Deb Lejeune had been working in the Foote Hospital billing office in Jackson, Michigan for only five months before she needed to take extensive unpaid leave to care for her husband, who had just received a kidney transplant. When her co-workers learned of her situation, they chipped in to help cover everything from transportation costs to house payments. "I couldn't have gotten through without their support," says Lejeune. "They are like family to me." New research is trying to understand how more workplaces can become like Lejeune's, cultivating compassion and inspiration -- while boosting productivity.
