It is RAK Random acts of kindness week 13th to 19th Feb.
The cynical point of view would question whether we need an awareness day to try and encourage people to be nice to each other.
But when you look at how rudeness and incivility seems to be on the rise since the pandemic started, the reason becomes frighteningly clear.
A recent study by Portland State University shows how workplace incivility can quickly escalate, and suggests this has been made worse during the pandemic because so many of us have fallen out of the habit of social interaction with colleagues, relying too heavily on instant messaging channels as we work from our kitchens.
A previous study by the University of Florida explains more about the contagious nature of rudeness – people who experience rudeness are then more likely to be rude to others
So let’s use Random Acts of Kindness day as a chance to reverse this damaging and inappropriate behaviour at work and make an effort to be kind to our colleagues.
Small actions can make a huge difference.
Try picking just 2 things from the list below and doing them today – see what effect it has and let us know.
1. compliment 2 people in your department today
2. smile and say hello to someone
3. if you are in the office, buy a colleague a coffee
4. ring someone at work or hop on a virtual meeting, rather than just emailing them, so you can have a conversation!
5. ask a colleague about their weekend – with genuine interest
6. thank someone for something they have done
7. offer to help someone with a task/finding information
8. tell someone what you appreciate about them
The Random Acts of Kindness website has many more suggestions!
Build these or others into your working week to make kindness the norm.
For more guidance on managing inappropriate behaviour at work and building a happy workplace call us on 01903 732 782 for a confidential discussion, email us info@focalpointtraining.com or contact us here.