You can’t trust anyone these days, they say. But for the sake of your health, says one new study, maybe you should.
University of Missouri researchers have found that people who trust their neighbors have better self-reported health.
Says study author Eileen Bjornstrom, “Because human beings engage in interpersonal comparisons in order to gauge individual characteristics, it has been suggested that a low relative position, or feeling that you are below another person financially, leads to stress and negative emotions such as shame, hostility and distrust, and that health suffers as a consequence.”
In the workplace, a microcosm of society if ever there was one, this finding can serve as a good reminder of the importance of facilitating friendship among your employees.
Not everyone is going to be best friends, nor do you want to see intense bonding among small cliques, as it may lead to exclusive behavior that makes those on the outside feel, well, excluded.
It may be best to aim for a general sense of peace and camaraderie on staff. Sharing common goals and fostering teamwork is a good way to build trust, the old-fashioned way, gradually.
Not only might it, as this study suggests, improve health, creating a cohesive staff and a pleasant working atmosphere does a lot to decrease stress, increase job satisfaction, and make for an all-around happier group of employees.
This kind of harmony translates to better productivity … and that’s music to any employer’s ears.
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