Values blog series: Why kindness and respect in the workplace matter

The nomination process for the 2026 NDPCHS Values Awards is now open. I would encourage all staff and DPhil students to consider nominating a colleague or team that embodies the Department’s values and helps make it such a special place to work.

I was fortunate to receive a Values Award in 2025 for being respectful and kind. I’m not sure I deserved it; there are many staff members and DPhil students in the Department who surely deserved it more. It did, however, validate the culture we are trying to create within the Health Economics and Policy Evaluation Group. I also appreciate the way the Department is reframing respectfulness and kindness as core forms of professional behaviour, rather than nice but optional extras. Academia can sometimes normalise brusqueness, and the regular rejection of papers and grant proposals can lead to emotional strain and an erosion of confidence. Openly recognising colleagues for their respectfulness and kindness—or other forms of positive behaviour—helps push back against the prioritisation of outputs and the effect this can have on people. It is part of a culture we are trying to build: one that recognises that how you treat others is at least as important as what you produce.

Respectfulness and kindness are not just personality traits; they are skills and habits that can be developed, even in highly academic environments. We know from fields such as social psychology that prosocial behaviours—such as listening well, giving credit, and treating others with dignity—can be strengthened through deliberate practice and cultural norms.

Over the past year, I have reflected increasingly on how we can embody respectfulness and kindness in our daily working lives. We can start with how we communicate with each other: checking in on a colleague, saying thank you, or offering encouragement. These small acts reinforce a culture in which people feel emotionally safe, appreciated, and motivated to do the same. Sometimes it is also about knowing when not to communicate. Pause—and then pause again—before sending an email or responding in the moment to something that has caused frustration. Let us be intentional and respectful in how we communicate with one another. Respectful communication lowers stress and helps prevent burnout. When we feel seen and treated with dignity, we spend less emotional energy on self-protection, freeing us to focus on meaningful work and relationships.

I have also reflected on how we can create safe spaces for people to share ideas, express concerns, and talk openly about failures and mistakes without fear of judgement. In our team meetings, we have started encouraging members to mention papers and grant proposals that have been rejected, as well as those that have been accepted. We recognise that this is all part and parcel of the academic process. It also helps create a sense of safety that supports mental wellbeing and promotes a healthier workplace culture.

As head of a research group, I recognise the importance of modelling these behaviours. This involves private reflection, and at times it requires acknowledging my own missteps to others. People do not expect perfection, but they do notice how you respond when things go wrong. Saying to a colleague, “I interrupted you in the meeting and dismissed your point—that was not fair,” demonstrates respectfulness and accountability. It can also create a ripple effect across the group. Research in organisational studies suggests that when leaders model respectfulness and kindness, these behaviours spread.

There is an important nuance to add: demonstrating respectfulness and kindness does not mean avoiding critique. Sometimes it is necessary to call out poor behaviour, and disagreement is often essential. The goal is to do so in a clear and honest way that is never belittling, while also offering support to help others improve.