Why kindness should be at the heart of your company culture

With kindness the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2020, we take a look at why kindness should be at the heart of your company culture.

Pointing to paper

Corporate cultures can vary wildly from organisation to organisation, and kindness may not always be a characteristic sought for from employees. In some cases, the opposite is promoted – in some businesses, there can be a ‘dog eat dog’ culture associated with success. There is a litany of business books; not many mention being nice.

And yet kindness can be key to a successful, healthy, popular and balanced life¹. It’s an inexpensive and efficient way of improving morale, enhancing collaboration and increasing employee engagement. We take a look at how a culture of kindness in the workplace can positively impact businesses.

Increase positivity

Being kind boosts serotonin and releases dopamine in the brain², which can make people feel happier and more positive. Furthermore, a recent real-life study showed that acts of kindness had a huge impact on overall workplace positivity, and on employees’ sense of wellbeing³.

Positivity isn’t just good for the individual – it’s also good for business. When people feel more positive, they’re more likely to be creative, intelligent and productive⁴. Promoting kindness can create a butterfly effect which positively impacts business performance.

Impact on health

Kindness can also have a tangible impact on physical and mental health. It can decrease blood pressure⁵, it can reduce anxiety and it can help people manage stress. There has also been a study which shows a correlation between volunteering and lower levels of inflammation. It concluded that productive activities (i.e. frequent volunteering) may protect individuals from inflammation that is associated with increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease⁶. Therefore, being kind may help employees live happier, healthier and longer lives.

Building a connected community

People who receive kindness in the workplace report a sense of camaraderie, and a higher level of happiness⁷. Interestingly, areal-life study has shown that acts of kindness perpetuate within communities – not only did employees reciprocate acts of kindness, they also acted more kindly to others. Being kind to others can release endorphins – being kind literally makes people feel good.

This has an impact on performance; a Canadian study found that teams in a respectful environment have more energy, are more likely to feel motivated and enthusiastic, and are more satisfied with their jobs⁸. A connected and engaged workforce is also less likely to be isolated, which can also detrimentally effect mental health.

There are many ways that companies can promote kindness as a core value. Business-led initiatives could include:

Providing free refreshments, snacks or lunch
Celebrating community in a public space (such as a communal board)
Facilitating conversations – through social networks, lunches or more formal initiatives
Encouraging employees to celebrate one another through peer-to-peer recognition

¹https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/17/health/kindness-health-benefits-wellness/index.html

²https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/the-art-of-kindness

³https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-24716-001

⁴https://www.huffingtonpost.com/global-yodel/the-power-of-kindness_1_b_12772034.html

⁵https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/the-art-of-kindness

⁶https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article/54/5/830/627130

⁷https://m360.sim.edu.sg/article/Pages/What-do-Kindness-and-Camaraderie-have-in-Common.aspx

⁸https://apex.gc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/civility-report-eng.pdf

For more information or to discuss any of the issues outlined in this article, please get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] or call us on 0344 573 0033.