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Kindness In The Work Kindness In The Work PlacePlace

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Definition for KindnessDefinition for Kindness

The state of being The state of being kind or acting in a kind or acting in a kind manner; a kind manner; a courtesy or act of courtesy or act of charity. (Webster’s)charity. (Webster’s)

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Kindness to Colleagues ProgramKindness to Colleagues Program

Developed by Olivia McIvor a Certified Human Resources Professional with 18 years experience

The program focuses on the following things:

1)1) Improved Morale Reduced Turnover – Its relationship focused model Improved Morale Reduced Turnover – Its relationship focused model builds friendships and loyalty – proven factors for helping corporations to builds friendships and loyalty – proven factors for helping corporations to retain the best employeesretain the best employees

2)2) Increased Recruitment – This type of work environment is very appealingIncreased Recruitment – This type of work environment is very appealing

3)3) Reduced Absenteeism – Physical illness is not the only reason for Reduced Absenteeism – Physical illness is not the only reason for absenteeism. Promoting kind acts daily in the work place can have a absenteeism. Promoting kind acts daily in the work place can have a dramatic affect on absenteeism due to the reduction in stressdramatic affect on absenteeism due to the reduction in stress

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How Olivia Got Her StartHow Olivia Got Her Start

Olivia started out managing a 7-11 storeOlivia started out managing a 7-11 store

Then Olivia was on her way and became British Columbia Area Then Olivia was on her way and became British Columbia Area Training Manager for 143 stores and then HR Advisor for 65 storesTraining Manager for 143 stores and then HR Advisor for 65 stores

She eventually went to work for Canada Trust where she launched She eventually went to work for Canada Trust where she launched her Kindness to Colleagues program in 72 branch banks and for her Kindness to Colleagues program in 72 branch banks and for over two thousand employees.over two thousand employees.

Olivia began a human resources consulting firm and her and her Olivia began a human resources consulting firm and her and her partner developed the Kindness in Business Handbook. partner developed the Kindness in Business Handbook.

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The Kindness to Colleagues The Kindness to Colleagues ProgramProgram

Kindness to OneselfKindness to Oneself1.1. This includes self-care, well-being and nurturing the human spiritThis includes self-care, well-being and nurturing the human spirit

2.2. Caring for oneself creates the momentum for kindness to othersCaring for oneself creates the momentum for kindness to others

Kindness to Your ColleaguesKindness to Your Colleagues1.1. Focus on treating each other with mutual care and respectFocus on treating each other with mutual care and respect

2.2. Taking responsibility for your team and one anotherTaking responsibility for your team and one another

Kindness in the CommunityKindness in the Community1.1. Look at expanding your kindness efforts beyond your every day Look at expanding your kindness efforts beyond your every day

life and worklife and work

2.2. The community always needs good leaders demonstrating The community always needs good leaders demonstrating corporate social responsibilitycorporate social responsibility

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Lets Talk About Things That You Have Lets Talk About Things That You Have Done or Currently Do In Your Done or Currently Do In Your

CommunityCommunity

To Make A DifferenceTo Make A Difference

How Do Each Of You Make A DifferenceHow Do Each Of You Make A Difference

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The Work Place Can Be a Happy The Work Place Can Be a Happy PlacePlace

• Be Kind To Everyone You Meet For Everyone Is Fighting A Great Battle.Be Kind To Everyone You Meet For Everyone Is Fighting A Great Battle. --Philo of Alexandria--Philo of Alexandria

• My religion is simple, my religion is kindness. My religion is simple, my religion is kindness. --Dalai Llama --Dalai Llama

• Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. --Mother Teresa --Mother Teresa

• Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end. ripple with no logical end. --Scott Adams--Scott Adams

• I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.to serve.--Albert Schweitzer--Albert Schweitzer

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KINDNESS CAN EASILY BE SPREAD

Being a Leader in Creating a Kinder, Safer, Healthier and more Vital Workplace is Simple

Before you speak or act ask yourself three questions:

1. Is It True?

2. Is It Necessary?

3. And Is It Kind ?

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What Can You Do To Make A What Can You Do To Make A DifferenceDifference

Try very hard to get along with people who appear not to like you or whom you may not particularly like.

Learn to know a co-worker individually and not to base a relationship on what was saidby another person.

Never join hands to persecute a co-worker or a newcomer. Instead reach out a hand to a new person, invite them to lunch or just to go out with the rest of the team.

Be a negotiator between feuding workers, be the fire extinguisher when problems are brewing.

