“The gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages; the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage; neither our wisdom nor our learning; neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country; it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile …..." 

 A topical comment on the times we live in?

It’s actually a quote from a speech by the late Robert F Kennedy at the University of Kansas in 1968 – over thirty one years ago! I like it because it highlights the reassuring reality that

“in times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these.”

When you think about it, Kennedy’s insights apply equally to business. The profit and loss account doesn’t allow for the morale of our employees, or the trust that has been built or broken, or the levels of respect seen in our day to day business relationships, or the levels of camaraderie and mutual respect in our workplaces. In fact, our bean counters focus on pretty much everything except that which makes our workplaces worthwhile.

So how has your business done this year in the areas that really matter?

Have you built trust, or damaged it? Do your colleagues have more - or less - confidence in senior management than they did a year ago? Has pride grown, or is it in the pits?

And overall, is yours a better place to work than it was this time last year? Or is it worse?

Hopefully you’ve stuck to your principles and treated your people with honesty, decency and respect, even when it hurt you do so. If so, well done - you’ll continue to enjoy the commercial benefits of high trust in the years ahead.

And even if you’ve damaged trust or failed to fully live your corporate values in recent years you can still attempt to recover what’s been lost.

Trust can be rebuilt and culture can be repaired, but it takes time and effort. And it starts with a firm commitment to rebuilding trust.

How about that for a New Year resolution?

Bob Lee is Communications Director, EMEA with Great Place to Work International.