How great does it feel when someone unexpectedly does something for you?
How great does it feel when you do something unexpected for someone else?
For myself I have a feeling of happiness, contentment and overall calmness. Now more than ever spreading kindness to others is a simple act which improves our wellbeing and these simple acts of kindness have a flow on positive impact to others.
Kindness comes in many shapes and forms. For me it is the simple acts which mean the most and they are a way for me to show others I care. Simple acts include:
- A listening ear: Reaching out to others and letting them know you are there to listen is a simple act of kindness. I am often a sounding board for both employer and employee. Listening and talking through a situation is a simple act to demonstrate that you have no judgement but are there to listen, support and work out a plan.
- Genuine Communication: A simple email, text or even a hand written note. Thanking someone for a job well done or being grateful for a team members contribution through words, is a simple act of kindness. We know that these simple acts have direct correlation to improve employee engagement, morale and team culture.
- Leadership and kindness; A leader who can engage their team with gratitude and kindness will reap the rewards of a team with increased productivity and morale. Check out Claire’s blog explaining this in more detail, How to increase productivity and morale with just two words.
For me, spreading kindness is just part of who I am (thanks to my parents!). The current pandemic situation has definitely challenged me. It has reminded me to stop, be thankful for my family, listen to others and help make a difference in someone’s life with small acts of kindness.
For inspiration and to remind me of simple acts of kindness, I follow not for profit organisations such as Dolly’s Dream and The Kindness Pandemic. The current image from Dolly’s dream sums it all up for me.
I challenge you all, send a message, reach out for a chat or go that extra mile and bake a cake for someone. Spread kindness in whichever shape or form feels right for you.
Check out this great article, “Kindness During Chaos Keeps us in Control”, which highlights the research behind kindness and gratitude: https://lighthouse.mq.edu.au/article/april-2020/kindness-during-chaos-keeps-us-in-control?
Emma Baldwin is a seasoned human resource business partner, who strives to build trust and respect in every workplace. As a generalist, Emma’s experience spans the full range of human resources including: compliance, mediation, investigation, conflict resolution, employee training and recruitment. Outside of work, Emma enjoys exploring the great outdoors, health and fitness, theatre productions and spending time with her young family.
Disclaimer: The material contained in this publication is of a general nature only. It is not, nor is intended to be, legal advice. If you wish to act based on the content of this publication, we recommend that you seek professional advice.
