Being kind to others is great when it comes to personal relationships. But is it great in business? Regular readers of business publications would have noticed an uptick in discussions around the value of kindness in the workplace and how it can be practised effectively. Kindness has also been increasingly emphasised across various industries such as oil and gas, fashion and beauty, consulting, defence, marketing, agriculture and banking, to name a few. It seems that kindness – to workers, clients and vendors – has been elevated as a key management practice and business strategy.

Everyone prefers to work with someone who is friendly, generous and considerate rather than with someone who is aloof, selfish and uncaring. This much is clear.