Loving-Kindness and Compassion Meditation Facilitates Workplace Well-Being: Randomized Controlled Trials Comparing the Mediating Roles of Positive Emotion and Self-Compassion

Loving-Kindness and Compassion Meditation (LKCM) is growing in popularity as a tool for enhancing well-being. However, evaluations of its specific impacts and underlying mechanisms in the workplace are limited. This study conducted two randomized controlled trials to examine the effects of online self-help LKCM interventions on employee well-being (Study 1: n = 200; Study 2: n = 386). The focused outcomes included job burnout, job satisfaction, and turnover intention, with Study 2 extending to psychological distress. We also compared the mediating roles of positive emotion and self-compassion in the LKCM intervention effects. Both studies showed that the LKCM intervention effectively improved most of the included outcomes and their dimensions, except for general job satisfaction and positive self-compassion in Study 1, and reduced accomplishment in Studies 1 and 2. Moreover, the two studies identified the independent mediating roles of positive emotion (particularly low- and medium-arousal types) and self-compassion (especially negative self-compassion) in the effects of the LKCM intervention. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the impact of LKCM interventions on employee well-being. They offer effective and practical strategies for enhancing occupational health. Our results also highlight implications for future research and applications of LKCM in workplace settings.