Want to inspire wworkplace kindness? Read on for free resources to help.

First step toward a kinder culture? Smile! And take advantage of the many free resources to help your organization build workplace kindness. (Photo via Kamil Porembiński, Flickr)

Are you inspired by Random Acts of Kindness Week to build workplace kindness in your organization? Great! We can help with free resources to inspire workplace kindness – everyday!
Now’s the time to start. Only one in four employees feel valued at work, a 16 percent drop from last year, according to the TINYPulse Employee Engagement Report.
“Managers are falling behind in their recognition efforts,” the study concludes.
Worse, only 24 percent of employees feel connected to their peers — “11 percent lower than last year, and this gap is causing cross-functional frictions.”
Where are the positive trends? Among the growing number of companies that 1) commit to improving culture, and 2) prioritize frequent feedback.
“The top factors related to employee happiness turn out to be the intangible ones such as interpersonal relationships, culture and work environment,” TINYPulse researchers write. “Benefits, work-life balance and flexible schedules, surprisingly, don’t have a strong impact on employee happiness.”
So building a culture of workplace kindness is no longer the “nice thing to do” — it’s a smart, strategic move backed by research as a driver of employee performance, motivation and retention. But it can be hard to know where to start — or, if your company is already working on an engagement strategy, how to move forward and constantly improve.
Good news: from research analysis to podcasts, there are tons of free resources out there to inspire you. Read on for a list to help you and your team create a unique strategy for a better culture of workplace kindness in your organization — this #RAKweek and beyond!

Resources to Inspire Workplace Kindness

1. Mindfulness podcasts
Mindfulness leads to kind actions. Need a mental recharge? Limeade recently released its 2017 recommendations for motivational and mindfulness podcasts — “Use your next lunch break to re-energize and get your focus flowing.” Download Limeade’s free list today, and happy listening!
2. ‘Coaching Employees for High Performance’ eBook
One practical, concrete way to demonstrate kindness to employees is to help them develop their skills and career. Quantum Workplace’s “Coaching Employees for High Performance” eBook has all the details to get you started, including:

  • Research behind the benefits of employee coaching
  • The HR handbook for implementing coaching as a form of learning and development
  • An essential toolbox for effective manager and peer coaching
  • 4 keys to creating a culture of coaching

3. Gaping Void daily email
Gaping Void‘s eye-catching illustrations, accompanied by simple but powerful text — like this — are a regular inspiration for workplace kindness. Subscribe or browse past emails here.
4. Krista Tippett’s TEDTalk “Reconnecting with Compassion”
You may know Krista Tippett’s voice from the national public radio program On Being. Back in 2010, she recorded a great TEDTalk on compassion that deconstructs the meaning of the word through several moving stories. She also proposes a new, more attainable definition for the word. Watch her talk (or read a transcript) here.
5. Intro to Second Wave Positive Psychology
You’re probably familiar with positive psychology and the benefits of positive thinking in the workplace. It’s been nearly two decades since Martin Seligman founded the field of positive psychology. Now the field is undergoing a “second wave” — and it has implications for employee engagement, workplace relations and culture-building. Read Tim Lomas’ “Intro to Second Wave Positive Psychology” in Psychology Today.
6. Your FREE Employee Recognition Calendar!

“In life, one has a choice to take one of two paths: to wait for some special day — or to celebrate each special day.” – Rasheed Ogunlaru, coach and author

Kindness is easy to share and does not need to cost anything. We believe the foundation of any great workplace is daily appreciation. That’s why we offer a free annual day-to-day Calendar for Celebrating Employees.
Download your copy now and share with colleagues. We hope it inspires you to spread workplace kindness everyday!!

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