It takes five positive comments, according to the Harvard Business Review, to cancel the impact of a negative criticism received in the workplace.
In a research article published in the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science Kim Cameron and his coauthors found that a workplace characterized by positive and virtuous practices excels in a number of domains.
Positive and virtuous practices include:
- Caring for, being interested in, and maintaining responsibility for colleagues as friends.
- Providing support for one another, including offering kindness and compassion when others are struggling.
- Avoiding blame and forgive mistakes.
- Inspiring one another at work.
- Emphasizing the meaningfulness of the work.
- Treating one another with respect, gratitude, trust & integrity.
Cameron and his colleagues explain that there are three reasons these practices benefit the company. Positive practices:
- Increase positive emotions which broaden employees’ resources and abilities by improving people’s relationships with each other and amplifying their creativity and ability to think creatively.
- Buffer against negative events like stress, improving employees ability to bounce back from challenges and difficulties.
- Attract and bolster employees, making them more loyal and bringing out the best in them.
