Kindness at Work

Article by Nancy Scholink

You have likely heard the phrase, “Be Kind." Being curious about what this really means, I started thinking about how employers can create a culture of kindness and what it would look like. 

First, what is kindness?

Is it as simple as smiling or as complex as paying for the child of an employee who works with you to attend college? A simple definition of kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate toward others. It involves actions and is an attribute that creates a positive experience. 

Here’s my favorite deeper definition: Kindness is being generous with others, giving your time, money or talent to support those who are in need. It’s about being compassionate, which means to really be there for someone, listening intently to their suffering, or just sitting with them and silently supporting them.

This valuable attribute can be used in the workplace to create a positive and supportive work culture. 

Is kindness a drug?

Hundreds of books are written about the science of kindness creating emotional warmth and the release of the "feel-good hormone" known as oxytocin. This in turn causes the release of nitric oxide, which dilates the blood vessels which improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure. One would think this miracle stimulant would be flying off the shelves!

Demonstrating and implementing a culture of kindness is not normally on an employer’s list of goals to achieve. But building kindness into the workplace can boost morale, strengthen team cohesion, and ultimately lead to greater productivity and employee retention—making it a powerful, overlooked asset in achieving organizational success.

Is kindness contagious?

Yes! It has been recognized that the positive effects of kindness are experienced in the brains of people who witness the act, improving their mood, and making them more likely to “pay it forward."

This means that scientifically, one good deed can create a domino effect of positive change!

How to build a kindness culture

It can’t be done overnight and requires a foundation of empathy. However, once it’s part of an organization’s culture, kindness can build connection, contribute to a better organizational culture, improve productivity, and lead to higher employee engagement and loyalty. 

We want to hear from you!

We'd love to hear your stories! If you have experienced or witnessed acts of kindness in your workplace, please consider sharing them with us for a chance to be featured in our On the Horizon newsletter and social media.

Let's build a community of kindness–submit your story and be a part of this positive movement! Please send examples of any length to hello@envisionintiative.com by November 15th.