Dear ______,
It has been a short time since you were here at [Newcastle Mater Hospital], and we hope things are going well for you. If you wish to drop us a note, we would be happy to hear from you.
Best wishes,
[signature]
In an Australian study, this postcard note was sent to suicide out-patients to discover if small signals of care could help them. Over the next two years, members of the group who received the postcards were readmitted at half the rate of the control group.
Such a small gesture of care really can make a difference.
People want to feel connected. It is fundamental in our hierarchy of needs. So often, organisations only help us with our most basic needs, and rarely do they help us reach further into our real humanity.
The image below is from a presentation by Dr Robert Dew at the Leading Age Services Australia Conference on the Gold Coast. People have a range of needs beyond safety, however that is what most organisations only think to deliver. These higher needs are particularly pertinent for the health sector, the aged care sector, and in organisations where people are vulnerable.
Dr Gregory Walton of Stanford, who designed the experiment, explains:
"A small signal can have a huge effect. But the deeper thing to realise is that you can't just give a cue once. This is all about establishing relationships, conveying the fact that I'm interested in you, and that all the work we do together is in the context of that relationship. It's a narrative. You have to keep it going. It's not unlike a romantic relationship. How often do you tell your partner that you love them? It may be true, but it's still important to let them know, over and over."
Belonging needs to be continually refreshed and reinforced. We need to keep reminding the people around us that we care. It really does make a difference.
You can also read The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle, where I found this example.
If the Newcastle Mater Hospital can help so many people with a simple postcard, what could you do in your organisation?
Sarah Daly is undertaking a PhD at the Queensland University of Technology, investigating the role of trust in the adoption and diffusion of AI based innovation, particularly in the healthcare sector. She is also the Operations Director of CapFeather, a customer strategy and innovation consulting firm.