We all say it, but do we mean it? 'Staff are our most important resource.' Some 'good' coming out of the horrors of Covid-19 as a legacy has been to force us all to slow down, pause, and reflect. We are now one 'united planet' and 'human race' affected by the exact cause. The roads have been quieter, the skies more transparent, less dust and noise pollution, and our business correspondence have been more personable ('Hi, hope you are well... stay safe!').

I don't know about you, but, despite being redundant, it has made me feel good about myself. It is energizing me to want to be even kinder to others in a time of national need. One of the reasons I volunteered for #CornwallCare.

This crisis has made us all think and reflect. Businesses have had to adapt and change, and we have had to endure so much over the last few months.

For some, this is difficult and all too much. Let's seize on this moment in our lives, focus, and harness on the excellent kind-spirited people. Let us now transform further as a business embracing 'Kindness' in our culture.

Embrace the positives coming out of Covid and memorialize all those who have passed. Creating a legacy their family and friends who have suffered can be proud of. Our memories when we look back will be that good came out of the sadness. We can say Covid made us 'stop, think, change,' improving the wellbeing of our people and saving the planet.

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Be Kind to your Staff and the Environment by;

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1. 'Empowering,' 'listening,' 'engaging,' 'investing, ' ' training' (not just competency-based) staff. Introduce strategies and tangible 'initiatives' to improve their wellness and wellbeing. Introduce better working conditions, agile working, a crèche, relaxed work attire, and counseling. Revitalize your culture and encourage staff to #speakyourmind and be flexible. Include them on your management board.

Being 'kind' to staff and making changes will create value throughout your business. From the cleaner to the credit controller, they will pass this 'value' on to your customers. Staff who understand where they fit have good well-being and will make a difference. How? By being kind, internalize branding and marketing with the team, improving the customer experience. As well as the wider society and environment.

2. Reviewing your supply chain, be kind to them and their staff, and get them to align with your values. They are as crucial to your business as your staff. They can affect your quality of goods and services, making or breaking your company.

3. Now is the time to 'review your operations' What can you take from your Covid experiences to effect permanent change? E.g., working from home = fewer car journeys, change your working hours or shift patterns. Talk to your staff and customers. Take them on this journey with you, and engage and involve them. Their working/buying habits and expectations are changing too!

Be kind to them, and they will be kind to you! #Kindnessmatters

4. Look at your supply chain and resource sustainability. Can you introduce the principle of 'Circular Economy' throughout your business? This will be kind to the environment.

The environment we live in impacts all our mental health and wellbeing. Especially the vulnerable in society! This is part of being an 'ethical' sustainable business.

5. Look at your end-to-end processes. What can you change, simplify, or digitize? Challenge everything, engage your staff and involve them. Taking them on this 'transformational journey with you will improve their well-being! Everyone has an important part to play, from the cleaner to the maintenance engineers. Value them and be kind #dosomethingdifferent.

6. Finally, I want to challenge you to consider your Corporate Social Responsibility — CSR. It's not a 'Green washing' gimmick to make your business look suitable for bids and tenders. This is your opportunity to give back a thank you and be kind to society and the environment. Engage and involve staff, your suppliers, customers, stakeholders, charities, and councils. Ask

them, what can you do to #makeadifference as #kindnessmatters.

We live in a changing world, with changing habits, digitization, social media, and Al. We cannot stop the pace of change, so we need to embrace it. We are still vulnerable to disease, disaster, and mental health issues; be kind no matter how strong we are.

We need to 'Belong and love,' according to Maslow. We can apply his 'Hierarchy of Needs11943) theory of 'Human Motivation' to the workplace. As we make people safe from Covid, they need to work to provide for their 'Physiological' needs, water, and food. By being kind, we make them feel loved, and we attend to their physiological needs.

If staff are happy in the workplace and proud of the employer they work for, you will fulfill their 'Esteem' needs. By being kind to your employees, your supply chain, and all stakeholders, they will be kind back to you. We can all achieve Maslow's highest goal of 'self-actualization' by being kind.

By changing values, organizational culture, and operational processes, you will create value for your customers. Being kind, ethical, and sustainable, you will improve the customer touch point experience. Customers will be loyal and return for repeat business.

Interested to learn more about my thoughts, want to read my other blogs or how HSE Professional Services Ltd can help? Then visit my;

• Blog: hseps.co.uk/blog

• Email: clydejackett@hseps.co.uk

• Linkedln: linkedin.com/in/jackettclyde

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