When Bad Things Happen to Good…CoWorkers

8/12/13 Why do bad things happen? My short answer is, “Uh, I dunno.” That may not be the most important question anyway. What is important is that bad and good things will happen to these people with whom we spend a significant portion of our life, and we all benefit when they have the support they need. The places I am most fond of having worked at are- probably not coincidentally- also the ones where people are the most supportive of their colleagues. Everyday life includes little things like the occasional kid with a bad cold or dropping 20 pounds, but sometimes also includes life altering events like a significant illness or getting married. The people we work with are part of our social support network. Stepping in to celebrate or to cover for someone builds a culture of trust and goodwill among employees. Sometimes the coverage isn’t fair, but life isn’t always fair, yet we still need to “do the right thing”. I have seen the benefit of such social support in the work context. And, I have seen that work productivity is increased by a strong positive culture. How can you help someone feel good today about the work he or she is doing? How can you thank someone today for support that person has provided you recently or in the past? Things, good or bad, happen to us. Are we creating a safe enough environment that people feel comfortable sharing needs and losses, victories and joys with each other?