Listen to the article
In a moment when Beth Brown faced dual crises – her infant daughter’s COVID-19 diagnosis and her mother’s death – she felt overwhelming guilt about stepping away from a major work project. But her colleague’s compassionate response changed everything.
“In the grand scheme of things, this is not important,” Brown’s colleague told her. “It’ll be here when you get back. I’ll be there when you’re back.”
“I felt like there was a brick taken off my chest,” recalled Brown, who serves as director of health and well-being at a company providing employee mental health programs and absence management services.
While kindness is among the first lessons taught to children, it often gets overshadowed in competitive workplaces where deadlines, pressure, and financial anxieties dominate. Yet acts of workplace compassion frequently leave lasting impressions on recipients.
Molly MacDermot, director of special initiatives at Girls Write Now, a nonprofit mentorship organization, considers herself fortunate to have a supportive boss who showed understanding when she lost both parents within the span of a few years.
“It’s really important to feel human, to be allowed to be human, which is getting the grace to just deal with the bumps in life,” MacDermot explained.
As technology accelerates work demands across industries, these moments of humanity can become increasingly valuable. Workplace kindness manifests in various ways – from sharing difficult feedback constructively to welcoming newcomers or adapting policies to accommodate personal circumstances.
Creating environments where colleagues genuinely connect has become particularly significant amid heightened societal divisions, according to Anna Malaika Tubbs, sociologist and author of “The Three Mothers” and “Erased.”
“Especially in a workplace, where you can level the playing field and really make sure people know, ‘Hey, you’re welcome here and you’re seen here,’ that can really make a difference at a time when on a national level people feel really divided from each other,” Tubbs said.
She recommends organizing staff retreats inclusive of family members, bringing in guest speakers, starting book clubs, and planning team-building activities to generate shared experiences that facilitate meaningful conversations.
The objective isn’t to eliminate political differences or healthy disagreement but to foster a cultural shift away from competitive behaviors that typically get rewarded in professional settings.
“Let’s not show up to meetings thinking that we have to compete and show who’s going to be the loudest and who’s going to be the most dominant,” Tubbs suggested. “What would look differently if we were collaborating with each other? If we were more focused on community?”
Maya Nussbaum, founder of Girls Write Now and MacDermot’s supervisor, implements this philosophy by beginning meetings with “heart warmers” – opportunities for staff to share thoughts on simple topics like favorite candles – and actively encouraging diverse perspectives.
“Productivity is better when people feel that they’re valued and they’re listened to and they matter,” Nussbaum observed. “They’re going to work harder and they are going to care, and they’re going to channel their passion as opposed to feeling dismissed.”
However, kindness doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations. Chantel Cohen, founder and CEO of CWC Coaching and Therapy in Atlanta, emphasizes that compassion sometimes requires delivering uncomfortable truths.
“Sometimes kindness is getting out of your comfort zone and telling someone the truth so they can shine,” Cohen explained. She recommends that managers provide specific examples when discussing performance issues. “Kindness isn’t a conflict-free workplace. Kindness is a workplace where repair is possible or improvement is possible.”
Acknowledging successes remains equally important. Karla Cen, who previously worked under a manager who criticized her multiple times daily, now thrives in an environment where her contributions receive regular positive recognition.
“Having her pass by and say, ‘You did that really well today,’ it just really uplifts the mood of the whole department and makes us ready to come in for the next challenges,” Cen said.
Kindness can also mean giving back time by reconsidering whether meetings are necessary or keeping them focused. Cohen suggests occasionally replacing meetings with written exchanges to provide employees with more flexibility.
Sometimes, workplace compassion involves reconsidering established policies. When Meher Murshed and Anupa Kurian-Murshed wanted to marry after dating as colleagues at Gulf News in Dubai, they faced a company rule prohibiting spouses from working in the same department. Their editor-in-chief advocated for them, and management created an exception as long as neither reported to the other.
“It changed our lives. Life could have been very different,” Meher Murshed reflected.
In a world increasingly defined by efficiency and productivity metrics, these examples highlight how moments of genuine human connection and understanding can transform workplace cultures and individual experiences alike.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
10 Comments
Honest feedback and flexible policies are great, but the real key is having managers who are willing to listen and make accommodations. That kind of leadership can make a huge difference in employee morale and retention.
This article highlights an important point – kindness in the workplace doesn’t have to mean being a pushover. It’s about finding the right balance between supporting employees and maintaining productivity. Sounds like a healthy approach.
Agreed. Compassionate leadership is not about lowering the bar, but rather creating an environment where people feel empowered to do their best work.
This is a great reminder that work is just one part of life. Allowing employees to be human and deal with personal challenges without fear of repercussions builds trust and creates a healthier, more productive workplace culture.
Absolutely. Compassionate leadership is a sign of strength, not weakness. It shows that a company values its people, not just the bottom line.
While kindness is often overlooked in competitive work environments, it’s refreshing to see examples of how compassion can make a real difference. Small gestures of understanding and flexibility can go a long way in boosting morale and loyalty.
It’s refreshing to see companies prioritize compassion over rigid policies and deadlines. Workplace culture is just as important as the bottom line. Kudos to leaders who create an environment where people can be themselves and take care of their personal needs.
Absolutely. Showing genuine care for employees’ well-being builds loyalty and trust. It’s a win-win when companies can balance productivity with empathy.
Kindness in the workplace is so important, especially during difficult personal times. It’s great to hear about compassionate leaders who understand the human side of their employees and offer support. Fostering a culture of empathy can really make a difference.
Totally agree. Small acts of kindness and understanding can go a long way in helping employees feel valued and supported during life’s challenges.