“Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.”

– William James

One Kind Act a Day is an organization that seeks to turn up the volume on kindness in our society. We work in the areas of politics, education, business, and religion with the goal that all these efforts reach individuals and help establish better habits for kindness. Thanks to the Semnani Family Foundation we are a fully funded 501 c3 meaning that we do not seek donations, we do not even accept donations. This allows us to wholly focus on our purpose, kindness. As well as letting us offer all our efforts without charge because kindness should be available to everyone.

At One Kind Act a Day we believe it is the responsibility of businesses, communities, and cities to amplify, advocate for, and exemplify the value of kindness. We believe it is our responsibility and self-imposed mission to help those organizations facilitate this mission. Together we can accomplish this in a number of ways. Usually this takes the form of a tailor-made kindness initiative in your organization.

We know kindness and have experience sharing it. What we do not know are your people, your culture, or your goals. While we have best practices and other successful things, we have done in the past we do not presume to tell you the best way to enhance your organization’s culture of kindness. One of the benefits of One Kind Act a Day is our adaptability to work with people to tailor make a program that fits exactly with your goals. Together we can implement things that have been done as well as come up with new efforts to work for you.

One thing we do know for sure is that there are measurable research-based benefits you will see from a greater focus on kindness. We have attached a paper that lines these out as well as a form explaining some of the successful efforts we have had in the past.

Benefits of a Kindness Initiative

Kindness will be the safest and most reliable investment you ever make. You will be able to predict such a steady and consistent gain that if a Kindness IRS existed, they would be suspiciously looking into your records.

Here are some of the proven and consistent advantages of promoting kindness in the workplace:

• Improved Employee Morale and Well-Being:
  • Kindness initiatives create a positive and supportive work environment, leading to happier and more satisfied employees.
  • Enhanced job satisfaction and well-being can reduce turnover rates and increase employee retention.
• Increased Productivity:
  • When employees feel valued and supported, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their work, leading to higher productivity.
  • When clients and partners feel the relationship is based on kindness and trust there are decreased costs and time investments in achieving deals and accomplishing projects.
• Better Team Collaboration:
  • Acts of kindness can foster better teamwork and collaboration among employees, as they are more likely to help and support each other.
• Enhanced Customer Relations:
  • Customers tend to have a more positive perception of companies that prioritize kindness.
• Improved Company Reputation:
  • Kindness through corporate social responsibility initiatives can enhance a company’s public image and reputation, attracting socially conscious customers and partners.
• Stress Reduction:
  • Acts of kindness can help reduce workplace stress, improving overall mental and emotional well-being for employees.
• Conflict Resolution:
  • Kindness initiatives often include training in effective communication and conflict resolution, which can reduce workplace conflicts and improve relationships.
• Creativity and Innovation:
  • A kind and supportive work environment can stimulate creativity and innovation as employees feel more comfortable sharing their ideas.
• Enhanced Recruitment:
  • Companies with a reputation for kindness and a positive work culture are more likely to attract top talent, making recruitment easier.
• Increased Employee Engagement:
  • Kindness can boost employee engagement, leading to a more committed and motivated workforce.
• Ethical Business Practices:
  • Fostering kindness can lead to more ethical and responsible business practices, which can have long-term benefits for the company.
• Improved Health and Well-Being:
  • A culture of kindness can have a positive impact on employee physical and mental health, reducing absenteeism and healthcare costs.
• Better Problem-Solving:
  • Kindness encourages a growth mindset and openness to new ideas, which can lead to more effective problem-solving within the organization.
• Greater Customer Satisfaction:
  • Employees who feel valued are more likely to provide better customer service, leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Incorporating a kindness initiative into your business can create a more positive and supportive work culture, benefiting employees, customers, and the company. It not only has a positive impact on the bottom line but also contributes to a more compassionate and socially responsible business environment.

Something important to note is, though you may plan to do something internally this will have a very external impact. Not just for your clients and your image, but in the communities, you are part of. We have found is that as we implement this, employees and team members will speak up and say that they are PTA presidents, city council members, church leaders, volunteers at the food kitchen, part of local club and interest groups, and that they want to take the kindness they experience from work and implement something else into their spheres of influence within the community. The effects of this will be visible and felt within your organization but will spread and impact the community as a whole.

---

Sources:

Chancellor, J., Margolis, S., Jacobs Bao, K., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2018). Everyday prosociality in the workplace: The reinforcing benefits of giving, getting, and glimpsing. Emotion, 18(4), 507–517. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000321

Covey, S. M. R., & Merrill, R. R. (2006). The speed of trust: The One thing that changes everything. Simon & Schuster Audio.

Fryburg, D. A. (2023). Kindness isn’t just about being nice: The value proposition of kindness as viewed through the lens of incivility in the healthcare workplace. Behavioral Sciences, 13(6), 457. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13060457

Giovannoni, J., McCoy, K. T., Mays, M., & Watson, J. (2015). Probation Officers Reduce Their Stress by Cultivating the Practice of Loving-Kindness with Self and Others. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 8(2), 325–343.

Hart, Christopher W., et al. “The Profitable Art of Service Recovery.” Harvard Business Review, 1990, hbr.org/1990/07/the-profitable-art-of-service-recovery.

Lawrence, C. Y. (2020). Linking Kindness to Emotional Intelligence for Employee Satisfaction & Retention Through Professional Development Training (dissertation). Lynn College of Education, Boca Raton, FL. https://spiral.lynn.edu/etds/355

Sezer, O., Nault, K., & Klein, N. (2021, August 27). Don’t underestimate the power of kindness at work. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/05/dont- underestimate-the-power-of-kindness-at-work

Tucker, S., Turner, N., Barling, J., Reid, E. M., & Elving, C. (2006). Apologies and transformational leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 63(2), 195–207. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-005-3571-0

Wang, R., Gu, X., Zhang, Y., Luo, K., & Zeng, X. (2023). Loving‐kindness and Compassion Meditations in the workplace: A meta‐analysis and future prospects. Stress and Health. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.3273
Zak, Paul J. The Trust Factor: The Science of Creating High-Performance Companies.
New York, Ny, Amacom, 2017.