Team leaders in a big ministry gave me this one.

Team members can volunteer to be a colleague’s secret friend. During, say, the next month the colleague receives little, anonymous, favours, gifts or notes.

A few basic rules. It must be a positive experience for the receiver. Any notes must be encouraging and gifts must be tasteful and appropriate. The secret friends must be volunteers.

Our ministry clients ‘borrowed’ the idea from a government department and secret friend schemes seem to be popular overseas. It will only work if you have a large enough team for it not to be easy to work out who the secret friend is.

The research suggests the effect is contagious. When the receivers receive kindness, they pass it on to others. Taking part makes the secret friends happier - and healthier too.

 

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