PARKing in the Office

This afternoon, I went to the printer room to collect a print out and realized that it was not on the printer tray. I realized that there was an error saying the printer had ran out of paper. I would usually (out of convenience) open up the paper tray of another printer besides it and took a few pieces of paper to feed into the printer that I was printing from. By doing so, I could quickly collect my printouts (usually a few sheets) and get on with what I was doing. However, this action meant that the next guy (or the next next guy) coming to collect the printout would face similar problem as what I faced. Also, the printer besides this printer would have less paper, thus the scenario of that printer running out of paper would occur sooner than expected.

Therefore, I thought that there was an opportunity for me to engage in an act of kindness if I had helped to topped up the paper in the printer. I went to look for a new stack of blank paper and load an ample amount into the printer. I know this act will benefit at least a few others who are printing after me. Also, I thought it would be nice to replenish the blank paper supply in the printer besides it. Instead of taking blank paper from that printer out of convenience, I am topping up paper into that printer so that the scenario of that printer running out of paper would occur latter than expected. If someone has to be the one who topped up the blank paper supply, why can't it be me? It only takes a few person to engage in such random acts of kindness and the office will be happier place because the supply of paper is always sufficient.

There are many ways in which we can spread kindness in our workplace. Helping to guide a junior colleague along, sharing knowledge and experiences, greeting each other along the pathway, encouraging each other through difficult times at work are all acts of kindness that we can offer to our colleagues, whom we faced for most of the day. If we can cultivate a warm, pleasant and caring work environment, it is more likely that we will enjoy coming to office everyday. If someone has to take the lead to cultivate the kindness culture in the office, why can't it be you?