A culture of kindness in a workplace facilitates a higher sense of self worth and boosts employee engagement. Creativity, reduced turnover, increased sales, and improved productivity all result from being kind. Kindness boosts employee engagement in five ways:
- Boosts creativity
- Reduces turnover
- Increases leadership success
- Increases sales
- Increases productivity and effectiveness
1. Kindness boosts creativity
A culture of kindness in a workplace facilitates a higher sense of self worth among employees, boosting engagement with the organization, their work, their colleagues, and managers. A work environment upheld by effective listening, positive affirmation, and supportive communication creates a positive social network where ideas are more likely to flow freely.
2. Kindness reduces turnover
According to a U.K. study, eight in ten Brits would not accept a role, even if it paid more, if it meant working with people they did not get along with. “In fact, pay was only the sixth biggest factor for people staying in their current job, with Brits prioritizing good relationships with those around them, enjoying the role and the commuting time over thinking about the money.”
Warmth is the conduit of influence
3. Kind leaders have a better chance of long-term success.
The success of leaders who are aware of and consciously take steps to treat employees with warmth is determined by warmth over competence. Leaders who demonstrate high levels of “interpersonal warmth” have a better chance at long-term success. (Kellogg School of Management)
For a few ways to increase likability as a leader, you can:
- Deepening positive emotional connections with others
- Displaying integrity consistently
- Acting as a coach, mentor and teacher
- Being less competitive with others and more cooperative
- Inspiring those around you
- Making an effort to change when asking for feedback
- Sharing your vision for the future.
4. Workplace kindness increases sales
The best sales are won through relationships. Bringing genuine kindness into the sales process builds trust and makes the transaction more enjoyable for everyone involved. Trust increases information sharing, openness, fluidity, and cooperation. If coworkers can be trusted to do the right thing and live up to their commitments, planning, coordination, and execution are much easier.
5. Kindness increases productivity and effectiveness
One meta-analysis examined 38 studies of organizational behavior, representing more than 3,500 business units and many different industries, and found that the link between employee giving and desirable business outcomes was surprisingly robust. Higher rates of giving were predictive of higher unit profitability, productivity, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, along with lower costs and turnover rates. When employees act like givers, they facilitate efficient problem solving and coordination and build cohesive, supportive cultures that appeal to customers, suppliers, and top talent alike."
