What things that work colleagues do to make your work a nicer place?

[RedBootlegPants]

I would like to get a bit more present at work in relation to my colleagues and would like some suggestions. I don't really know then that well as I don't see them all, all of the time due hybrid working patterns.

So far I've got being in snacks like biscuits, home made tray bakes etc. Bringing in xmasy food like mince pies near Xmas time. So far it's all food related stuff! But wondered if there was anything else a colleague had done that just made your day just that little bit nicer.

I generally like to keep myself to myself because I'm a miserable bastard and prefer to work in my own world, but I do appreciate a little chat every now and then e.g. if someone's going out for a coffee we'll often end up going as a group which is nice, or in the summer we'll get ice cream and eat in the park.

If you're going to do something pleasant yourself, like going for a walk etc then extend an open invitation but don't be offended if people say no. People will appreciate the thought.

Make cuppas, pay compliments and be interested in their lives

If someone mentions their kid's birthday party ask how it went afterwards. If someone is going for a meal ask what the restaurant was like. Ask people what they're having for tea - that's always a good chat opener in my office!

I bloody love some of my colleagues and would have left my job ages ago If it wasn't for them

We have a really nice close group at work. I work in a team of around 30 people, only one of which is a male (we're nurses so very female dominated profession).

Honestly it's just being supportive to one another that matters, not talking behind others backs and working together as a team that matters in my book. We just take good care of each other and try to recognise when someone is having a hard time or pitch in to help out if someone is very busy while your section is quiet.

A colleague of mine bought a lovely big sweetie jar for her desk and filled it with nice sweets for everyone to help themselves!

I think just trying to remember what a colleague is working on and asking “how is it going with x project?” goes a long way.

offering to make a round of tea, especially if anyone has reduced mobility or is especially occupied, is nice.

complimenting each other is good! Or clothes etc

This is probably a daft one but I stock the toilets. Nobody knows it's me, but everyone is happy about it!
People started topping it up themselves too
In the ladies we have tampons/pads, baby wipes, spray deo, nice hand wash and hand cream, hair grips and bobbles. All toilets have poo pourri in them, men's have deo and baby wipes plus hand wash

One of my colleagues used the toilets when she came for her interview and said she thought the staff/managers must be nice to supply stuff like that

There's also a basket of "stuff" which is stuff you don't want but other people might. So the body creams you get at Christmas, children's books, a magazine you've read etc

I keep my distance with colleagues.

I am polite, say hello /goodbye and keep any conversation about work. This includes out work what's app, which has turned into a bitchy gossip fest, which goes straight over my bosses head .

personally I do not think you can treat your colleagues like your friendships out of work. Politeness and courtesy yes absolutely, but friendship no not if you work in the same place.

Have seen it too many times where colleagues thought X was their friend shared lots private info and gossip and it's back fired massively and disrupted the team!

Every single one of them would probably throw you under a bus op if it came to covering their own arses or saving their own jobs!

We have team quizzes & games, and eat out a fair bit - probably once a month or every 6 weeks we’ll go for dinner after work.

In my previous job I was the only female in a team of men. They were all lovely individuals and asked me to join them for drinks after work on a Friday.

But when I joined my current team (50/50 m/f) I really noticed and appreciated the women noticing stuff and giving compliments. Have you had your hair cut? It really suits you. How was your son’s school play? That’s a lovely top, the colour really suits you. It’s all genuine and I reciprocate (will compliment a top / haircut I like, ignore one I don’t and certainly not gossip about it to others).

We are a great team generally and share our successes and frustrations. Everyone wants everyone else to be successful.

We do regular team shout outs to members of the team who excel particularly. We send Office Vibes to colleagues daily to thank them for one thing or another. We have an amazing boss and a fab morale in the team and we all seem to know our place. It's very nice to be observed and appreciated! :) Small things go a long way!

Collate their birthdays and make sure they get a card / treat on the day.
Most people like a little fuss in their Birthday.

Turn up on time for meetings and calls. If I am hosting I do not do the 'waiting two minutes' for latecomers.

This has just reminded me of a previous job where we had a thank you box which would be emptied every couple of weeks and all the messages read out in front of everyone. It was a really nice gesture.

Remembering things about your personal life and asking about them (I am very bad at doing this)

Introducing you to other people at work when you might be able to help each other do your jobs.

Publically thanking others - our team has quite good mechanisms for ensuring this happens and it's nice to hear even appreciation of other people!

We do team member of the month where people have to get nominated for an actual reason, not just because you like them.

Making tea and buying decent tea bags and biscuits.

Just generally caring. Our office is a safe space and that’s so important.

Loads of good tips above. Being publicly thanked for something is always nice, even just a shout out of a team catch up to a colleague who helped you with something tricky. Remembering to ask how a birthday or weekend event went. Generally it’s just being polite, friendly, pretending to be interested in what the are telling you even if you’re really not. The odd compliment of you genuinely like something they are wearing or a new haircut or glasses. These are the things that happen in my team and it makes it feel a friendly place to work, it’s nice to be greeted on the Monday morning catch up with someone asking how your kids birthday was, it makes you feel like people, well, like you.

Someone in my team organises payday lunch. It’s just going to a foodhall down the road on pay day and everyone pays for themselves etc but it’s an hour once a month to eat nice food and chat about non work stuff.

Just being generally nice! I work with a lovely team. It helps if you ask if anyone needs something doing if you have some down time, negotiate about time off, remember birthdays (not necessarily with cards or presents, it's just nice to be remembered), notice if somebody's upset or unwell and check they're OK, just generally be a nice person. These are all things that my team do, as do I.

Cake and a card on birthdays. Bit of chat in the office, remembering personal things about them. We've got a whiteboard we write messages on - thankyous, and welcomes. Very low key stuff really.

Talk about people positively, both to them and to others. Things like oh, you said you're struggling with that excel spreadsheet, X is really good at stuff like that, she's always happy to help people isn't she. I find things like that get back to people and make them feel really good

Oh yes this! It's far too easy to criticise, but being positive about them, and TO them as well is great!