A little friendliness is never wrong

It is easy to think of friendliness in terms of heart-shaped balloons and big words. But for most of us at work, friendliness generally means something very different.

It can take the form of a “How about a cup of tea?” when the pace is high. A prompt reply to an email that might otherwise be left unanswered. A colleague who notices that you’re new, stressed or just a little off kilter – and who does some little thing that makes the day feel easier.

These actions are rarely large or spectacular. But they play a role. Particularly when for many of us, everyday life means juggling teaching, research, administration, meetings and deadlines.

Friendly Week is not meant to be a break from real life, but more of a launchpad. A reminder that all of us can actually turn our friendliness at the workplace up a notch, without it costing anything in the way of time, money or perfection. A spot of attention and a touch of consideration are often enough.

It could be the sort of feedback we give. How we greet one another in the corridor. How we talk about and with one another when we have a lot to do. Small adjustments, but with a big impact.

Send in your stories

The editorial office would like to collect examples of this sort of thing. Has someone treated you in a way that made your working day a little easier? Or do you have a way of behaving towards colleagues that you notice makes a difference in everyday working life? Please send us your examples – big and small. We plan to publish a follow-up article based on the stories we receive.

In a community where people help each other, everyone tends to feel better. Together we can show that friendliness at work is not something wishy-washy, it is something very substantial.

Who knows, perhaps this very week could be the start of a habit that lasts longer than the next page in the calendar, when Friendly Week becomes Normal Week?

Anders Berndt