6 ways to spread kindness and positivity at work

During 2022, roughly 50% of employees experienced burnout due to increased job demands, a shortage in social interaction and a lack of boundaries between their home and work life. With many companies favourably adopting hybrid working, we’re spending less time with our office colleagues in person.

Performing random acts of kindness when we are present in the office and when working remotely can have a significant impact on building up a positive and productive work environment. They not only make colleagues feel appreciated but also help increase morale, foster much-need connections and encourage collaboration. 

From leaving positive post-it notes around the office to offering your expertise to help others, here are some simple yet meaningful ways you can spread kindness and positivity in the workplace:

Compliment Your Colleagues – Compliments can be a powerful tool for boosting morale at work, so take the time to acknowledge and appreciate your colleagues’ hard work or successes. Often when we receive compliments from our co-workers, it helps us feel more confident in ourselves, which can lead to better performance at work. Whether you’re a manager or an apprentice, compliments also help foster an environment of trust, honesty and respect - all qualities that are essential for any successful team.

Make Introductions – This simple act of kindness might not be obvious at first, but introducing your colleagues to others whom they may not have met before or had much interaction with, could spark new friendships and creative collaborations within the workplace. Such a small interaction can be enough to create a more welcoming atmosphere at work by bringing the different teams together.

Small gestures – Gestures or random acts of kindness like bringing a box of homemade snacks for everyone in the office, leaving positive affirmations on post-it notes or simply making someone a hot drink can be a great way to boost morale, and liven things up in the office. If things aren’t going well or a colleague is having a bad day, just receiving a warm cup of tea or coffee can bring a smile to their face and lift their spirits.

Say Thank You – Let your co-workers know that their efforts are valued by expressing gratitude for their hard work and dedication every chance you get. Those two magical words can make your colleagues feel appreciated, and workers who feel appreciated are more likely to have an optimistic attitude in the workplace. This can also have a knock-on effect, spreading positivity throughout the office and encouraging others to say thank you more as well. 

Offer Assistance – If you know someone is struggling with something, ask if there’s a way you can help them out. Whether it be helping with an assignment or answering questions about how specific tasks are done. If possible, you could even volunteer some of your free time to take on some of the smaller tasks of a busier colleague. Offering assistance to those who need it can be a huge help and an even bigger weight off your co-worker's shoulders.

Share Resources - Do you have resources that would be pertinent to someone else? Don’t hesitate to share it. When you work as part of a team it’s crucial that you’re all on the same page, and so having resources accessible to everyone means you have an entire team armed with the knowledge they need to get the job done. In fact, sharing that one informative doc that only you have access to might be the missing part of a colleague's puzzle. The more knowledge we all have access to, the better off we all become.

It’s important to take the time to show appreciation to your co-workers. Compliments and small gestures of kindness can make all the difference in creating a workplace that’s enjoyable, productive, and full of positive energy. When we make our colleagues feel appreciated and supported, we create a workplace that allows everyone to thrive.