Does someone care about you at work?

At the worst job I had when my favorite coworkers were sick, it was as if I had a different job: I was unhappy, less productive, and considered quitting.

It turns out that according to 12: The Elements of Great Managing, employees are happier when someone cares about them as a person at work. They want to feel as if they are supported and as if they belong. That was why my entire job seemed to change when my favorite coworkers weren't there. I no longer felt as if I belonged and supported.

Unfortunately some types of culture in organization run counter to that idea. There are cliques and groups. You might be "in," but you also might be "out."

One of the kindest gestures I've experienced was when someone asked me at my new job to have lunch with a group of coworkers in the cafeteria. They were giving me the option to belong to their group.

Consider how you might show that you care about employees as a person. It's everything from asking questions about their lives (not deeply personal questions) to making sure when you give gifts that they are personally chosen to reflect how you know them as a person.