In this thought-provoking episode, we explore the complex concept of kindness at work with Rob Briner, Professor of Organisational Psychology at Queen Mary University of London and Associate Research Director at the Corporate Research Forum.
Rob challenges assumptions about kindness in the workplace, questioning whether it’s truly the solution to wellbeing issues or simply another management buzzword. He argues that before we focus on concepts like kindness, we need to get the fundamentals right—clarity, resources, feedback, and fair treatment.
This conversation will make you think differently about workplace wellbeing interventions and highlight the importance of evidence-based approaches in creating better work experiences.
Key Insights
Kindness is highly contextual and means different things to different people.
Most workplace kindness happens in individual interactions, not through organisational policies.
Getting the fundamentals right (clarity, resources, feedback) often eliminates the need for additional “kindness initiatives.”
Kindness flows naturally from good management practices rather than being a separate activity.
Sometimes being “cruel to be kind” (giving difficult feedback) is more beneficial than surface-level niceness.
About Our Guest
Rob Briner is Professor of Organisational Psychology at Queen Mary University of London and Associate Research Director at the Corporate Research Forum. His work focuses on evidence-based approaches to workplace wellbeing and helping HR professionals become more effective in supporting their organisations.
Connect with Rob:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-briner/
Research Links
Rob has kindly shared academic research on kindness at work:
Kindness and Happiness at Work: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44202-024-00276-6 Curry, O. S., San Miguel, C., & Tunç, M. N. (2024). Kindness and happiness at work. Discover Psychology, 4(1), 167.
The Kindness Questionnaire (KQ): https://kindness.org/kq/
Kindness in Healthcare Context: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-025-12328-1 Greco, A., González-Ortiz, L. G., Gabutti, L., & Lumera, D. (2025). What's the role of kindness in the healthcare context? A scoping review. BMC Health Services Research, 25(1), 207.
Everyday Prosociality in the Workplace: https://escholarship.org/content/qt9t0213nd/qt9t0213nd.pdf Chancellor, J., Margolis, S., Jacobs Bao, K., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2018). Everyday prosociality in the workplace: The reinforcing benefits of giving, getting, and glimpsing. Emotion, 18(4), 507.
Understanding Kindness – A Moral Duty of HR Leaders: https://scholar.valpo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1188&context=jvbl Caldwell, C. (2017). Understanding kindness—A moral duty of human resource leaders. The Journal of Values-Based Leadership, 10(2), 8.
Get in Touch
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode! If you have questions, suggestions, or ideas for future episodes, please:
Email Eileen at eileen@rippleandco.co.uk
LinkedIn: @eileendonnelly
Website: www.rippleandco.com
Listen to the Full Episode
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