Creating and developing awareness at work has always been a challenge. Getting people from so many different backgrounds and cultures to work and communicate together is no easy task. This challenge has taken a few steps, as we can no longer sit face to face, understand each other, and try to resolve our differences. Opportunities to chat or socialize and have lunch together during breaks are no longer an option and can lead to a greater distance between colleagues, which can reduce trust and collaboration.
The power of empathy
A fundamental way to raise awareness at work, especially in times of social distance, is to practice empathy. Empathy allows us, somehow, to try to put ourselves in other people’s shoes and try to understand what they are going through. I believe you can’t put yourself in someone else’s shoes because there’s no way you can experience everything that person has gone through in your life. The decisions you make now and the behavior you exhibit are a cumulative result of all the past situations and exchanges you’ve been through. While it may seem like an impossible task, you should at least try to understand what our colleagues are going through.
Empathy is even more important for those who strive to be careful in their approach to leadership. One way to practice is to get in touch with those working under your supervision and have a non-commercial conversation to see how they are handling COVID-19 and Zoom’s potential fatigue. Let your employees know that you care not only about their productivity but also their well-being. Being a conscientious leader simply means being more human and treating everyone as you would like to be treated. Research shows that employees who are valued, valued, and cared for are more productive and loyal.
Employees are tired of a fear-based leadership model. It does not inspire creativity, loyalty, and loyalty. People want a people-centric culture that puts employees first and promotes awareness at work. It is critical for those in leadership roles to understand that they are planting seeds and creating their own corporate culture – chances are that the same culture will be passed on to future tenants. The key question then is: what kind of culture am I creating?
Appreciation cultivates trust and loyalty
How often do you value the contributions of your leaders, subordinates, and peers in a significant way? How specific are you in your appreciation of each individual? Quickly yell out a broad sentence like “Amazing!” for your entire team and back to our normal routine? There are more effective ways to spread appreciation for the workplace. Avoid predefined responses and send personal and meaningful recognition to each employee. By sending sincere thanks regularly, you’ll see a big difference in how they interact and interact, compared to sending a generic message just once a year.
The role of communication in building a mindful culture
An equally important part of awareness at work is being compassionate and considerate when communicating with others, via text message, email, in a virtual meeting, or person. Here are four tips to keep in mind when communicating with your teammates:
- Is the message true? Did you understand the facts well?
- Will the message be helpful to the person or situation? If not, how can you communicate effectively to ensure a positive outcome?
- Can your message be organized so that it does not disturb the recipient’s mind and emotions? Since negative messages can distract a person’s mindset and cause loss of productivity, can they be rephrased to improve their tone?
- Can your message be structured to appeal to the recipient?
If you meet these criteria, be very careful before holding that in-person meeting or clicking “send” as once the message is sent, it cannot be returned; repairing the damage to the relationship may not be possible or may take a long time. Remember that it is vital to be patient when it comes to communication. Relationships, like trees, can take a long time to grow, but they can be cut down quickly.
When and how to practice awareness at work?
Mindfulness exercises can help you develop compassion and improve your communication at work. This gives you a moment of pause and clarity and allows you to step into your peers’ shoes and be more empathetic.
Here are some times when mindfulness at work can be practiced to improve your performance.
- With the immediate start of your working day
- Before going to a meeting
- After a meeting (especially if it’s hot)
- During breaks
- At the end of the workday (so you can be there for your family’s needs)
Below are some ideal mindfulness exercises you can do during your workday.
- Breathe deeply for five to ten years and stay focused on your breathing exercises
- Be grateful for something that has happened in your life and for something that has happened so far.
- Appreciate a colleague you know and another you don’t
- Wish your colleagues mental success in their endeavors and businesses
These simple mindfulness exercises allow us to clear congestion and organize our minds, which will help reduce stress on our mind and body. It allows you to gain clarity and perspective on a potentially difficult situation. The practice of mindfulness doesn’t have to be a time-consuming, time-consuming activity—you just need a few minutes a day to give your mind the necessary rest it deserves so that you feel empowered to do your own thing and enjoy it to the full self-conscious me at work.