We’ve just seen why kindness matters at work but how in concrete can you foster it in your organisation? This year’s National Random Acts of Kindness Day gives us a little nudge in the right direction. Experiment with the ideas listed below to brighten up your colleagues’ (and your own) day and behold the magic! (Source: The Work Psychology Group)
- Put on your apron and get baking (or just pop into the bakery!)
There’s not much that can’t be fixed by a good cup of tea and a digestive biscuit! Gifting yummy snacks to your colleagues will always go down well as a random act of workplace kindness.
- Get into the habit of thanking your colleagues
Saying ‘Thank you’ creates good-will and moves mountains. Our children discover this at around the age of two and then, somehow, some of them forget it. If that’s your case, reconnect with your inner gratitude and start thanking your colleagues when they do a good job. Tell them what value their contribution brought to you and your project. Even better, send them an email so that they can reread it whenever they’re in need of a lift. For the ultimate thank you, cc the person’s boss and watch those mountains positively dance with delight.
- Learn to give compliments
By the same token, genuine compliments with just a tad of an explanation or detail ramp of the feel-good volume for both the giver and the receiver a hundred-fold. Just be sure to focus on personal qualities and workplace achievements rather than appearances and outfits!
- Really listen to your colleagues
Put your mobile phone down, look away from your computer and give your full, undivided, intentional attention to your colleagues when they speak to you. Listening actively will enable you to get the most of their comments and input, and to build robust, enjoyable workplace relationships based on respect.
- Go public with your messages of kindness!
Arguably, the quickest and easiest way to brighten up someone’s day is to commit a few positive, feel-good messages to post-it, and then stick them up at frequent touchpoints around office, e.g., the tea cupboard and the bathroom mirror.
Enjoy the ripple effect of your kind deeds, and kindly let us know the impact they have on your mood, your team and your whole organisation. We hope to hear from you soon!
