Today is World Kindness Day! This means that you have a great opportunity to celebrate and promote kindness at work. We encourage both employers and employees to express kindness as much as possible today and for the rest of the week. And if you don’t think kindness belongs in the workplace, think again!
The power of kindness is often overlooked at the office. Many employees have the mentality that they are at work to work, not to “make friends.” However, research has found that expressions of kindness actually increase work performance and make the workdays more enjoyable.
Keep on reading to discover some of the benefits of promoting kindness in the workplace, and some ideas for celebrating World Kindness Day with your colleagues:
Holistic wellness involves taking care of your physical, mental, emotional, and social needs. While practicing kindness might seem like a lesson for children, it’s important to understand that kindness is something that needs to be practiced to support holistic wellbeing.
Putting forth the effort to choose kind words and engage in kind actions throughout the workday will help you feel better physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially. Here are some ways that expressing kindness at work will benefit you:
Increased happiness.
Doing something kind for others will make you feel happy. When we do something kind, our brain rewards us with higher levels of dopamine (a feel-good chemical). This increased level of dopamine can cause a natural high that is often referred to as a “Helper’s High”.
Positive relationships.
Connections are easily made between colleagues who express kindness toward one another. Expressions of kindness can break down emotional barriers and make it easier for people to open up to each another. Plus, everyone is always happier at work with an office BFF!
Improved work performance.
When you feel happy at work, you perform better! According to Health Enhancement Systems, the benefits of expressing kindness at the workplace include a more harmonious environment, reduced stress levels, lower absenteeism, and better health – which can all lead to better work performance.
Less stress.
Kind people have been proven to be less stressed! Kindness can result in more balanced cortisol levels (your body’s stress hormone), which will help you better manage stress. Expressing kindness on a regular basis can also help lower your risk for anxiety and depression.
Lower blood pressure.
Yup, you read that right. Kindness can actually help lower blood pressure! According to The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, expressing acts of kindness creates emotional warmth, which releases a hormone known as oxytocin. Oxytocin causes the release of a chemical called nitric oxide, which dilates the blood vessels and helps reduce blood pressure.
Want to be rewarded with these amazing benefits of kindness? Start expressing more kindness at work! Here are a few ideas to help you get started:
Smile more. Perhaps the easiest way to express kindness to colleagues is by simply smiling more. Make an effort to genuinely smile at your peers whenever you make eye contact.
Offer to help. Chances are, you’ve seen a stressed out co-worker need help before, but didn’t want to get involved. Extending a helping hand is one of the best ways to express kindness at work. You’ll even get that “Helper’s High” we mentioned earlier!
Show that you care. Pay attention to your colleagues when they talk, and try not to interrupt. Show that you care by remembering small details about their lives, and show a genuine interest in getting to know them better.
Express gratitude. Gratitude is a great gateway into kindness. Let your co-workers or employees know that you care about them and appreciate them on a regular basis. Check out our 30-Day Gratitude Challenge for some more ideas!
Random acts of kindness. Engage in a random act of kindness for a colleague every day. This could include leaving an anonymous nice note on a co-workers desk or buying your cubicle buddy a coffee “just because”.
Volunteer together. Take a work outing to volunteer together! There are many volunteer opportunities for the community during the holiday season. Everyone will be able to express kindness together.
Be kind (to yourself!). Don’t forget about yourself! Be kind to yourself at work by eliminating any negative self-talk and prioritizing your health and wellness. You can’t be kind to others without being kind to yourself first!
The amazing thing about kindness is that it’s both teachable and contagious. The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation explains that kindness is “kind of like weight training – we found that people can build up their compassion ‘muscle’ and respond to others’ suffering with care and a desire to help.”
If your workplace culture doesn’t currently promote expressions of kindness, use World Kindness Day to start a movement yourself! Educate your colleagues on the powerful benefits of kindness and try out some of the above tips to help spread some kindness around your office.
How do you plan on celebrating World Kindness Day? Share some ideas below!
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