Random Acts of Kindness at Work

Written by Karen E. Mosier

Have you ever been having a bad day, and someone did something nice for you, and your mood instantly changed? Kindness is an often overlooked attribute. Simple acts of kindness do not have to cost a lot of money. In fact, sometimes the smallest gifts can be the most thoughtful. Doing something nice for your coworkers is a wonderful way to improve your relationships and raise moral in the workplace.

Here are some great ways that you can spread kindness in your workplace:

• Make a fresh pot of coffee
• Buy a coffee or bring a snack for your coworker
• Stop by your coworkers desk to say good morning or goodbye
• Send flowers, balloons or greeting cards to team members to thank them for their great work
• Put out a bowl of fruit/jar of candies in the break room
• Get to know the names of everyone in your building and greet them by name
• Write handwritten inspiring quotes or kind words on slips of paper and put them in places where employees can find them
• Take time to celebrate birthdays in your office with a cake and a card that everyone can sign
• Celebrate Fridays by bringing in a treat for everyone in the office
• Take a moment to tell a manager, supervisor, mentor, or any other leader how much you appreciate their leadership
• Clean out the break room fridge and you’ll have the gratitude of the entire staff
• Create a fun acronym for an employee using the letters in their first name and come up with an adjective that describes the employee and what makes them special or unique
• Do a coffee run and ask your colleagues what they would like and then buy for everyone
• Download customizable thank you items e.g., check for “One million thanks”
• Call a friend to catch up or invite them for lunch or coffee
• When you see something that your colleague will absolutely love, give it as a gift

A little kindness goes a long way. Random acts of kindness typically don’t take a lot of time, but they can be very meaningful to the recipient. What can you do to infuse a little more positivity around your office and release the power of kindness into your workplace?

References

1. Jen Kim. Career Ideas for Random Acts of Kindness at Work. https://careertrend.com/info-8553589-ideas-random-acts-kindness-work.html
2. .RSW. Random Acts of Kindness Week: 10 Ideas for Your Workplace. https://rswcreative.com/random-acts-kindness-week-10-ideas-workplace/
3. Dawn Rosenberg McKay. Random Acts of Kindness. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/random-acts-of-kindness-at-work-525454