Love in the workplace

Show employees some love this Valentine’s Day.

Study after study concludes employees who feel valued are more engaged, satisfied, collaborative, productive and committed to their work. Those feelings last far longer than long-stemmed roses and represent an investment of time and energy to create a nurturing work culture.

“Strong emotions get a bad rap in the business world,” says Chris Edmonds, author and expert on organizational culture. “Yes, leaders must set a tone that’s professional (but) love is a core element of a culture that’s purposeful, positive and productive.” 

This Feb. 14, Edmonds advises leaders to spell it out for employees.

Language: Make a habit of talking openly about positive emotions like love. Set a new tone in which authentic human emotions are embraced in your workplace. 
“Here’s what I love about how you handled that situation…”

Optimism: Be optimistic about how your employees make residents’ lives better every day. Tell stories about your organization’s servant purpose in action using words like love to describe the effect employees’ efforts have on the customer experience. 
“Our customers love us when we knock it out of the park!” 

Validation: Look for the good. Recognize and praise ideas and efforts…not just accomplishments. It takes nine times the praise to offset one zinger! Instead of demeaning, discounting, or dismissing, be a source of grace and gratitude. 
“I love the initiative you took. You made it clear how much you have to offer to this team.”

Excellence: Leaders must not leave the quality of their work culture to chance. Formalize desired culture with an organizational constitution. Make values and the way people treat one another on a daily basis as important as the work itself. 

Nicole Stempak

Nicole was Senior Editor at I Advance Senior Care and Long Term Living Magazine 2015-2017. She has a Journalism degree from Kent State University and is finalizing a master’s degree in Information Architecture and Management. She has extensive studies in the digital user experience and in branding online media. She has worked as an editor and writer for various B2B publications, including Business Finance.