Ever since my 200-hour Yoga Teacher training in 2017, I have often reflected on how the ancient wisdom of yoga can bring clarity to today’s people management challenges. I’ve been in management roles since 2016 and have seen the parallel of leadership principles and yoga philosophy in the workplace. 

The Yamas, the first limb of Patanjali’s Eightfold Path of Yoga, act as an internal GPS that is profoundly relevant in our workplaces.

In an era marked by rapid change, questions around transparency, fairness, inclusion, and leadership integrity are constant. The Yamas offer timeless tools to navigate these issues, not as rules, but as ethical lenses through which to lead and build culture. 

To make these teachings actionable, I’ve distilled each into a guiding aphorism with HR-specific reflections. These can serve as guiding principles for HR leaders and are equally applicable to people-leaders. These are not meant to be a “how-to” that is cut and dry, they should be used as a starting point.

The below will be the first post in what will be a series of posts related to how yoga can be applied in the workplace.

The Yamas, Ethical Principles in Relation to Others: Ahimsa

Ahimsa (non-harming)

Aphorism: Do no harm: in policy, in process, or in silence.

HR Application: Ahimsa urges us to lead with compassion. It asks us to examine not just our actions but our tone, intent, and even unconscious biases that guide our decisions. In practice means meeting people where they are without judgement, holding space so that no one feels diminished or unsafe. 

In HR, this means prioritizing psychological safety, actively addressing microaggressions, and dismantling harmful systems, whether that’s biased hiring algorithms, ignorance related to disability inclusion, or inequitable promotion practices. Silence in the face of harm is harm.

This can be challenging because this all comes down to culture, the foundation upon which everything else is built in an organization. Trying to change existing systems can seem insurmountable. How do you create no harm when the system was never designed in the first place, with compassion in mind? 

HR often tends to be compliance focused, creating policies and procedures to help manage the company’s risk exposure. The people creating these policies and procedures try to consider the impact to the person affected by these policies but sometimes fall short. It’s not malicious, it’s usually blind spots that contribute to this. This is where diversity adds to the conversation. Different perspectives are key when creating policies. Nothing accomplished in HR or any leadership position should be done in a silo. I’m not saying everything should be done by committee, but rather any decisions made, or actions taken, are done so through collaboration with cross-functional teams. Including others will help reduce blind spots and help foster a sense of ownership across the organization.

So how can you work within the existing system? Consider softness, compassion, and flexibility to adapt to unique situations, without creating inconsistency. Try branching out and working with others to increase your ability to see things from other perspectives. 

This is where an HR audit might be a handy tool. Taking a close look into all people-related processes. A good place to start is with how a Reduction in Force (RIF) is handled.

• Does your organization offer a soft landing for those affected by being laid off?
• How do you calculate severance?
• Do you offer a COBRA subsidy?
• Do you offer outplacement services?