing.

Involvement to Buddhadhamma: The research applied Buddhist principles to the modern context of information technology in a globalized world. The core Buddhadhamma involved the Four Noble Truths, the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, the Three Marks of Existence, the Four Divine Abidings, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, and the Mindfulness of Breathing, both as theoretical foundations and practical methods. These teachings were deliberately organized into different well-being dimensions and paired with meditation techniques to support a deeper understanding of the causes of distress and the mind's habitual tendency to react, accumulate, and intensify experiences. This integrated approach was designed not only to help participants alleviate workplace stress and dissatisfaction but also to cultivate a broader and clearer perspective on the relationship between work, life, and spiritual fulfillment.

Conclusions: The pilot program represented a practical application of Buddhadhamma-informed mindfulness in the modern workplace. It introduced Buddhadhamma to modern organizational contexts as a right way of living rather than a religious form and positioned meditation grounded in such wisdom as a foundation for longer-term mental and behavioral change. This approach facilitated the cultivation of spiritual well-being while also contributing to other dimensions of employee well-being. Although the findings were exploratory, they suggested that the program may be relevant not only in technology-intensive settings but also in other high-pressure work environments.