Don’t be afraid to say your sorry when you know in your heart you should say your sorry.

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Additional Things to DoAdditional Things to Do

Try to react to stressful situations without stress. This is not something that is learned over night.

Always treat your customers with respect and kindness and never complain to a customer about what kind of day you are having.

Remember that your internal customers are every bit as important as your external customers

Try and remember that everyone can have a bad day occasionally and if some one seems out of sorts – a kind, are you ok from you might be enough to turn their day around.

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INTERESTING STATISTICSINTERESTING STATISTICSEscalating Cost of Stress & Violence in the WorkplaceEscalating Cost of Stress & Violence in the Workplace

• Cost businesses $300 Billion annually in days lost, diminished Cost businesses $300 Billion annually in days lost, diminished productivity, employee turnover and direct medical and legal costproductivity, employee turnover and direct medical and legal cost

• 60-80% of industrial accidents are due to stress giving rise to 60-80% of industrial accidents are due to stress giving rise to disability premiumsdisability premiums

• Stress is responsible for over 50% of the 550 million workdays Stress is responsible for over 50% of the 550 million workdays lost annually due to absenteeismlost annually due to absenteeism

• Let’s Remember: Let’s Remember: Promoting kind acts daily in the work Promoting kind acts daily in the work place can have a dramatic affect on absenteeism due to the reduction in place can have a dramatic affect on absenteeism due to the reduction in stressstress

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How To Reduce Stress in The How To Reduce Stress in The Work PlaceWork Place

Set Realistic Goals and PrioritiesSet Realistic Goals and Priorities Encourage Good Time-Encourage Good Time-

Management TechniquesManagement Techniques Take Short Breaks After a Take Short Breaks After a

Particularly Stressful EventParticularly Stressful Event Rehearse and PrepareRehearse and Prepare Don’t ProcrastinateDon’t Procrastinate Know Your LimitsKnow Your Limits Change Your AttitudesChange Your Attitudes Learn to Say NoLearn to Say No Schedule Your StressSchedule Your Stress Try and Balance Your LifeTry and Balance Your Life

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Let’s Share Some Ideas of Kind Let’s Share Some Ideas of Kind ActsActs

You Feel Would Be NiceYou Feel Would Be NiceTo Share In The Work Place To Share In The Work Place

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Passing Along KindnessPassing Along Kindness1.1. When a co-worker needs to talk, meet When a co-worker needs to talk, meet

him/her at lunch and listen with him/her at lunch and listen with compassion.compassion.

2.2. Tell your boss or a co-worker that you Tell your boss or a co-worker that you appreciate her/him.appreciate her/him.

3.3. Leave a treat on the desk of a coworker Leave a treat on the desk of a coworker with whom you normally don’t get along.with whom you normally don’t get along.

4.4. Write, draw, make or buy something Write, draw, make or buy something encouraging for a colleague who is encouraging for a colleague who is experiencing difficulties.experiencing difficulties.

5.5. Help an overworked colleague with Help an overworked colleague with some tasks.some tasks.

6.6. Place a flower on the desk of each of Place a flower on the desk of each of your team mates.your team mates.

7.7. Refrain from negative talk; concentrate Refrain from negative talk; concentrate on the positive.on the positive.

8.8. Give a complimentGive a compliment9.9. Teach a skill that you know to another Teach a skill that you know to another

coworker and learn a skill from him or coworker and learn a skill from him or her.her.

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Small Things Companies Can & Small Things Companies Can & Are Currently DoingAre Currently Doing

Secret Pals Secret Pals

Who ever wants to participate within a team fills out a form about Who ever wants to participate within a team fills out a form about themselves (hobbies, interests, favorite candy and colors).themselves (hobbies, interests, favorite candy and colors).

• A designated individual collects these forms, mixes them up and then gives A designated individual collects these forms, mixes them up and then gives a form to a different person. a form to a different person.

• Once a month you do something nice for your secret pal. You know who Once a month you do something nice for your secret pal. You know who you are doing nice things for but the person does not know who is doing it. you are doing nice things for but the person does not know who is doing it.

• At the end of the year you have a little team party and your secret pal is At the end of the year you have a little team party and your secret pal is revealed. Then you start all over again.revealed. Then you start all over again.

