What’s love got to do with it?

Do you love what you do?  What about the people you work with, your co – workers, do you love your co – workers?  Latest research shows that people who love their co-workers perform better and show up at work more.  This is not romantic love but ‘companiate love’, based on warmth, affection and connection.

In a Longitudinal study titled ‘What’s love got to do with it’ researchers Barsade and O’Neill coined the term ‘Emotional culture’ to talk about workplaces where employees felt loved and cared for and how this had a positive measurable impact on performance and well being.

But it is not only love, which some of us might find hard to express at work, but making room for other positive emotions like pride in a job well done, joy and laughter. There is power in the small gestures, the hand written note, a thank you, taking time to ask after people all make for happier workplaces.  A  leader I know knocks it out of the ball park with engagement scores year after year.  he makes it a point to connect personally every day with each and everyone on his large, geographically dispersed team, either through a phone call, face to face or via email and sometimes even text.  As leaders we communicate daily on a professional level with people we work with, but to take the time to connect personally? The personal connection for this leader is asking after one person’s mother who has just come out hospital, asking how someone else went at their son’s soccer game etc.  It’s genuine, comes from a deep sense of caring for his team, who in turn feel valued, connected and dare I say it loved?

So how you are you going to share the love… at work?