CAN MAKING LOVE VISIBLE AT WORK TRULY CHANGE OUR WORLD?
Welcome to the concept behind "Work of Love".
Did you know that, on average, we spend a staggering 90,000 hours at work over our lifetime? Now, imagine if those hours were spent doing work we love, with like-hearted colleagues and driven by leaders and organisations that prioritised humanity at work.
What if work could be a transformative force for good? What if the love we experienced at work could ripple through to our families, friends, and entire communities? We started to see this happen during the pandemic, where workplaces that prioritised the wellbeing of their people also influenced the wellbeing of their households.
CAN BRINGING LOVE TO WORK TRULY CHANGE THE WORLD?
Welcome to "Work of Love".
It's a bold and courageous concept that challenges the status quo. By making space for love in the workplace, we can ignite a global shift. I aspire to nurture workplaces that embody love, enabling individuals to leave a profound mark on our world through their work. Together, we can turn this vision into reality, one loving workplace at a time. Join me on this revolution to harness the power of love and bring about positive change for us all.
BUT WHAT DOES LOVE MEAN, REALLY?
We’ve put love in a box. A small box reserved for romance, family and friends. And in doing that, we have shortchanged ourselves from fully realising its power in our everyday lives and at work.
Barbara Fredrickson's book 'Love 2.0' explores the concept of love in a broader and more scientifically grounded way than traditional notions of romantic love. She introduces the idea of "positivity resonance" as a central aspect of love and explains how this concept can be applied to our relationships more broadly, including our relationships at work.
Love is therefore not limited to romantic or familial relationships. Scientifically, love can be a micro-moment of shared positive emotions and connections. Barbara Fredrickson calls it "positivity resonance." It occurs when two or more people experience a genuine connection, a mutual exchange of positive emotions, and a sense of shared humanity.
Love, in this context, is not a constant state, but rather, a series of fleeting micro-moments that can happen between us throughout our workday and throughout our employment.
SO IF LOVE CAN BE EVERYWHERE, HOW DO WE MAKE IT VISIBLE AT WORK?
If we agree that love can be a series of micro-moments of positivity resonance, we can choose to build and design positivity resonance into our employee experience, team interactions, meetings, leadership and workplace culture.
AND WHAT IS THE IMPACT?
A love-centred employee experience fosters a collaborative and supportive work environment where we are more likely to innovate, solve problems effectively, and work well together.
Leaders who understand and practise positivity resonance can create more motivated and loyal teams. A leadership style that emphasises positivity, empathy, and authentic connection can inspire greater employee commitment and performance.
By recognising and nurturing these micro-moments of connection and shared positive emotions, organisations can create a more compassionate, collaborative, and high-performing workplace. Cultivating love in professional settings is not just about personal relationships but about fostering a culture of positivity, empathy, and authentic human connections that enhance both individual wellbeing and organisational success.
ARE YOU IN?
MAYBE YOU'RE STILL SCEPTICAL; WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE YOU ASK
There is a growing body of research and evidence that supports the need to make room for love in our workplaces. Key research areas and findings support the role of love in our workplaces to improve business performance through:
1. Positive workplace relationships
Research: Studies, such as those conducted by Gallup, have consistently shown that positive relationships at work contribute to higher engagement and performance.
Evidence: Teams that have strong interpersonal connections, characterised by trust and mutual support, tend to perform better and achieve higher levels of innovation.
2. Employee engagement
Research: Gallup's State of the Global Workplace report emphasises the importance of employee engagement in driving performance.
Evidence: Employees who feel a sense of belonging and are emotionally invested in their work and the organisation are more likely to be engaged and productive.
4. Leadership support and recognition
Research: Studies, like those published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, highlight the impact of leadership behaviour on employee wellbeing and performance.
Evidence: Leaders who show appreciation, provide support, and recognise employees for their contributions create a positive work environment that encourages high performance.
5. Employee wellbeing
Research: Various studies, such as those published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, link employee wellbeing programs to improved performance.
Evidence: Companies that invest in employee wellbeing initiatives, which may include health and wellness programs, flexible work arrangements, and mental health support, often experience enhanced productivity and job satisfaction.
6. Psychological safety, innovation and creativity
Research: Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson's research on psychological safety underscores its role in fostering innovation and high-performance teams.
Evidence: When employees feel safe to express their opinions, share ideas, and take risks without fear of reprisal, they are more likely to contribute to the organisation's success.
With a deep appreciation of the critical role of work, I have spent the last 17 years partnering with leadership teams in professional services, healthcare, financial services and for purpose organisations to build, nurture and embed loving workplaces
I have worked with leaders, teams and organisations to design thoughtful and customised employee experiences that support people to do their best work. I do this through deep listening, developmental coaching, learner led facilitation, love centered design, and nurturing trusting relationships.
LEARN MORE ABOUT ME
YOU MAY ALSO NEED SUPPORT WITH
DESIGN
We’ll co-design employee experiences that make your people feel seen, heard and valued from “hello” to “goodbye”.
FACILITATION
Events, workshops and training programs that place meaningful connection above content for real progress.
COACHING
An inside-out approach that helps leaders develop self-understanding and self-leadership to enable greater impact.
SPEAKING
Inspiring and energising stories that enlighten audiences about the possibilities for making love visible at work.
MAKING SPACE FOR LOVE AT WORK
to unlock the human potential in organisations.
SITEMAP
WORK WITH ME
I pay my respects to the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which I live, love, work and learn; the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. I pay my respects to their Elders, past, present and generations to come.
As a refugee to this country which we now call Australia, I acknowledge that I have benefited from its colonisation and have a shared responsibility to work towards recognition, respect and reconciliation.
It always was and always will be Aboriginal Land.
I acknowledge the enduring leadership, resilience, wisdom, kinship, culture and connection to Country of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
