Studies ensure that even small gestures of generosity make employees feel happier

How many times have you heard a friend or relative complain about the work environment at the company they work for? Besides, how many times have you been on the verge of throwing in the towel because you didn’t feel good about your job? This is not a rare situation. Therefore, a group of researchers decided to analyze what would happen if employers made a simple gesture of generosity towards their employees. As trivial as this may seem, they found that small actions, no matter how small, have a very positive impact on the work environment and on productivity. That is, treating the employee well is good for the company’s cash.

O awesome.club applauds all initiatives that seek to achieve a better work environment, because it knows that people, when they feel more valued, produce better and more. That’s why we share more details of this research with you.

It has been proven that a smile has positive effects on individuals. When someone smiles at us, we immediately smile back and this causes an increase in our levels of dopaminethe hormone of happiness and serotoninwhich helps reduce stress levels.

But if your boss acted warmer, how would you feel? To find out the answers, a group of researchers from the State University of Pennsylvania, in the USA, decided to study the effects of generosity on a group of truck drivers.

It is a practice among some employers in this sector in the US to deliver a box of breakfast every day. But Bu Zhong, an associate professor of journalism at Pennsylvania State University, asked them to add a piece of fruit to that breakfast.

The group that participated in the experiment, made up of 86 truck drivers, is particularly special, as they experience stressful workdays, in the midst of intense traffic and a lot of demands. However, something as trivial as a piece of fruit had a big impact on them, reflecting an improvement in their quality of life.

Offering fresh fruits such as apples or bananas for 3 weeks has become a great success, and not only because of the great benefits resulting from the consumption of these foods, but because, after applying different questions to discover the level of employee satisfaction, the researchers concluded that drivers felt less depressed, discouraged or hopeless and even had less trouble sleeping a week into the experiment.

If employees in this industry — who tend to suffer from fatigue and develop musculoskeletal problems and lower back pain — get great results from a simple gesture from their employers, not just in terms of mood but also in terms of productivity, it means that any employee (regardless of the area of ​​expertise) is sensitive to small gestures of improvement in their workplace, no matter how small they may seem.

But that is not all. What would happen if co-workers also adopted small acts of generosity towards each other? According to a study carried out by the University of California, USA, this attitude is also reflected in the work environment, resulting in a considerable improvement in employee appetite, sleep quality, reduction of depressive symptoms and greater commitment to work. .

In this study, actions of generosity, gestures of gratitude and demonstrations of optimism were evaluated. The 94 participants were divided into givers and receivers and had to perform 5 acts of generosity, such as encouraging a partner if they were having a bad day, sending a thank you email, bringing someone a drink, and helping a colleague with some work . After these attitudes, people said they felt more connected with each other, both those who “donated” and those who “received”. That is, a harmonious environment was established, something that is never too much at work.

How would you feel if your boss gave you that kind of warm gesture? Or if your co-workers behaved more generously? In your opinion, would your work environment change? Tell us in the comments section!