Kindness is crucial in the workplace, and people are increasingly choosing companies that prioritize it. Among jobseekers, 77% search for employers who enact policies of kindness. Another 77% say they’re more likely to apply if the job listing mentions kindness as a company value. What’s more is that 89% of workers view kindness as a high priority in the workplace.
Clearly, kindness matters.
Jonathan H. Westover, Ph.D., a managing partner and principal at Human Capital Innovations, has seen firsthand how kindness and compassion can dramatically improve company culture, employee engagement, productivity and the bottom line.
In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share Dr. Westover’s thoughts on how you can create a culture of kindness at your promo company.
Listen without judging. Dr. Westover recommends setting aside time to have candid but caring conversations with your team members. This can help you understand their challenges so you can better support their well-being.
Emphasize humanity. Your team members are more than the clients or revenue they bring in. Make sure you remind them of that.
Admit your imperfections. By modeling vulnerability, Dr. Westover says you can help show emotional self-awareness and show others that it’s OK to be themselves.
Recognize unseen efforts. Your sales reps probably do a lot of work that goes unnoticed. Dr. Westover recommends acknowledging these behind-the-scenes contributions.
Connect beyond work. To cultivate more kindness, take a genuine interest in the people you work with every day. Engage in casual conversation and get to know them as individuals. Celebrate the important milestones in their lives.
Build diversity into decisions. Dr. Westover says it’s important to think about how strategic choices might impact various cultures and roles. Then, adjust to promote inclusion.
Help others with no expectations. This is a great way to promote kindness. When you help others just because you can, Dr. Westover says you begin to lift team spirit and build partnerships.
Take breaks to recharge empathy. When your schedule is packed all the time, you can deplete your ability to empathize with others. Dr. Westover says you can recharge by being in nature or enjoying a hobby.
Don’t overlook the importance of kindness at work. Harnessing this soft skill is one of the best ways to build a stronger workplace culture.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Jonathan H. Westover, Ph.D. is managing partner and principal at Human Capital Innovations, a firm that helps clients improve their personal and organizational growth and development.
