20 Simple Acts of Kindness to Enhance Your Workplace

Why workplace kindness matters

Performing acts of kindness in the workplace isn’t just something that’s nice to do—being kind in the workplace builds connection and contributes to a better organizational culture. And a strong company culture leads to higher employee engagement, increased job satisfaction, and even improved bottom line results.

According to our Global Culture Report:

• Companies see a 12x increased odds an organization will thrive when employees feel connected.
• Employees who develop strong connections are 11x more likely to stay with their organization for at least another year and 3x more likely to stay three more years.
• Successful companies use tools like employee appreciation to spread kindness at work and retain employees.

However, if employees don’t have a positive employee experience or feel connected and appreciated at work, there is a 3x higher likelihood that employees will leave the organization within three years. Acts of kindness in the workplace can help prevent employees from leaving and build a culture that attracts new talent.

How to promote kindness in the workplace

Start with a few acts of kindness and watch it spread to build a positive workplace culture.

If your company has an employee recognition program like Culture Cloud, use it to send words of encouragement, thanks, and motivation often. If you don’t have an employee recognition program, consider starting one to make timely appreciation, sharing kindness, and saying thanks easy, streamlined, and viral.

Try one of these random acts of kindness at work today, to help employees feel appreciated and connected:

• Write a letter of encouragement. There’s no better way to make someone’s day than with a positive comment. It could be a short note of praise, or a longer letter telling the person how they’ve made a difference in your life or at your company. Whatever you choose, be sure to make the recognition personal and sincere, and not generic.
• Surprise another team with some extra employee appreciation. Bring in treats to a different team in your department or on your floor, and surprise them in their morning meeting.
• Use your company’s employee recognition program to spread kindness. Send a fun eCard to let a colleague know you are thinking about them and brighten their day.
• Take it a step further and send a co-worker points through a peer-to-peer employee recognition program like Culture Cloud for some recent great work they’ve done. Frequent acts of appreciation like this not only spread kindness widely but will encourage employees to keep doing great work in the long term.
• Introduce yourself to someone you don’t know at work. They’ll be happy to make a new work friend and expand their interaction with others.

• Like or comment on someone’s recognition on your company’s Wall of Fame. Social, genuine recognition contributes to a kinder work environment and multiplies the impact of recognition.
• Give a shout out to an employee during a meeting. Recognize them for something great they’ve done this past week, a recent accomplishment or contribution, or how they’ve gone the extra mile.
• Recognize unsung heroes—the people whose jobs aren’t always visible, but who show up every single day and consistently do great work. Those who might be quieter or don’t seek the spotlight. Help them feel irreplaceable.
• Finish a task or project for a colleague. This is particularly impactful if it’s one they’ve been struggling with or haven’t wanted to do.
• Take a new employee out to lunch or coffee. Help them navigate their new company and feel welcomed at work.
• Invite a colleague’s friend or family member to contribute when giving recognition to a peer. Including a personal note or photo from their friends and family makes celebrating employees extra meaningful.
• Tell your boss how great they are. Leaders need recognition too but are often overlooked.
• Give care packages. Whether it’s their favorite cup of coffee or a favorite treat, bringing someone a gift you know they’ll love is sure to show they are valued.

• Go above and beyond. Hold the door open for a line of shift workers coming into work. Dust the snow off someone’s car in the parking lot. Say thank you to someone who’s work often goes unnoticed.
• Celebrate success in a big way. Bring confetti, snacks, and balloons to celebrate someone’s recent work anniversary or a recent accomplishment, big or small.
• Help a colleague build their network. Introduce them to a new team, leader, or influencer at work. They’ll be grateful for the connection.
• Start meetings with a kindness quote and recognition. These are still stressful, tough, scary times, and a reminder for all to be kind sets a different tone in the workplace.
• Give recognition to someone who recently disagreed with you. It can feel awkward but acknowledge that diversity in thought and difference of opinion can make a project, team, and company even better.
• Start a kindness wall. It doesn’t have to be fancy—it could be something as simple as colorful post-its, or a whiteboard with words of appreciation and encouragement. Invite others to contribute their own messages. It’s a visual, growing reminder of the good that’s happening in your organization.
• Discuss random acts of kindness ideas with your team members, and then do them all together. Share some employee appreciation quotes to get them excited. It’s a great team building activity that also spreads kindness at work.

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Don’t limit practicing kindness in the workplace for just Random Acts of Kindness Day. While random acts of kindness are a great surprise, if you want to build kindness into your culture, try using employee appreciation. A company-wide employee recognition program makes it easy to appreciate one another and spread kindness at work. Use a leading recognition solution like Culture Cloud to help you elevate employee appreciation and recognition and improve workplace culture in your organization.