Work cultures that hum with empathy and kindness provide more fun for everyone and boost professional outcomes as well as work-life satisfaction. Empathy and generosity are not fixed nor innate but can be acquired and elevated amongst individuals. Efficient techniques and tapping into the psychology of the propinquity effect as well as conscious actions such as self-care (1), open-ended question asking (2), genuine socializing (3) as well as mindful meetings (4) are tools for personal enrichment and an enhanced workplace.

1. External Empathy from Inner Kindness

Our inner state will actively- and always, influence what happens in our external environments- we are energy sensitive beings after all. It’s always easier to show kindness and compassion to others’ when we treat ourselves that way. When centred, calm and happy it’s automatically easier to make eye contact with strangers, smiles bud faster, conversation is more fluid. It takes effort and self-discipline to nurture ourselves. Quality sleep, routine, good nutrition and quality time with loved ones creates a stable mind and heart that will travel with you into work.

2. Start a Meaningful Conversation

An open-ended and unusual conversation starter! ‘How have the last couple of days been for you?’. This one breeds a conducive environment for active listening practice. This little doozy can be pulled out anytime- whether the person being asked is going through a rough patch or not. It’s open and soft. They can decide where to navigate to with their verbal space. What power or energy to step into or avoid- it’s an empowering verbal exchange. No matter the outcome of the conversation or personal circumstances you’d be hard pressed to not gain at least a slice of bonding- and the person is likely to take it out with them into the world and share it, inspired by the newness of the question.

3. Work should incorporate play

If there’s a common stalemate roadblocking empathy and kindness at work, it could be summed up by the phrase ‘too systemic’. You know, workers are stone-faced from pressure or stress, an edge in their voice. This can often be down to hierarchy or power play that is present in the dynamics which is not only taxing but brings the work and business’ quality down. A sense of fun ought to be restored. How?

‘Team building’ can make people initially cringe- inciting visions of forced gaiety, rather than loosening the crowd sincerely. So, organize social gatherings regularly! Fun ones. Work should have play incorporated into it in order to create environments and opportunities for friendships to bud and blossom. Compassion and thoughtfulness will breed like rabbits when people are relaxed and having fun. Less formulas, more fraternizing.

4. Meet to Manifest

Literally hold a meeting! An emotional support group of sorts to deploy deeper humanism. Simply chatting about employees’ personal lives can bring a sense of wholeness and even relief. Conventional meetings can be robotic but in these take time for one another’s lives. Bring wine and rugs if you desire. A stretching activity could be to rotate around the office, taking it in turns to be an ‘ESP’ (emotional support person). That way, everyone has someone they know is going to listen, but furthermore, feel safe with.