How to Promote Kindness in the Workplace and Build a Positive Culture

Brief

Discover eight practical strategies to promote kindness in the workplace, boost collaboration, and create a positive work culture.

Insight

The world often isn’t a kind place — but the workplace can and should be. Promoting kindness at work is not simply about being nice; it’s a strategic advantage that strengthens teams, boosts morale, and drives long-term success. Research shows that organisations which prioritise kindness enjoy stronger relationships, greater collaboration, higher engagement, and improved employee retention.

Kindness, as defined by researchers including Nicki Macklin, is “the proactive effort to support someone else’s growth, well-being, or success; a set of observable, intentional actions.” This goes far deeper than surface-level niceness. As Professor Tessa West explains, niceness is often about social performance, whereas kindness provides security and grounding — exactly what many employees seek in today’s uncertain climate.

Incivility, on the other hand, has a damaging impact. Surveys by meQuilibrium reveal that employees who experience incivility — such as being ignored, dismissed, or spoken to disrespectfully — face lower motivation and greater stress. Unkindness erodes trust, weakens collaboration, and can harm organisational reputation.

To build a culture of kindness, organisations can take eight actionable s:

Know what kindness is: Recognise it as intentional support, not a vague feeling.
Know what kindness isn’t: Don’t confuse it with superficial niceness.
Step back, grab oxygen: Encourage leaders to care for their own well-being first.
Stand up, stick up: Show kindness through real action, even when it’s inconvenient.
Set standards: Establish clear behavioural expectations for in-person and virtual interactions.
Pay attention: Regularly check in with employees to detect early signs of stress or tension.
Encourage calling in, not out: Address unkind behaviour constructively, focusing on understanding and growth.
Bring back niceties: Reintroduce small gestures that make the workplace feel human again.

These steps create an environment where kindness is visible, actionable, and embedded into everyday culture. A kind workplace leads to better communication, lower turnover, and stronger team bonds.

To implement these principles effectively, explore our workplace culture strategies
to foster a more respectful, inclusive, and engaged environment.