3 Little Ways to Brighten up a Colleague’s Day
You and your colleagues spend a lot of time either in the office, on the jobsite, or collaborating as you work from home. After a while, you grow closer and realize when they’re having an off day and what they value. You become invested in them as people. To either help them through the day or just to pleasantly surprise them, here are some little ways to brighten up a colleague’s day.
Present Them with a Gift
First off, consider giving them a gift. This can either be in the context of an upcoming holiday or simply as a friendly gesture. Before giving around the holidays, be sure you’re familiar with some holiday gift-giving tips, including determining how your workplace structures gift-giving. Otherwise, don’t hold back—use your knowledge of your coworker’s interests to educate your decision, and mail it or plop it on their desk unexpectantly. Your gifting options range, but any sign someone is thinking of them is encouraging.
Give Them an Encouraging Word
If your express goal is encouragement, be direct about it through verbalizing or writing something to your coworker. A letter affirming their presence and talents helps them see their indelible mark on the company, while a conversation can be even more meaningful to some. If you notice they’re down, be intentional about spending time with them, perhaps going out to lunch, and specifically speaking to them. Acknowledging their struggles and expressing your trust and compassion for their situation helps them feel less alone in their problems and work.
Notice Their Wins
Another way to brighten up a colleague’s day is by highlighting their professional successes. By taking note of what they do well—how they communicate, attend to details, strive to support coworkers, or something else—you help them feel seen. As a coworker, you’re also uniquely capable of this praise, because you see their work up close, and realize their importance to your team and the company. Over time, if you help people see how they succeed, you also take part in showing them their overall progress, which affords them a great sense of purpose.
