“Research has shown that
workplaces that have more kindness
are more successful.”
Last month on the 17th of February saw the annual observation of the Random Acts of Kindness Day. That meant that you might have done something that was out of the norm for someone, maybe even someone you didn’t know personally. Perhaps you paid for the drink of the person behind you in the queue at the coffee shop. Or maybe you called up a friend you hadn’t spoken to in a while and asked how they were. You might have baked a cake for a neighbour who was unwell. Or you could have thanked someone, either verbally or in writing, for something they did for you; this could be a relative or a friend, or even someone you not as close to, such as your postie or the person who works behind the till at your grocery store. Maybe you gave a copy of your favourite book to someone you thought would enjoy it, or left the copy on a park bench for someone to find (on a sunny day!).
While Random Acts of Kindness Day is a great reminder to be kind, we should try to incorporate kindness every day. Ideally, we’d smile at people we pass, hold doors for those following us, ask colleagues and friends about their well-being, treat people to lunch, and so on, although of course these things aren’t always possible, depending on our mood, what else we have going on, and our finances. But we can try. This is true at work too. In fact, research has shown that workplaces that have more kindness are more successful. This might seem surprising, so it’s worth pausing over. After all, if people are spending time (or “wasting time”, as some might claim) chatting together or doing things for one another or volunteering at a charity, then they must not be working. And surely if you’re in your workplace, you should work non-stop, right?
Actually, no. People who feel happier, more appreciated, and treated better somewhere, such as at work, will also be more efficient and effective.
Written by B.J Woodstein, PhD
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