Let’s be honest: Do you ever put aside your daily job responsibility to help out a fellow co-worker? It goes way beyond loading and emptying the dishwasher. These past few days, I’ve been really thinking about the act of ‘Paying it Forward’, especially in the workplace. Personally, I couldn’t have gotten to where I am today without the help and guidance from the people around me.  Because of this, I’ve worked hard to pay it forward- whether it be bringing in breakfast for my co-workers, making introductions, and giving time, and advice whenever I can. Today, I want to encourage you to make a plan, big or small, on how you can pay it forward yourself. For those of you looking for ideas, here are my top 3 ways to pay it forward in the workplace.

1. Take time to mentor

Great things can happen if you take the time to mentor entry level associates. Although, you’ll be volunteering your personal time, you’ll have the opportunity to help mold the next generation of employees and potentially change the path of their careers. Try and schedule 20 minutes of mentoring into your daily routine. Whether it be in the form of making business introductions, or providing coworkers with valuable shortcuts, helping others climb the career ladder is just good karma.

2. Praise others accomplishments

Giving recognition is one of the most effective ways to pay it forward in the workplace. It is an easy way to motivate employees with positive reinforcement. Personally, I enjoy writing hand written notes, or mentioning people in presentations. On a bigger scale, you can suggest an internal recognition meeting at the start of every day. For 5-10 minutes before everyone begins their day, you sit around in a circle and give “shout outs” to employees for their solid work.

3. Tokens of appreciation

This can be a tricky one. Gifts can leave a nasty impression that someone if trying to buy your affection. To offset this, you should look for tokens of appreciation that make sense and will help your co-workers throughout their day. If there is any way to get into the hearts of those around you… it is with food. Gather your loose change and hit up a Mc Donald’s on a Friday morning and stock your office with breakfast combos.

Inspiration Image:Refinery29

By: Jennifer Wilcox

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