Workers Want Their Bosses to Be Compassionate

According to a new study by Harvard University, fostering trust and a sense of purpose among employees can play a significant role in building a successful and productive workplace.

While business executives are, by nature, focused on maximizing profits for their companies, many experts believe that more attention should be paid to the welfare of their employees once they decide to come on board.

The research, conducted by a team at Harvard and Massachusettes General Hospital, found that commitment to a job is largely influenced by one's sense of purpose, feeling of personal impact and overall trust in the organization. Productivity, meanwhile, is largely affected by the quality of workplace relationships including cooperative, social group moods and interaction.

Nancy Etcoff, the lead researcher of the study says, "that workplaces that provide positive environments that foster interpersonal trust and quality personal relationships create the most committed and productive employees."

According to business strategist Courtney Anderson, "reinvigorating workplaces by enhancing trust and employee commitment doesn't have to be complicated. With little know-how, it can be easy to evolve workplace well being and respond to these compelling research results."

Outstanding leadership in today's global business environment means much more than just doing your job. It also means creating an environment that fosters happy, committed, and productive team members. The work environment, management, and leadership are key areas in developing trust among your employees.

The research also found that employee happiness is positively and significantly affected by trust and identification with one's co-workers. Further, the greater the level of purpose that one assigns to his or her work correlates to greater workplace commitment. The same is true in the level of trust the employer has developed among the employees.