Opinion: How to be a superstar in your workplace — show kindness

This is an editorial piece. An editorial, like a news article, is based on fact but also shares opinions. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and are not associated with our newsroom.

This is Kate Davis, our associate producer of Utah’s Morning News. She is a superstar.

Let me explain why I’m telling you about her. Lately, I’ve been hearing so much from coworkers and reading news articles about how things have deteriorated in the workplace. We swear more on the job. We “quiet quit” or only do the bare minimum so we don’t get fired.  A Gallup survey from 2022 showed at least 50% of all employees are quiet quitting, maybe more!

Every day is casual Friday

We bring our bad habits from working at home to the office and start clipping our fingernails at our cubicles. (Yuck!) Since the pandemic, every day is casual Friday. Some people even wear pajama bottoms to work or “forget” to shower.

We are so wrapped up in our own challenges — our children, their anxiety, trying to pay for groceries, and sometimes working a second job to make ends meet — that we have forgotten what it was like when work used to feel like family.

I tell you about Kate because she has definitely not forgotten. Kate is not only an incredible producer, but she cares so easily and genuinely about everyone. More than just caring, she is kind. She has shown me compassion in ways that have helped me get through the day. I find her invaluable and remarkable.

Kindness increases productivity

She may not know this, but she is contributing to a more productive workplace. Research has shown that kindness in the workplace increases productivity and job satisfaction. Kindness can lower stress levels and increase engagement. Kindness can even improve the quality of the work. When employees feel happy and appreciated, they are more creative. The Harvard Business Review even says that kindness in the workplace reduces burnout and absenteeism.

We can’t control the behavior of others, but we can have an impact on our friends and coworkers by consciously being more kind. I tell my kids all the time that the most important thing they’ll ever learn is to be kind. Of course, the best way I can teach them this lesson is by my own example.

Amanda Dickson is the co-host of Utah’s Morning News and A Woman’s View.

Follow @amandadickson