November 13, 2024, is designated as World Kindness Day. First introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, World Kindness Day offers an opportunity to highlight good deeds in the community and the common thread of kindness. The intent of this day is to challenge individuals and organizations to realize that kindness is a powerful social instrument that may affect needed and long-lasting change.
This year’s 2024 theme is: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
Can organizations carry this theme into 2025 and ensure it is sustainable? We believe so and believe it is crucial for society, as well as for organizations and employees. The message should be not just ‘to look for the helpers, but to BE the helpers.’
Research confirms that workers continue to experience acts of incivility in the workplace, and the 2024 SHRM Civility Index indicates that incivility is on the rise in the daily lives of U.S. workers. Dimensions has fostered civility in workplaces as a cornerstone of leadership development and well-being initiatives since 2010.
Great leader qualities can be practiced and learned using simple skills and techniques. These qualities exemplify,
- humility,
- respect,
- kindness,
- empathy,
- self-awareness,
- emotional regulation,
- active listening to understand,
- having difficult but respectful conversations.
And these are the qualities foundational and essential for individual well-being, including those who perform uncivil acts. In fact, employees cannot be well, and workplaces cannot be safe and sound if acts of incivility occur and aren’t dealt with.
Incivility ripples throughout organizations and the fabric of our social lives. And today, social incivility is impacting our lives, and the way people treat each other. At work, employee well-being suffers, they are searching for other jobs, their energy level is low, and they aren’t as productive. Incivility permeates every aspect of work and outside of work. Witnesses of uncivil acts suffer the same consequences.
Plus, incivility is a significant profit loss for organizations, not just because of reduced productivity and increased absenteeism, but due to the cost of high turnover. The number one reason employees and mid-level managers leave their jobs is because of how they are treated by their boss. Studies have demonstrated that millions of dollars are lost annually to replace and train employees, only for them to leave. Incivility leads to a revolving door.
Safety and health & wellness professionals can and must be the helpers! Studies confirm that acts of kindness, civility, and graciousness, whether giving, receiving, or witnessing the acts,
- Enhance happiness
- Increase well-being
- Strengthen resilience
- Promote more kindness, civility, and graciousness
- Cultivate positivity
The bottom line is that we are better people, parents, friends, co-workers, and managers.
What can organization executives do to be the helpers in fostering civility? A powerful statement in a recent article, should be the call to action, “The culture of your organization is shaped by the worst behavior you’re willing to tolerate.” (Leadership Daily Inspiration)
- First, hold up a mirror for the executive team and develop skills you want in your leaders – first, be a role model and ask, what behavior have you been willing to tolerate?
- Develop leader qualities in managers and throughout the organization, not just management and productivity skills, but leader qualities. Such qualities must be practiced, cultivated, and reinforced.
- Establish a ‘no tolerance’ policy if some in your organization are not willing to learn, adapt, and change.
- Implement initiatives to learn self-awareness techniques.
- Nurture social conversations in the workplace.
- Ensure a safe and sound workplace – one that is physically, psychologically, and emotionally safe and well.
- Cultivate a culture of belonging and welcomeness.
- Assess the culture for physical and psychological safety, civility, support, and well-being.
- Add acts of kindness to your Safety and Wellness programs in 2025:
- Encourage volunteering.
- Encourage acts of generosity.
- Foster passionate conversations.
- Cultivate expressions of gratitude and gratitude journals.
- Stimulate and highlight acts of kindness.
Leaders are the gatekeepers of what is acceptable workplace behavior. It is worth repeating, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
- Notice.
- Recognize.
- Encourage.
And None of Us Should Accept Acts of incivility.
Image Creator in Bing