When you have a job that’s always moving, it’s easy to get carried away in your work and forget to take the time to “smell the roses.” Valentine’s Day presents the perfect opportunity to take a break and make your coworkers feel loved with a random act of kindness. We decided to take it back to the old school this year and hand out special valentines. I of course went for the 3-D animals.
However, making your coworkers feel loved certainly shouldn’t be limited to Valentine’s Day. Here are some fun tips for how to keep smiles on their faces and their hearts warmed, year-round.
- Make a surprise coffee run. My personal favorite is surprising someone with their favorite coffee. We are no stranger to Starbucks runs around here and always take turns bringing each other our favorite beverages.
- Offer to Help. If your workload is feeling a little light and you see a coworker who seems to be struggling, reach out to see if there is anything that you can take off of their plate. A little gesture like this can go a long way.
- Give a compliment. Don’t be afraid to compliment someone. Like former President Lincoln said, “Everybody likes a compliment.” It’s so easy to make someone’s day just by telling them they did a good job on something or that you like their sweater.
- Go on a lunch date. Invite a coworker out to lunch for some one-on-one bonding time. Getting out of the office and having the chance to hear about their weekend or what their upcoming Valentine’s Day plans are can be refreshing and shows that you care about them, both personally and professionally.
- Show gratitude. Take the time to write a little thank you note when someone does something to help you out. Handwritten thank you notes are a lost art that can make people feel great and are something nice that they can display on their desk as a constant reminder that you appreciate them.
These are just some of the ways that you can brighten a coworker’s day and show them that you “love” them. To share the love, comment below and tell us what you do (or will now do) to make your colleagues feel special.