The other day I saw a car in a library parking lot with a ‘pay it forward’ sticker on it. It was a gentle but powerful reminder in such an unexpected place. It got me thinking about how we can all pay it forward in the workplace to increase respect for one another.
Pay it forward, as a concept, has been around for years.
It’s simple. When someone does something nice for you, you pay it forward and do an act of kindness for someone else.
In the workplace, this can have an even greater effect. Kindness creates positive emotions and with these emotions people are more likely to do their best work. It can also strengthen relationships among colleagues and supervisors by creating trust that leads to respect.
Here are some tips to pay it forward at work
- Bring in coffee or cookies for staff members or colleagues.
- Put a thank you note on a colleague’s desk for a job well done.
- Find someone who needs extra help on a project and lend a hand.
- Share your knowledge by mentoring a younger colleague.
- Give someone a sincere compliment for no reason at all.
For more tips, check out Pay it Forward Day in April and the Pay it Forward Foundation.
