How to Make your Office a Happy Place

12 Random Acts of Kindness to make your office the happiest place in the world

We’ve all been there; an office space that you hate, with colleagues you loathe which makes you more miserable than a Zucchini on Meatless Monday. Making your office a happy place means changing the vibe and creating a positive atmosphere that benefits everyone. The best way to do that is to be the change you want to see. Small acts of kindness make the office a healthier, happier place to spend a third of your life.

Vending Machine Magic: Tape an envelope to the vending machine with enough change to pay for the next person’s snack. Make it a healthy one!

The Rexies: I spray painted a large plastic T-Rex gold and turned it into a trophy for the most awesome person in the office every month. I awarded it to the first person anonymously with a note listing all the nice things I had seen them do for other people in the office. I asked them to keep the trophy for a month and then pass it on to another employee with a list of all the reasons why they were awesome. There’s nothing like public recognition to encourage your team to treat each other with consideration.

Email Appreciation: Start every day on a positive note by writing one email to thank or praise someone you know. It can be a colleague, a client or a friend, but thank them for something they did or recognise a job well done.

Sign up for a live face-to-face business communication training to nurture a good working relationship with your colleagues.

Neat Treats: Bake or bring some treats for co-workers and leave them in the communal kitchen.

Flower power: Bring flowers for someone who is having a hard time at work. Leave them on their desk with a note of encouragement. (A good one for people with whom you don’t get along).

Potted perfection: Pot plants help to elevate mood, clean the air and provide a wonderful atmosphere for your office mates. Get a couple of plants and place them around the office to brighten up the place a little.

Bring a dog to work: Provided no one is allergic, allow a co-worker to bring their dog to work for a day. Petting animals has a soothing, healing effect on people.

Sharing is caring: People feel great when they participate in random acts of kindness, so organize charity-orientated events at the office. Ask co-workers to bring in unwanted items and sell them on Craigslist and donate profits to a charity of their choosing. Or ask them to bring in old clothing and call for a pick-up by a charity organization. Food bank collections are also a good idea.

Post-it pleasantries: Stick post-it notes on random pages of your office manuals and other books. People who have to consult the manual are probably having a tough day and could use a joke, an inspiring note or just a little love.

Coffee Caring: Going on a coffee run? Get someone else a cup of coffee too.

Chocolate cheeriness: Leave a chocolate on a co-worker’s desk or leave a basket of candy in the office kitchen for everyone to share. Keep candy on your desk which you can share with co-workers who help you or do a good job.

Cubicle Creativity: Encourage your co-workers to decorate their cubicles by offering a great prize to the best office space. Decorating cubicles will make your office a more interesting place to work. If your co-worker is ill or is having a bad time, decorate their cubicle to show that you care.

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