3 Ways to Celebrate ‘Random Acts of Kindness Day’ at Work

Nick Goddard

As business transformation and people development specialists, our mission is to make the corporate world a fairer and better place. That's why our people development programmes are designed to shape leaders who create the right environment for others to thrive.

So, when we heard it was Random Acts of Kindness Day® on Wednesday 17th February, we thought we'd celebrate by passing on three little things you can do that will make a big difference to your colleagues' working lives.

After all, we spend a large proportion of our lives with our workmates, and it's even more important at this time, to reach out, be kind and be thoughtful (1).

Send thank you notes

Sometimes things get so busy at work we don't get the time to stop and reflect on what's been achieved. Taking the time to reach out to people involved in a successful project can mean a lot in a fast-paced world. Whether your positive note of appreciation is hand-written or digital, personalising it to the individual rather than a collective group will give a fantastic motivational boost.

Alternatively, you can choose to make your personalised 'thank you' note slightly more public by adding your glowing words of praise to your colleague's profile on LinkedIn.

Get to know your colleagues

What with impending deadlines and a constant workflow of projects, it can be tricky to talk about anything but work with colleagues. Yet everyone has a life outside of work and taking the time to discover the person behind the job role can make a real difference to your working relationship.

So, the next time you bump into a workmate in the kitchen (or even on a Zoom chat), make a conscious effort to find out something you didn't know about them. It could be you have common interests or experiences that will increase your working bond.

At ABSTRACT we say everyone has both a Professional CV and a Personal CV, a Personal CV comprises their references and personal experiences in life, sometimes hidden from immediate view, that have shaped a colleague to become the person they are today. You may know your colleagues Professional CV, the role they do or have done and departments and companies where they have worked at, but do you really know their Personal CV.

Become a mentor

“I don’t think anybody makes it in the world without some form of mentorship.” Oprah Winfrey (2)

Giving up your time to share your knowledge and experience with a colleague can make a real difference to their future. The positives are plentiful for both mentor and mentee. You'll develop your leadership and communication skills and your mentee will benefit from your advice and feedback, and be more likely to pay your kindness forward and become a mentor themselves as their career progresses.

You can find out more about Random Acts of Kindness Day®, including inspirational kindness ideas, quotes, and stories here.

And for further details of how we can help create an inclusive, diverse environment that encourages greater staff engagement, loyalty, and retention of talent, get in touch.

References

(1) https://www.workpsychologygroup.com/kindness-in-the-workplace-5-ways-to-spread-some-positivity/#:~:text=Making%20the%20tea%2C%20giving%20compliments,workplace%20creates%20a%20ripple%20effect.

(2) https://thecentsofmoney.com/ten-benefits-of-being-a-mentor/

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