Random Acts of Kindness Day
It’s Random Acts of Kindness Day on the 17th of February, a day which has grown in popularity over the years.
When life gets busy and chaotic, it can be difficult to remember that small acts of good can really contribute to the communities around us.
As management teachers and experts, we are often asked about the difficult balance between being a friend and a mentor but being a force of authority within a company.
This can be tricky terrain for managers and, oftentimes, management training and experience is the best way to learn how to walk the walk, but we think there are plenty of ways managers can show kindness to their team.
Why Should we Worry About Kindness?
The world of business is competitive, and we know that you have deadlines to meet, targets to hit and plenty to focus on, so why should we be concerned about kindness?
Research explicitly states that kindness, both receiving and giving, makes us happier and a study from the University of Warwick reveals that happy people are 12% more productive than unhappy people.
Global Research from O.C. Tanner Institute revealed that employees valued recognition from their boss in order to continue to strive for results.
Kindness from a manager actually inspires the team.
So, here’s how managers can demonstrate random acts of kindness.
-
Get to Know Employees
If your employees feel like they’re just another number or a faceless entity at your business, they’re likely to feel the divide between management and employee all the more and feel demotivated.
Getting to know your employees means getting to know what makes a happy work environment for them, the skills they excel at to better delegate work and what makes them tick so you can better invest in their future at your company.
-
Thanks Goes a Long Way
Always make time to acknowledge hard work, say thank you and demonstrate appreciation for your employees.
People are more likely to connect with and work harder for people than just a name of a company, and everyone deserves thanks, recognition and incentive.
-
Confidence Boosts
Working at the same tasks on the daily can be tiring for all of us and every now and again we’ll lose our mojo and have a wobble.
Managers with great emotional intelligence will be able to lift up their team’s morale and give confidence boosts where needed.
Sometimes all it takes is for someone to show kindness and confidence in us to bring out the best in us!
-
Mucking in
Managers who remain distant from the everyday taskforce are not likely to find kindness to employees easy as they can’t empathise.
Great managers muck in from time to time, especially when they can see that tasks are overwhelming their team.
-
Treats!
Remember to treat your staff every now and again, whether that be changing up the work environment, giving days off or flexible working or taking the team out for food or activities, it is a great chance to let your actions speak for you!
A happy office is a productive office and no manager should be above the simplicity of kindness! So, on Random Acts of Kindness Day and beyond, how will YOU be a kinder manager?
