Poster Presentation 6th World Congress on Positive Psychology 2019

“Be Kind, Be Well”: An Organizational Intervention For Kindness And Gratitude That Supports Employee Well-Being (#790)

Kelcey J Stratton 1 , Kathleen Robertson 1 , LaVaughn Palma-Davis 1 , Kristi Jenkins 1 , Ashley Weigl 1 , Karen Schmidt 1 , Richard Holcomb 1
  1. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MICHIGAN, United States

In September 2018, the University of Michigan initiated a wide-scale kindness and gratitude intervention targeted to the university’s nearly 50,000 faculty and staff. Grounded in the science of gratitude, compassion, and kindness, the “Be Kind, Be Well” campaign was designed to enhance individual well-being and the organizational culture of wellness. Education and practices were disseminated through in-person demonstrations, online resources, synchronized social media strategies, and a cadre of nearly 700 wellness “Champions” who modeled positive practices in their work units (e.g., gratitude journaling, lovingkindness meditation, gratitude cards). Participants surveyed after a campaign kick-off event (N=267) reported high engagement and high satisfaction with the intervention, with 78% reporting high likelihood of practicing kindness activities in the workplace. To date, the online resource kit has been accessed over 7300 times, and 1543 individuals made a kindness pledge. Long-term impact of the campaign on measures of stress and perceived institutional support will be assessed via planned evidence-based surveys of employee engagement and culture of health. Results are discussed in terms of success and impact of evidence-based positive psychology practices on work groups and individuals. Results of this unique, coordinated strategy support future applications of organizational positive psychology interventions in large, diverse employee populations.