The Winner of the How Do You Make Your Co-Workers Happy Contest Is…

B. Lewis.

Congratulations!

B. Lewis will now receive a copy of Alexander Kjerulf’s book Happiness is 9 to 5 – Learn How to Love Your Job, Love Your Life and Kick Butt at Work!

The winner was picked randomly of those people who commented on the post Do You Make Happy With Your Co-Workers?

I’d like to highlight everyone’s responses. You’ll see some trends: Humor, Respect and Friendliness.

• John Wesley said, “I refrain from farting in the elevator. But on a serious note, I think the biggest thing I do is take the time to say Hi and make friendly conversation with people. Work is easier when you can take a break for a moment and just interact as people.”
• B. Lewis said, “I do my best to always say hi, be friendly, and ask how they’re doing and if there’s anything I can do to help. Rarely do people take me up on the offer, but several people have told me just knowing that I’m “there to help” is huge. Of course, I think one of my co-workers trumps me in that she bakes brownies and cupcakes for the team.”
• Doug said, “I try and provide great customer service to all of my co-workers. For me, that means doing what they ask and doing it when they need it, being friendly, following up when needed, pro-actively offering to help them, and so on. :) It has worked pretty well so far.”
• Chas Grundy said, “I draw a cartoon. Our group is a pretty close-knit bunch, usually making jokes and socializing outside the office. When someone says or does something funny, I like to make a note of it. Eventually, I’ll draw a little cartoon of it (Think MS Paint meets the Far Side) and send it around to the group.”
• Vicki said, “We started a team social committee to improve our team’s morale – we organise all sorts of activities, from white water rafting expeditions to bowling to lunchtime BBQs… last week I brought in my Nintendo Wii from home for everyone to try, and next week we’re having a round robin competition to see who’s the best at Wii Tennis :)”
• Shel said, “Well, so far I’ve cleaned up the office we work in, gotten my team new desks, ergonomic mouse pads, desk organizers, some fun toys (cars, puzzles) for thier desks, organized a departmental xmas party (which no other department did), brought in a TV set (with Atari’s Pong!!), a radio. Oh, and started pushing for process automation so that the annoying repetitive tasks are done by computers instead of people. Last but not least, I’ve started sending out an e-mail every morning with some fun links and a comic (Get Fuzzy – my favoritest comic out there to date!)”
• Dennis Schulte said, “Probably the single most recognized thing I’ve done is to start “Fruitball” which consists of taking old food in the breakroom outside and hitting it with an oversized wiffle bat. It started with fruit but has included eggs, yogurt and old chinese (we do it at the end of the day). Still, conversing enough and delivering on promises outranks that or any other ‘tricks’.”
• Mary Jo said, “I try to be the kind of co-worker that I’d like to work with. Improving myself seems to be a good place to start.”
• Viji said, “Greet them with a smile. Responsive to their queries. Give them feedback for their queries. Give a helping hand, without asking. Have a friendly talk at least for 2 minutes in a day. enquire about their family. Send birthday wishes on their birthdays. I keep a calendar for those working in my department. Not stealing their credit.”
• Musaed said, “Tell them individually that you just love their passion to work and hope someday you reach it, and mean it.”
• Katy said, “I always make a point of saying ‘Thank you’, it’s amazing how two little words can light up a co-workers face – it’s just a shame it’s not used more often.”
• Scot Herrick says, “I deliver what I say I’m going to deliver when I say I’m going to deliver it. That way my co-workers can count on me. It’s not pounding on the wall or something — but it really helps the work go right.”
• Johnny K. says, “By joking around. I don’t make people happier by what I do in work, I make them happier by the way I do it.”
• Scott says, “Aside from being good at my job, and competent in doing what’s asked of me, the best thing I’ve found for making others happy at work is to find the things that interest others, then be sure to ask them about it, talk to them about it, mention interesting things about the subject that they like. Remembering that this person likes to run, or that that person really loves a particular TV show or band etc. Makes people feel good if you can relate to them on a level besides just work/tasks.”
• Timothy Williamson says, “I arrive at work dressed in my bright yellow cycle jacket and tight shorts! That _always_ get a smile. Plus taking time to smile and say ‘Hello’, then chatting with my co-workers makes a big difference to the work day. I find that making a personal connection with people is so important – such as asking them something about their weekend or their hobbies. It makes me happy when my co-workers are interested in me as a person – I can only assume it works the other way too!”
• GP says, “I ask them ‘how are you doing?’ with a genuine interest in the answer since most people are interested more in themselves. I remember birthdays and anniversaries. Be a good listener and focus attention directly at them instead of being distracted.”

Thank you to everyone that participated! Was tons of fun!