A 2019 EY Belong Barometer study found that over 40% of U.S. respondents reported feeling physically and emotionally isolated in the workplace. This feeling crossed generational, gender, and ethnic lines. Creating a caring workplace is essential for establishing an environment where employees feel valued and supported. But how can this be achieved? It requires intentional effort; such an environment doesn’t just develop on its own.
Our founders, Howard M. Patterson and Harry D. Dewar, met while working on the Norris Dam project for the Tennessee Valley Authority. The two developed a close friendship, formed a partnership, and established Patterson & Dewar Engineers, Inc. in 1947. Now, 78 years later, this remarkable organization continues to uphold its foundation of caring for both employees and clients.
At P&D, our mission is to “Champion a servant leadership mentality to create strong personal relationships, client success, and employee satisfaction.” Servant leadership means caring for your team members and employees. Creating strong personal relationships with team members helps the team bond. While our mission statement is only two lines long, it contains two elements related to caring for others. This speaks to who P&D is as an organization and to who our founders were when they began the company.
What does a caring culture mean?
A caring culture is an organizational culture where leaders consistently take actions that help team members thrive and support one another in their growth. This nurturing environment enables the organization to provide excellent customer care.
Building a culture of care involves creating an atmosphere where everyone feels valued—not just customers and clients, but also employees. This approach fosters customer loyalty and enhances employee retention, allowing the organization to stand out. When employees feel cared for, they experience better mental health, which in turn reduces sick leave usage and minimizes employee turnover. For P&D, an employee-owned company, this is particularly important. Improved retention decreases onboarding costs, and reduced turnover means we spend less time rehiring for the same positions and training new employees.
A caring culture can significantly influence a team’s perception of potential threats to the company’s stability. Organizations that emphasize positive and caring behavior are often able to transform these “threats” into “opportunities” for positive change. By fostering a culture of customer satisfaction through care, these organizations gain a competitive advantage, as employees who feel valued take better care of their customers.
Empathy at work
People want more connection with those they work with. So, how can companies facilitate these connections and help employees feel a sense of belonging within their workplace community? The answers to EY’s study point to a simple solution: to create more opportunities for colleagues to check in with one another. By reaching out and acknowledging their employees personally, companies and leaders can significantly enhance the employee experience by making their people feel valued and connected.
At P&D, we encourage employees to talk with their team and the people they work with. How much you know about them? Do you know their spouses’ names? Do you know their kids’ names? Do you know what they do for fun? Having an interest in and engaging with someone more personally is another way to build a caring, symbiotic relationship.
How to build positive work relationships
Establishing strong working relationships is essential for supporting teams. Improved relationships enhance teamwork, leading to greater happiness, engagement, and productivity. Here are a few ways you can get started.
- Develop Your People Skills. Good relationships start with good people skills. Take this quiz How Good Are Your People Skills? to test how well you collaborate, communicate, and deal with conflict. The quiz will also point you to useful tools to improve weak areas.
- Focus on Your EI. Emotional intelligence (EI) is your ability to recognize your emotions and better understand what they tell you. By developing your EI, you’ll become more adept at identifying and handling the feelings and needs of others.
- Practice Mindful Listening. People respond better to those who truly listen to what they say. By practicing mindful listening, you’ll talk less and understand more. And you’ll quickly become known as trustworthy
- Schedule Time to Build Relationships. If possible, you could ask a colleague out for a quick cup of coffee. Or give a “one-minute kindness” by commenting on a co-worker’s LinkedIn post you enjoyed reading or sending them a quick message to check in with how they’re doing. These little interactions take time but lay the groundwork for strong relationships.
- Appreciate Others. Everyone, from your boss to the intern, wants to feel that their work is appreciated. So, genuinely compliment the people around you when they do something well. Praise and recognition will open the door to great work relationships.
- Be Positive. Focus on being positive. Positivity is contagious, and people gravitate toward those who make them feel good. If you’re having problems with positivity, a helpful exercise is to put five paper clips in your pocket. Remove a paper clip from your pocket whenever you say something positive or appreciative. The goal is to have no paper clips in your pocket at the end of the day. The first few days might be hard but stick with it for at least a week. This simple exercise will remind you to be intentional about being positive and spreading positivity.
Contributing to a culture of caring is as simple as smiling and saying hello. Showing interest in people is key. When you’re engaging with others, make sure to acknowledge who they are as individuals. Let them know why they matter; sometimes, a simple “thank you” can make a big difference.