The Power of Kindness: Transforming Workplace Culture in Healthcare

In today’s fast-paced and often high-stress workplaces, kindness can sometimes take a backseat to efficiency and productivity. However, research and experience show that fostering a culture of kindness isn’t just a “nice-to-have” — it’s a game-changer for employee engagement, team dynamics, and even patient care.

Bluewater Health (BWH), a community hospital system in Ontario, recognized this truth and took action. Faced with employee burnout, low trust, and team stress following a period of job cuts, BWH leadership set out to create a Culture of Kindness—a simple yet powerful initiative that has led to measurable improvements in staff morale, trust, and patient satisfaction.

Why Kindness Matters in the Workplace

Kindness requires no budget, no special training, and very little effort—but its impact is profound. Studies have shown that when employees feel valued and respected, they are more engaged, productive, and resilient in their roles. In healthcare, this extends even further: happier employees contribute to better patient experiences, improved teamwork, and more compassionate care.

BWH’s journey towards a Culture of Kindness began with the recognition that employee well-being directly impacts patient outcomes. Their approach was intentional and structured, focusing on leadership involvement, employee engagement, and creating a sense of belonging across all teams.

Key Strategies for Building a Culture of Kindness

Through a series of targeted initiatives, BWH developed a five-pronged approach to embedding kindness into their workplace culture:

1. Engage Leadership: Culture Follows Leadership

BWH leadership understood that a cultural shift starts at the top. The CEO and senior leaders committed to actively demonstrating kindness in their daily interactions. Leaders encouraged open conversations, acknowledged the emotional toll of healthcare work, and provided formal support for staff well-being.

Additionally, leadership took practical steps to alleviate job security concerns and support career development opportunities—recognizing that reducing workplace anxiety is, in itself, an act of kindness.

2. Engage Employees: Giving Staff a Voice in Change

BWH ensured that kindness wasn’t just a leadership-driven initiative but one shaped by employees themselves. In 2017, the hospital formed a Culture of Kindness Employee Council, composed of volunteers from across departments. Their goal? To define what kindness meant to staff and create actionable ways to embed it into daily interactions.

From this, four guiding principles emerged:
✅ Dignity and Respect – Recognizing each other’s contributions
✅ Communication – Encouraging open and supportive dialogue
✅ Collaboration – Strengthening teamwork across departments
✅ Community – Fostering a sense of belonging at work

One small but powerful initiative was asking each council member to commit to one random act of kindness daily. As employees noticed the shift, momentum built, making kindness a contagious habit across teams.

3. Acknowledge and Appreciate: The Power of Recognition

One of the simplest yet most effective strategies was acknowledging employees’ efforts and contributions. Staff were encouraged to recognize colleagues—whether through a quick verbal thank-you, a handwritten note, or an email.

A small act, like a leadership team member bringing sandwiches to overworked ICU nurses, had a big impact—demonstrating that leaders saw and appreciated the extra effort staff put into their work.

4. Build a Sense of Community through Inclusion

Kindness goes beyond individuals—it’s about fostering a supportive team environment. To create a stronger sense of belonging, teams started recognizing colleagues in non-clinical roles, like administration and housekeeping, for their contributions to patient care.

Simple but meaningful changes included:
✅ Expanding unit bulletin boards to include all team members
✅ Holding potluck lunches and open houses to bring teams together
✅ Encouraging teams to introduce and welcome new employees

These efforts paid off. Surveys showed a 3.5% increase in employees feeling like they “belong to a team,” and staff reported a noticeable increase in teamwork across departments.

5. Make Kindness Fun and Creative

To keep the momentum going, BWH encouraged creative expressions of kindness. Some of the most memorable initiatives included:
💊 “Prescription refills” for acts of kindness—a fun way for pharmacists to promote kindness
🍩 A “Random Acts of Kindness Cart” delivering small treats to employees spotted being kind
🏆 “World’s Kindest Person” certificates recognizing standout team members
🎨 Kindness Rocks—volunteers painted inspirational messages on stones and handed them out to staff
💃 A flash mob at a leadership retreat—led by the Culture of Kindness Council to energize the movement

These activities not only kept kindness top-of-mind but also made it engaging and enjoyable, reinforcing that small acts can have a big impact.

The Results: A Measurable Shift in Workplace Culture

So, did kindness actually make a difference? Absolutely.

Comparing third-party employee engagement surveys from 2016 to 2018, BWH saw:
📈 A 8% increase in employees feeling that kindness was promoted
📈 A 6.5% increase in employees feeling positively about the hospital as a workplace
📈 A 4.2% increase in trust toward the organization

Beyond the numbers, the workplace “felt different”—staff smiled more, made eye contact, and engaged in positive interactions more frequently.

Even more significantly, patient experience scores improved:
🏥 Emergency department patient satisfaction rose from 47% to 55%
🏥 General hospital patient satisfaction increased from 66% to 73%

These shifts highlight an important truth: when employees feel valued, supported, and engaged, the ripple effect benefits everyone—including patients.

Sustaining Kindness: The Road Ahead

Creating a culture of kindness isn’t a one-time initiative—it requires continuous effort. BWH leadership and the Employee Council remain committed to embedding kindness into the hospital’s DNA, with regular monitoring and new initiatives in the works.

However, sustaining widespread change isn’t always easy. Some employees remain skeptical, and keeping engagement high over time is a challenge. But those involved believe in the long-term vision. As Kathy Bisson, co-chair of the employee council, put it:

"You spend so much time at work—why not be happy?"

And that’s the heart of the message: kindness isn’t just about making work better—it’s about making life better.

Final Thoughts: Can Kindness Transform Your Workplace?

The experience at BWH proves that kindness isn’t just a feel-good concept—it’s a tangible, strategic approach to improving workplace culture. Whether in healthcare or another industry, organizations that prioritize kindness will see benefits in engagement, trust, and performance.

Imagine what could change if every workplace committed to small, intentional acts of kindness every day.

What’s one way your organization fosters kindness? Let’s discuss!

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Landry, S., Bisson, K., Cook, C., & Morrison, L. (2018). How a Culture of Kindness Can Improve Employee Engagement and Patient Experience -- and Five Ways to Get There. Nursing Leadership (1910-622X), 31(3), 42–47. https://doi-org/10.12927/cjnl.2018.25678

#Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeEngagement #KindnessAtWork #Healthcare

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