Workplace Kindness Challenge – Your workplace superpower unleashed
It’s true. Kindness is contagious. Research shows that one small act of kindness has a ripple effect that can reach over 100 people.
So, how can we cultivate kindness in our organisations to transform workplace cultures, increase workplace inclusion, and drive greater satisfaction and joy? It’s simple. By getting involved in our Workplace Kindness Challenge!
This article provides everything you need to get your Kindness Challenge up and running. So, are you ready to engage your workforce, boost productivity, strengthen job satisfaction, and create a kinder and more compassionate organisation?
The science of kindness
There is significant research to support the advantages of kindness. Like two sides of the coin, kindness creates a feel-good moment for the receiver, but also empowers the giver (and onlooker/s) too. It’s a win-win! Here are a few key kindness findings:
Witnessing kindness increases oxytocin, the love hormone, resulting in reduced blood pressure and improved overall heart health. It also has been linked to increasing self-esteem, optimism and gratitude
Research suggests that kindness activates the brain’s pleasure and reward centres giving a ‘helpers high’
Research indicates that kindness stimulates serotonin making you feel happy, relaxed and calm
Studies have shown kindness to reduce stress, anxiety and depression
Kindness has also been linked to reduced bullying and anti-social behaviour, as well as increased peer acceptance.
Workplace Kindness Challenge – transform your culture
So, we’ve piqued your interest in our Kindness Challenge, but how does it work?
We suggest a 2-week kindness campaign for your organisation (10 working days). During this time your employees are asked to conduct one kind gesture per day, but there’s a catch! Here are our three fun ground-rules:
1. A different act of kindness must be shown each day (can’t count the same thing twice)
2. At least one act of kindness per week must be totally anonymous
3. At least one act of kindness over the challenge must push you out of your comfort zone.
Here are a few ideas to get your employees on-board:
Launch the challenge with a bang. Promote and explain the challenge via your key internal channels e.g. email, team meetings, all-staff meeting, intranet etc. But why not go one step further and provide your employees with something tangible. Perhaps it’s a kindness journal (this one’s great too), or an inspirational kindness quote that they can download for their computer desktop. Think outside the square.
Consider instituting a ‘Random act of kindness award’ where people could nominate themselves or others. These could be shared with your team/organisation regularly. Another idea is for your staff base to vote on their favourite or most impactful kindness act each week, and the recipient is provided a certificate or prize.
Use #WorkplaceKindnessChallenge and promote your workplace campaign via your social channels. This Challenge provides awesome opportunities to highlight your employees as well as increase engagement on your social platforms. Here are a few ideas to keep your kindness campaign front-of-mind:
Email kindness quotes, research or kindness ideas daily
Promote/share/celebrate acts of kindness at team meetings, all-staff meetings or on your company intranet
Encourage your employees to download a kindness app. Check out BeKind – Daily acts of kindness, or The Kindness App
Launch a workplace donation giving scheme as part of your Kindness Challenge. This is where employees have the opportunity to donate a set dollar amount (e.g. $20) per pay to a designated charity, via their payroll. This gives all employees the chance to participate in the campaign, and do something meaningful for others that’s greater than themselves.
Need a little kindness inspiration?
We’ve got two wonderful resources for you and your team, courtesy of the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. You could even consider providing every employee with these two resources at the start of your Challenge.
2021 kindness calendar – This fantastic calendar features monthly themes designed to create a kinder workplace culture. It also includes ideas and inspiration to create small acts of kindness daily.
Kindness workplace poster – This poster is powerful. Display it around your workplace or provide a copy to every employee for their desk. The simple act of reminding people about kindness is enough to kickstart a kindness revolution.
It’s important to remember that every act of kindness has a flow-on effect that is exponential. So, if you ever doubt your impact in the world, being kind is an easy way to quietly, yet powerfully, make the world a better place.
