March is Employee Spirit Month
“We’ve got spirit, yes we do, we’ve got spirit, how about you?” Okay, so you don’t need pom-poms and short skirts to show some spirit in the workplace—but you can show up with a little spring in your step if you prefer.
I know how hard drudgery work is. I’ve worked in customer service, fast food, and other jobs with the public. I’ve also cleaned my share of literal crap, babysat lots of kids (both sweet and sour—their parents as well!), worked in a supposedly haunted place that made my heart race on a nightly basis, and done plenty of other things I didn’t enjoy. But at every job I’ve had, I can honestly say that I tried to do my best—and that while there may have been some tense moments, there were plenty of moments where I brought some vivacity and spirit to the job.
Here are some ways you might want to bring some spirit to work this month. Who knows? Maybe it will stick to you!
Leave GOOD Memos: How many memos, notes, or emails do you receive that either make no difference to your day—or simply make it worse? Try leaving a post-it on your coworker’s desk that reads, “You are not alone.” Add a smiley face to make it less stalker-y. Or scrawl a quick compliment, like, “Your report was amazing! Awesome job.” Even in my fast food job, I used to draw little pictures with quotes on them on napkins and leave them at the break table for the next person.
Learn a Joke or Quote: How cool would it be if you could uplift every person you met with a nice saying or quick (clean) joke? Try this quote from Helen Keller: “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.” You could always go with my daughter’s favorite knock-knock joke:
Knock knock.
Who’s there?
Police.
Police who?
Police give me a hug!
Dress for Success: If you were a uniform, keep it clean—even pressed if you like. Add things to it if you want. (Some jobs allowed me to put stickers on my nametag or buttons on my shirt, for example.)
Give People a Reason to Love Your Place of Employment: My dad can’t stop going on and on about 7-Eleven since that “Undercover” show aired about the woman who made everyone want to stop in for a cup of coffee just because she worked there. She wasn’t a model or Scarlett Johansson; she was simply a kind, affable woman who bubbled with enthusiasm for her job—even while sick. And I think if she can muster up that much joy while on dialysis, we can too.