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Another Cool IdeaAnother Cool Idea Scheduling Kindness SurprisesScheduling Kindness Surprises

• Random Acts of Kindness are scheduled throughout the year, one for every Random Acts of Kindness are scheduled throughout the year, one for every month by the heads of the different departmentsmonth by the heads of the different departments

• Each month an act of kindness is given to a specific group. The managers Each month an act of kindness is given to a specific group. The managers enlist the help of the other members of different teams but the group who is enlist the help of the other members of different teams but the group who is getting the act of kindness does not know it is coming getting the act of kindness does not know it is coming

• You can do things - like one group taking a cart with tea, coffee or cookies You can do things - like one group taking a cart with tea, coffee or cookies around to team employees for a snack, or a cart full of different ice cream with around to team employees for a snack, or a cart full of different ice cream with Sundae ToppingsSundae Toppings

• You could have a small bag of candy and a single flower on every one’s desk in You could have a small bag of candy and a single flower on every one’s desk in a particular groupa particular group

• Everyone who receives an act of kindness always finds an, “You been paid an Everyone who receives an act of kindness always finds an, “You been paid an act of kindness card” so hope you will pass it on. act of kindness card” so hope you will pass it on.

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Kindness CornersKindness Corners

Some Companies Put Up Kindness CornersSome Companies Put Up Kindness Corners

• Some where in your work group, place a bulletin boardSome where in your work group, place a bulletin board

it should be in a place where everyone can see it and let it be a it should be in a place where everyone can see it and let it be a source for employees to post kindness notes about people in their source for employees to post kindness notes about people in their work group. For example:work group. For example:

1.1. A simple thank you noteA simple thank you note

2.2. A comment about an individual you really appreciate and A comment about an individual you really appreciate and whywhy

3.3. (What Kind of Ideas Can You Come Up With)(What Kind of Ideas Can You Come Up With)

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Stress Stopper - LaughterStress Stopper - Laughter

Humor Wards OffHumor Wards Off DepressionDepression Stimulates creativityStimulates creativity Improves memoryImproves memory Helps you feel more in controlHelps you feel more in control Humor can actually help to remove Humor can actually help to remove

painpain

Chaplin once said, “Life is Chaplin once said, “Life is a tragedy in a tragedy in close-up and a comedy in long-shot.” close-up and a comedy in long-shot.” He clearly understood the importance He clearly understood the importance of gaining perspective (or seeing the of gaining perspective (or seeing the big picture) during a stressful event. big picture) during a stressful event.

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Now We Are Going To Take A Now We Are Going To Take A Laughter QuizLaughter Quiz

Laughter is great for relieving stress and Laughter is great for relieving stress and that makes it good medicine for all of us.that makes it good medicine for all of us.

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To SummarizeTo Summarize Everyone is affected by an Act of Kindness – Kindness is contagious Everyone is affected by an Act of Kindness – Kindness is contagious

and you never know when you are going to make a hugh difference in and you never know when you are going to make a hugh difference in some one’s day or even their life by a few kind words or a kind deed.some one’s day or even their life by a few kind words or a kind deed.

Kindness improves our quality of life in the work place as well as in the Kindness improves our quality of life in the work place as well as in the community.community.

People feel good about being able to do something good for someone People feel good about being able to do something good for someone they get a good feeling being on the giving side as much as being on they get a good feeling being on the giving side as much as being on the receiving end of a kind act.the receiving end of a kind act.

Stop and think before you talk or act, remember (Is it True, Is it Stop and think before you talk or act, remember (Is it True, Is it Necessary and Is it Kind)Necessary and Is it Kind)

Remember to find time to laugh during the day which will decreaseRemember to find time to laugh during the day which will decreasestress and make you more open to spreading kindnessstress and make you more open to spreading kindness

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Random Act Of Kindness CardRandom Act Of Kindness Card

When you do something kind for someone you When you do something kind for someone you leave them a “Random Act of Kindness” card leave them a “Random Act of Kindness” card and the card ask that if you enjoyed your act of and the card ask that if you enjoyed your act of kindness to please “pass it on.” Then together kindness to please “pass it on.” Then together we can change the world one person at a time.we can change the world one person at a time.

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Before Everyone LeavesBefore Everyone Leaves

Please Pick up A “Kindness – Pass It AlongPlease Pick up A “Kindness – Pass It Along

Card” and Then Have Some Fun PassingCard” and Then Have Some Fun Passing

Some Kindness to Someone You Really Some Kindness to Someone You Really Appreciate or Someone You Might Be Appreciate or Someone You Might Be

Able to Learn to Appreciate. Able to Learn to Appreciate.