To the brink and back: How near-death experiences can change how people work

What happens when someone comes close to death and then returns to everyday life, including work? For some, the experience can be transformative.

Near-death experiences (NDEs) are deeply personal experiences that some people report after a close brush with death. These experiences can include sensations such as floating above one’s body, reviewing moments from one’s life, encountering spiritual beings and feeling a profound sense of unity and love.

Although NDEs have been studied since the 1970s, we know relatively little about how they affect people after the event. Research suggests people who have near-death experiences may feel increased empathy, spiritual growth, a sense of purpose and even change how they approach their jobs.

Our recent study explored how near-death experiences impact people’s return to work. We interviewed 14 working adults who had a near-death experience as a result of medical crises such as a heart attack or accidents such as a car crash. What we found challenges conventional ideas about success, motivation and workplace culture.

Doing meaningful work

One of the most common changes expressed by the participants in our study was a desire to do work that felt meaningful and aligned with their newfound purpose in life.

After their near-death experiences, many wanted to spend time doing work that mattered to them and made a positive difference.

“I was not interested in doing nonsense … I just was not gonna waste my time on nonsense,” one participant told us. Her perspective shifted dramatically after her heart began beating abnormally for 20 minutes and she lost consciousness.

Others described similar shifts. Many participants changed their careers by focusing on different work priorities, switching jobs or even starting their own companies. One participant described quitting a high-earning job after being headhunted. She started her own business, which allowed her to use her own NDE to support individuals through the end-of-life process.

As one participant put it: “I like to say that when I woke up in that hospital bed, I had a knowing that the character I was playing was no longer working for me and I had to change characters, and changing that character meant changing that job.”

Rethinking motivation

Another significant shift reported by participants was a reprioritisation of their values, which, in turn, shifted their attitudes towards work and their careers.

After experiencing a near-death experience, many lost interest in external measures of success such as salary, fancy titles and prestige. Across the study’s participants, all reported no longer being motivated by extrinsic factors, such as money or receiving recognition for work.

Instead, they focused on internal alignment and authenticity. Rather than being driven by external rewards, participants were motivated by personal growth and making a positive difference. In some workplaces, employee motivation is driven by extrinsic incentives such as bonuses, promotions or external recognition. However, after their NDEs, participants reported being driven by their own internal benchmarks or purpose.

As one of our interviewees said:

“The motivation that was there came from this very strange, deep place that I wanted to all of a sudden make a huge impact, you know, in every part of my life … It’s hard to come out of this experience and not feel there’s a reason why you’re here, and you hate to say it, but you feel you have this special gift now. And it’s like why and how am I going to apply this? So, with work, I approach it that way as well.”

Relational transformations

We also found that near-death experiences transformed how people interacted with and related to others at work. This is consistent with previous research that shows distinct personality and attitude changes reported by survivors of NDES. Specifically, NDEs shift individual outlooks on life and can serve as catalysts for transformation, influencing how people relate to others.

Before their near-death experience, many participants viewed workplace relationships as task-oriented and transactional. But afterwards, those same relationships became more meaningful to them. Colleagues, clients and customers were no longer viewed as just business contacts. Instead, several participants spoke of their service and sales interactions as small acts of relationship-building rather than simply being economic exchanges.

One participant said:

“My relationships across the board are deeper, are more connected with people, a hundred per cent … I was a decent salesman before, but this is, like, bringing spirituality into a quote-unquote sales position, which blows my mind.”

Lessons for the rest of us

What does this mean for those of us who haven’t had a near-death experience?

The participants in our study said their near-death experiences reoriented them to what really matters in life. The after-effects challenge traditional organisational values that celebrate hyper-productivity at the expense of meaning and high-quality relationships. As previous studies suggest, workers engaged in meaningful work eventually manifest greater productivity and accomplishment as opposed to burnout as a result of overwork.

As interest in workplace well-being continues to rise, particularly in the wake of Covid-19 and the “great resignation” — NDE survivors may be ahead of the curve.

Read more: Why workers stay — lessons from 2025’s best employers in SA

The after-effects of a near-death experience align with what workers tend to want from their jobs. Workers generally want to satisfy three fundamental needs: economic security, meaningful work and high-quality relationships. Our results suggest that NDE after-effects result in reductions in the importance of satisfying the drive for economic security and elevate the significance of meaningful work and authentic relationships.

The stories of near-death experience survivors offer a kind of blueprint for reimagining how we work. For employees, that might mean re-evaluating what success looks like or exploring roles that align more closely with personal values. For employers, it might involve fostering workplace cultures that prioritize connection, purpose and well-being.

One participant offers a lasting reminder for all of us seeking more meaning in our life and jobs: “It’s about relationships, not achievements.” DM 

This story was first published in The Conversation. Akierah Binns is a PhD Management Candidate at the University of Guelph. Jamie Gruman is a Professor of Organizational Behaviour at the University of Guelph.