Social workers come top for kindness

Published by Professional Social Work magazine, 13 April, 2020

Social work, along with healthcare, education and hospitality, is the kindest profession, according to major BBC research.

Radio 4’s Kindness Test surveyed more than 60,000 people in what is being described as “the world’s largest in-depth study on kindness”.

Social work was named among roles in which kindness was most valued at work.

Sumayya Hanson, a social worker in Bradford, said: "Social work along with other caring professions is very much about being kind. We care about people and have empathy with them and want to make their lives better.

"We must never forget that kindness is free and can be shown by doing things on time, being open and honest with people and even simply giving someone a smile."

Kindness was found to be more widespread than might be thought. One in four said they had experienced an act of kindness within the last day and two-thirds felt the pandemic had made people kinder.

Places where kindness was least likely to take place were online, public transport and in the street.

Women and religious people were more likely to conduct acts of kindness and people who talked to strangers were more likely to see and receive kindness.

People who carry out acts of kindness or even just notice them had higher levels of wellbeing. Extroverts were found to give and receive more kindness and income was found to have little impact on how kind people were.