Kindness in the Workplace
By Susan D. Rostkoski, Principal Consultant
Some interesting statistics have emerged from the 2022 Global Culture Report by O.C. Tanner, a U.S.-based, international firm that helps companies improve workplace culture through meaningful employee experiences.
Companies see a 12x increased odds that an organization will thrive when employees feel connected.
Employees who develop strong connections are 11x more likely to stay with their organization for at least another year and are 3x more likely to stay three more years.
The most successful companies use tools such as employee appreciation to spread kindness at work and retain employees.
We shouldn’t be surprised that these results align with the latest brain research, which shows that we humans are wired for connection to each other, to our work, and to the quest for a higher purpose. Kindness in the workplace is like plugging in to a charging station, giving meaning to our daily tasks and providing an outlet for our charitable impulses. The beauty is that everyone can participate in kindness activities that are in front of us daily and in the midst of our busy lives.
A new study in the journal, Emotion, looks at acts of kindness within a real-life working environment and shows how kindness creates a positive ripple effect that affects the whole workplace culture. The American Psychological Association notes that practicing everyday prosociality (i.e. activities that benefit others) is emotionally reinforcing and that receiving everyday prosociality is an unequivocally positive experience. Collaboration and innovation increase, generosity and connection propagate and spread. Kindness is contagious!
As you think about your personal kindness scale in the workplace, consider the following:
Sometimes the things we “don’t do” can be a kindness. When you don’t pass on gossip, don’t rush to judgement without knowing all the circumstances, don’t make yourself look better at someone else’s expense, these are true kindness gifts because they are anonymous. And they have the benefit of making you feel better about yourself, a self-kindness if you will.
It’s easy to miss what you’re not looking for. To stand back, take a deep breath, tune into what is going on around you -- all can be a great boost to your awareness, which is the bedrock on which kindness is built.
Making kindness a priority in the workplace will create a more inclusive workplace culture, one where people feel a sense of belonging and well-being. That’s a worthy goal.