Fostering a healthy work culture can be challenging especially that each of us is struggling with different battles in life. Sometimes, the coping mechanisms we practice to relieve these stressors do not actually make us feel better at all. However, random acts of kindness amongst employees would somehow uplift the atmosphere in the workplace.
One simple act of kindness releases a ripple effect of positive events. Kindness improves our physical and mental health conditions. It produces a meaningful sense of self-fulfillment and adds value to our lives. It also enables us to rise above our troubles and makes us feel better about ourselves.
There are common goodwill gestures we encounter at work that may seem unnoticeable but has built a huge impact to the clients, to the workers and to the organization as a whole. These gestures are characterized by these 5S:
- SayING “Good Morning”. Starting off a day with this simple greeting could perhaps set an energetic mood for the people around us. It is a way of acknowledging the presence of our colleagues and enables us to connect with one another, thereby, creating a friendly working environment.
- SAYING “PLEASE” AND “THANK YOU”. This gesture is the primary emblem of proper manner that we learned when we were younger. Being gentle in making requests and grateful in receiving support can cultivate mutual respect among the workforce.
- SayING “I am sorry” when we are wrong. Showing humility when we are at fault against someone could probably the hardest thing to do for most us. Yet, admitting our mistakes and asking for sincere apology can discourage relationship gaps among employees at work.
- SHARING RESOURCES. Demonstrating generosity by extending help or relief towards our colleagues either by sharing our stuffs, our knowledge, our services and even our time propagates an unselfish behavior that allows collaboration and cooperation to realize a common goal.
- SMILING MORE OFTEN. A smile is a universal language that everybody understands even in the absence of words. Smiling stimulates happy thoughts that calms our minds and our emotions. It is contagious that it even improves the moods of others and builds better relationships.
These gestures may seem so basic and childlike, but more often than not, these are things that we tend to ignore doing. The wonderful thing about kindness is that, it is something that we can choose to pass on to others. Being kind does not have to be expensive; it just needs to be genuine. Constantly reminding ourselves to behave in a kinder way could make our job a lot easier and our workplace a lot healthier.
By: JERALYN G. BALANSAG
Administrative Assistant III