Kindness in the Workplace
If you follow us on our socials, you will see that we have been celebrating Kim’s 35th year in the Industry Recruitment, and what a 35 years it has been! Kim has worked with some inspirational people during her time in the industry, who have shared her values of kindness, honesty, openness, and transparency. These values are the foundations of all our work at THE Agency (Recruitment) Ltd. and to celebrate Kim and all her kindness we are talking about kindness in the workplace this month on all our social platforms. Kindness is a cost free tool to improve our working environment in so many ways, not just for the employer but also for the employees…
“Organisations benefit from actively fostering kindness. In workplaces where acts of kindness become the norm, the spillover effects can multiply fast. When people receive an act of kindness, they pay it back, research shows – and not just to the same person but often someone entirely new. This leads to a culture of generosity in an organisation. In a landmark study analysing more than 3500 business units with more than 50,000 individuals researchers found that acts of courtesy, helping and praise were related to core goals of organisations. Higher rates of these behaviours were predictive of productivity, efficiency and lower turnover rates. When leaders and employees act kindly towards each other they facilitate a culture of collaboration and innovation.”
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Kindness at Work (hbr.org)
(Don’t Underestimate the Power of Kindness at Work)
(By Ovul Sezer, Kelly Nault and Nadav Klein)
The ability to recognise our peers in the workplace for their achievements and efforts brings benefits to not only those we are praising but also to ourselves. To be recognised by a colleague for a job well done can build and strengthen relationships in the workplace, creating a trusting and caring environment where people feel supported and acknowledged, thus allowing individuals to flourish.
The most recent incidence of this on a global scale was at Glastonbury where Elton John collaborated with new talent and established artists alike. His words obviously came from the heart as did theirs to him; of their gratitude at his support. You could see their words meant as much to him, as did his adoring fans in the crowd. What a legacy he leaves in the music industry on his retirement!
And whilst we are talking Glastonbury we can not leave out the huge act of mass human kindness from the crowd who sang the lyrics to Lewis Capaldi’s song, when his Tourette’s Syndrome took control in the middle of his performance. No one could fail to be moved by the crowd or his reaction as they took over the performance showing their respect and support for the artist. It was just amazing, and I am sure we will never tire of watching that moment when he knew the crowd were there to hold him up!
Not all acts of kindness need to be huge grand gestures, but the impact a simple act of kindness can have on a peer can be just as powerful. From taking time to check that someone is ok if they seem out of sorts and listening to their problem, giving them space to talk and feel heard to identifying when a peer is struggling with their workload and offering support and advice. These simple acts could significantly change that person’s day and future.
Studies have found that acts of kindness are linked to increased feelings of well-being. Helping others can also improve our support networks and encourage us to be more active. This, in turn, can improve our self-esteem. There is some evidence to suggest that when we help others, it can promote changes in the brain that are linked with happiness, says a report from The Mental Health Foundation. The article goes on to say that acts of kindness create a sense of belonging and reduces isolation and helps to keep things in perspective.
Kindness matters guide | Mental Health Foundation
(Kindness Matters Guide from The Mental Health Foundation)
We spent the entirety of Lockdown in Covid trying to be kind and talking about kindness as if it was some new phenomenon, but what kindness is, is a basic human need, to receive but also to give.
