On February 17th, people nationwide will celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day by spreading joy through selfless actions. At Cornerstone Executive Search, we want to encourage you to spread kindness to those around you in every interaction. These eight ideas are simple, powerful, and unique ways to spread kindness in your interactions with recruiters, candidates, clients, and employees.
1. Write Encouraging Messages You can leave a sticky note on a co-worker’s desk or send an email letting someone know what you appreciate about them. We know this act of kindness will bring just as much joy to you as it will to the recipient so grab a stack of sticky notes and get to writing!
2. Write A LinkedIn Recommendation LinkedIn recommendations provide social proof and build credibility for co-workers and connections in your network. Recruiters use these reviews to determine character, work ethic, and experience. Consider writing a recommendation for a colleague, co-worker, or collaborator in your first-degree connections to highlight their accomplishments and compliment their skills.
3. Put Your Phone Away Our phones are constant companions and they can easily be a distraction. The average American spends over five hours on their phone daily and checks it for notifications between 96 and 344 times a day. You can show kindness by putting your phone away during meetings and conversations to give others your undivided attention.
4. Share A Professional Podcast Podcasts are an increasingly prominent medium for us to consume content. There are several professional podcasts where business owners and successful entrepreneurs share their stories. If you enjoy an episode you listen to, consider sharing it on social media with a brief description of why you enjoyed it!
5. Acknowledge An Employee If you are a business owner, consider recognizing an employee’s birthday, work anniversary, or accomplishment. This small act of kindness can significantly increase their productivity and contribute to the company’s growth. A kind work environment attracts and retains employees so look for ways to use words of encouragement to build up an employee today!
6. Share A Compliment Complimenting a recruiter or candidate on their work and professionalism is a simple way to brighten their day and establish trust. People will remember your kind words, so be generous with your compliments on Random Acts of Kindness Day!
7. Write A Positive Review If you have a favorite small business account, podcast, or YouTube channel, consider liking their content and leaving a review! Content creators and business owners love to hear feedback from their audience on ways to improve their content. A kind and genuine review will encourage business owners and entrepreneurs to continue pursuing their work.
8. Thank A Mentor Sending a thank-you note to a mentor shows appreciation for how they invested in your life. Let them know the characteristics you most admire in them and how thankful you are for their time and energy. Your thank-you note may encourage that mentor more than you could ever know!