Yoga and Workplace Well-Being: A Holistic Approach to Stress Reduction

Abstract

Workplace stress, prolonged sitting, musculoskeletal discomfort, sleep problems, and psychological strain can negatively affect employee well-being and organizational functioning. Yoga is a multidimensional mind-body practice that can combine physical postures, breathing, relaxation, and mindful attention, making it potentially relevant to occupational health. This paper examines yoga and workplace well-being from a holistic perspective, focusing on stress reduction, physical health, musculoskeletal comfort, mental well-being, sleep, mindfulness, work-life balance, organizational implementation, and safe practice. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of desk-based workers included 15 studies, with 11 studies and 1,123 participants contributing to quantitative analyses. Compared with passive controls, yoga was associated with improvements in psychological and physical well-being, perceived stress, sleep quality, and musculoskeletal discomfort; however, the authors emphasized heterogeneity and risk of bias and described the evidence as preliminary. An earlier meta-analysis of workplace yoga found a moderate reduction in perceived stress, with an overall effect size of −0.67, while also noting concerns about study bias. The paper argues that yoga can be a useful complementary workplace-wellness intervention, but it should accompany broader organizational measures addressing workload, work design, ergonomics, and employee support.