Start Small, Win Big: 100 Ways to Make Your Workplace Better Today

Elizabeth Eldridge
1 day ago
6 min read

This is my 100th blog post! I wanted to celebrate by doing what I love most: sharing practical, people-first strategies to help make work a better place for everyone. Whether you’re a team lead, HR professional, small business owner or just someone who cares about building a positive culture, this list is for you.

If you’ve ever heard me speak on stage or in a training session you know I’m a big fan of “start small” ideas. We often assume that improving workplace culture takes a massive budget, a brand new program, or a full time team. But the truth is, some of those big initiatives fizzle out. They feel like a lot of effort with very little staying power. If you make a New Years Resolution to go from getting very little physical activity to hitting the gym for intense workouts seven days a week, well… it’s not impossible, but you’d likely be better off setting a less overwhelming goal. What actually sticks, and what genuinely shifts organizational culture over time, are the small, consistent, meaningful changes made every day. The way we listen. The way we show up. The way we make people feel seen and supported.

That’s where this list comes in. I’ve put together 100 bite-sized “start small” ideas — all simple enough to try today, but meaningful enough to spark real change. No big budgets or policy overhauls needed. Just small, intentional actions that build trust, boost morale and create healthier workplaces where people actually want to show up.

Leadership & Role Modelling

Greet your team by name each morning.
Share a personal story that reflects a company value.
Admit a recent mistake and what you learned from it.
Ask someone for their opinion before offering yours.
Set a visible “no meetings” block in your calendar to model boundaries.
Say “I don’t know, but I’ll find out” when you need to.
Write a quick thank-you note to a colleague, by hand (not email).
Give credit publicly for someone else’s good idea.
Ask “What do you need from me today?”
Praise effort, not just results.

Employee Recognition & Appreciation

Start team meetings with a “shout-out spotlight.”
Ask your team what kind of recognition they value.
Nominate someone for an internal or external award.
Create a rotating “cheerleader” role for peer kudos.
Celebrate small wins with a treat or quick email.
Send a surprise coffee gift card.
Post a positive quote from a client or customer about someone’s work.
Start a “Wall of Wins” in a break room or intranet.
Acknowledge people’s work anniversaries with more than just an email.
Recognize behind-the-scenes contributors just as loudly as frontline stars.

Communication & Transparency

Share context, not just decisions.
Host a casual monthly Q&A with leadership.
Use plain language in policy updates.
Send a Friday “what you missed” roundup.
Ask for feedback in a 1-question pulse survey.
Repeat your vision often (people need to hear it more than once).
Acknowledge uncertainty when you don’t have all the answers.
Communicate changes early, even if the details are still being worked out.
Use “we” language when talking about the team’s efforts.
Read your emails aloud before sending — do they sound human?

Psychological Health & Safety

Normalize mental health days without guilt.
Share EFAP or mental health resources at every opportunity.
Encourage leaders to share their own self care strategies.
Remind employees you want to hear their voice at the table.
Add “How are you really doing?” to 1:1 check-ins.
Create a private space for quiet breaks or decompression.
Shut your laptop and be fully present in tough conversations.
Talk about burnout before it becomes a crisis.
Thank someone who trusted you with their mental health disclosure.
Add psychological safety to your OHS policies.

Belonging & Inclusion

Learn, practice and remember how to pronounce everyone’s name correctly.
Review job postings for biased language.
Make space for underrepresented voices in meetings.
Celebrate diverse holidays and awareness months.
Offer prayer/quiet rooms where possible.
Set a norm where everyone who’s comfortable share pronouns in email signatures.
Rotate meeting times for different time zones or life schedules.
Make sure your company swag fits everyone.
Make team-building activities accessible to introverts.
Say “thank you for pointing that out” when someone corrects you.

Growth & Development

Create a “skills I want to build” board.
Share a TED Talk and ask your team’s thoughts.
Block 15 minutes in your calendar for learning each week.
Give “stretch tasks” (just beyond someone’s current skill level/ comfort zone).
Celebrate progress, not just promotions.
Ask team members about their career goals.
Offer job shadowing across departments.
Invite a guest speaker to a staff meeting.
Authorize training without needing to justify it or show immediate ROI.
Start a workplace book club or article exchange.

Flexibility & Autonomy

Normalize using vacation days without guilt.
Let people define their own peak productivity hours.
Ask “What sort of flexibility would make this easier?”
Trust people to manage their workload without micromanaging.
Encourage the odd “camera off” day for video calls.
Don’t assume people are available just because they’re online.
Allow people to swap shifts or responsibilities when possible.
Let employees personalize their workspace (virtually or physically).
Start a “no-meeting” afternoon each week.
Let results speak louder than presence.

Team Culture & Connection

Organize low-pressure social time (no forced fun).
Try a “Get to Know You” question at meetings.
Start a gratitude jar everyone on the team can contribute to.
Pair people up for “coffee chats” across departments.
Have a “pass the playlist” day with everyone adding a song.
Start a shared team photo album.
Celebrate birthdays with their favourite snack, not cake every time.
Make space for non-work wins (ran a 5k, got a puppy, etc.).
Host themed potlucks or lunch hours.
Include remote workers in team bonding intentionally.

Workload & Efficiency

Ask “What’s getting in the way of your best work?”
Use collaborative tools to reduce email overload.
Avoid overloading high performers (don’t punish competence).
Eliminate one unnecessary meeting per month.
Simplify a clunky process that frustrates everyone.
Ask “Is this still serving us?” before doing something out of habit.
Set clear priorities so people can say no to the rest.
Encourage deep work blocks without interruption.
Give people permission to push back when they’re at capacity.
Reward working smart, not working late.

Onboarding, Offboarding & Transitions

Assign a buddy for every new hire.
Include “unwritten rules” in onboarding docs.
Find a small way to celebrate a new hire’s first 90 days.
Ask recent hires for feedback on the onboarding process.
Prep internal promotions with extra coaching, not just a title.
Create a checklist for smooth departures (no ghosting).
Welcome “boomerang employees” back with open arms and humility.
Celebrate retirees or long-timers with personal messages.
Ask exiting employees what would’ve made them stay.
Share employee success stories internally and externally.

Reflecting back on the past few years, I want to thank you for being part of this journey, whether this is your first time reading or you’ve been following along since post #1. I really believe I’ve learned more from writing the Workplace Wellness Weekly than anyone could have learned from reading it! If there’s one thing that’s become apparent to me through writing these 100 blog posts, it’s this: real change at work doesn’t come from big speeches or bold headlines. It comes from small, consistent, meaningful actions. One real conversation. One communication of genuine recognition. One boundary. One moment of care.

Cheers to the next 100! And to building better workplaces… one small step at a time.

P.S. Did you find this list helpful? I’ve created a bright, colourful, printable version I’d love to send you! Sign up to have the Workplace Wellness Weekly sent directly to your inbox and I’ll email you a copy! Simply scroll to the very bottom of this page to pop your email address in the box. It’ll be delivered within 24 hours.

Elizabeth Eldridge is a Psychological Health & Safety Consultant based in southern New Brunswick, Canada. In addition to keynote speaking and corporate training on mental health in the workplace, she supports organizations across the country on the adoption of Canada's best practice guidelines on psychological health and safety management. She is the Founder & President of Arpeggio Health Services which provides standardized education programs like Mental Health First Aid, The Working Mind, QPR Suicide Prevention and more.