Developing a Meditation Model for Employee Well-Being: Loving-Kindness and Dhamma Music in Practice at ACE

Abstract

This research article aimed to develop and evaluate a Buddhist-informed meditation model for enhancing the mental well-being of employees at Absolute Clean Energy Public Company Limited (ACE). The study had three objectives: (1) to study the work-related problems affecting the mental well-being of ACE employees; (2) to develop a Loving-Kindness Meditation model integrated with Dhamma Music for enhancing employee well-being; and (3) to evaluate and present the effects of the model on employees’ mental well-being. The study employed a mixed-methods research design combining qualitative inquiry and a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. Qualitative data were collected through documentary analysis, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions with relevant stakeholders, including employees, executives, meditation teachers, business leaders, and mindfulness trainers. Quantitative data were collected from 18 ACE employees using a mental well-being questionnaire before and after participation in the intervention. Data were analyzed through thematic content analysis, descriptive statistics, and a dependent-samples t-test.

The findings revealed that ACE employees experienced several work-related stressors, including prolonged sitting, high workload, time pressure, financial concerns, work-life imbalance, fatigue, anxiety, sleep difficulty, and reduced motivation. The developed model integrated Loving-Kindness Meditation, Dhamma Music, mindful breathing, walking meditation, forgiveness reflection, mindful bowing, gratitude practice, and parent appreciation activities. These components were designed to cultivate mindfulness, compassion, emotional regulation, relaxation, gratitude, and interpersonal empathy. The quantitative results showed that participants’ mean mental well-being score increased from 76.17 before the program to 97.78 after the program, with a statistically significant difference (t = 5.99967, p = .000014). Qualitative findings also indicated reduced stress, improved emotional balance, better sleep quality, greater patience, and improved relationships with colleagues. The study contributes to applied Buddhist studies and workplace well-being by presenting a culturally grounded meditation model that may serve as a promising employee wellness strategy in Thai corporate settings.