The Big Idea: The importance of human connections to work satisfaction became evident during the past pandemic year of working remotely. As employers bring staff back into the office, they have an opportunity to build on those valued workplace relationships. Yet too often leaders reduce interactions with employees solely to measurements of their performance. As a result, many organizations feel sterile and void of passion. 

 Research indisputably supports the impact of love in the workplace — and no, not the romantic type, but the compassionate and caring type of love. It promotes teamwork, engagement, and employee wellbeing. Yet, creating a loving organization is a conscious choice that requires deep introspection and intentional work. It demands a strong measure of self-awareness — recognizing and understanding one’s self and one’s emotions — and removing the cloak of formality behind which many leaders hide.