Introduction
To celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week, I’m sharing 25 random acts of kindness (plus some bonus ones) you could practice throughout the week to lift up your colleagues and the learners you support.
Being kind at work isn’t just a nice thing to do. It can help build a sense of camaraderie, which helps people feel more engaged, and that can help them be more successful. Being kind also has many benefits for our own wellbeing. When we’re kind to others, we get a serotonin boost that makes us feel happy and energized. It can even help us be healthier and live longer!
There’s no doubt about it. Kindness makes the world a better place. So let’s get to it!
25 Random Acts of Kindness
Here are 25 ways you can practice being kind at work.
- Post motivational or inspirational messages (like the quotes throughout this post) around the office or training room. Or share them via Slack, email, or social media.
- Text someone you’ve been meaning to reach out to, just to let them know you’re thinking of them.
- Know a coworker who’s doing an amazing job? Sing their praises to the boss!
- Volunteer with your coworkers at an animal shelter, soup kitchen, or other local nonprofit as a team-building activity.
- Help a colleague with their workload.
- Write a glowing review or testimonial for a company you’ve done business with.
- Bring in yummy treats for coworkers or a training class.
- Leave a nice comment on a video, social media post, or blog that you appreciate.
- Wash the dishes someone left piled up in the office break room, or wipe out the nasty splatter in the microwave.
- Give feedback to students in a training class and shower them with praise.
- Write a stellar LinkedIn recommendation for someone you’ve worked with.
- Send a thank you card.
- Take a coworker out to lunch, or have a virtual coffee over Zoom.
- Cancel a meeting that could have been an email (if you can).
- Send a funny meme or cute pet photo to a colleague who’ll appreciate it.
- Volunteer to help plan a learning event, such as a conference for the Training, Learning, and Development Community.
- Leave a heartfelt note on a coworker’s desk or in their inbox.
- Greet everyone you pass with a smile.
- Send a gift card or delivery to a remote coworker.
- Mentor someone.
- Give a coworker a book that helped you in your career.
- Create a “gratitude wall.”
- Compliment someone.
- Collect donations for charity.
- Send an appreciation card. (Feel free to use the one below.)
Random Acts of Self-Kindness
Random acts of kindness aren’t just for others. Don’t forget to plan some kindness for yourself! Here are 10 ideas for self-care:
- Take a relaxing bath.
- Go on a nature walk.
- Write down your proudest accomplishments from the week (or month or year).
- Make a list of things you’re grateful for.
- Participate in your favorite hobby, or try a new one.
- Color in a coloring book.
- Watch your favorite movie—again.
- Read a book.
- Meditate.
- Play a board game with your family or friends.
Some Extra Acts of Kindness for Learners
As a bonus, here are five kind things you can do for your learners all the time:
- If you’re developing eLearning for adults, unlock the navigation if possible.
- Add captions to audiovisual content. If you use autocaptions for live events, edit them to ensure accuracy for the recordings.
- Writing a scenario? Include characters with multiple types of diversity, and avoid stereotypical representations.
- Use plain language principles to make content easier to read.
- Use inclusive language.
Conclusion
What random acts of kindness are you doing this week? Have you been on the receiving end of some thoughtful acts of kindness? Post a comment below!
Here’s one more thing you can do to show kindness and change the world, one learning experience at a time: Sign the inclusive learning pledge.
For more ideas and resources, check out the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation and download their Workplace Kindness Challenge.
You can also download the 25 random acts of kindness as a BINGO card.
