Have you ever had your coffee paid for by the car in front of you? A small gesture that can completely reframe your day. That’s what Hennessey Digital’s Random Acts of Kindness Week – or RAK Week – is all about: sharing kindness with those around you.
We launched RAK Week in 2022 as a way to empower our team members to spread kindness and live out one of our guiding principles, Make It Fun; Don’t Be A Jerk. During RAK Week, each day has a different opportunity, and for each act of kindness accumulated over the course of the week, Hennessey Digital donates $5 to charity.
The neat thing about RAK Week at our agency is the whole company gets involved. There’s enough variety and flexibility and everyone has the chance to participate in a way that suits them best. We also invite our team members to nominate charities, and then take a company-wide vote on which charity will receive that year’s donation.
New in 2024, we introduced the Kindness at Work Pledge. Using the Random Acts of Kindness organization’s pledge, team members were invited to commit to making kindness the norm. Check out the pledge here!
RAK Week Daily Challenges
Each year, our “RAK Week Daily Challenges” offer a daily dose of kindness and inspiration, encouraging team members to spread joy in simple yet meaningful ways. Each daily challenge presents an opportunity to brighten someone’s day or make a positive impact on our internal and external communities.
Here’s a look at RAK Week 2024 and how we spent the week embracing kindness, spreading smiles, and fostering a culture of compassion—one challenge at a time.
Monday
On Day 1 of RAK Week, we shared kindness with our coworkers by endorsing and recommending each other on LinkedIn. More than 300 accolades were given, raising over $1,500 toward our charitable giving on this day alone!
Tuesday
Day 2, team members across the company showed kindness within their departments. Groups got together on Zoom to play games or grab lunch together. Our Content Strategy team got together to play Quordle, the People Success team had a virtual lunch, the Content Writers played Pictionary, and Engineering had fun playing Wordle!
Wednesday
On Day 3, we spread kindness for those we love. Our team members reached out to special people in their lives, and shared pictures of their friends and family, or something they love to do, in our #gratitude channel on Slack.
Thursday
On Day 4, RAK Week flowed out into our communities, spreading kindness to our fellow small businesses. We encouraged our team to support local and purchase something from a small business, or to write a positive review online or on social. As an SEO agency, we know the value of corporate responsibility and a positive Google review!
Friday
And lastly, on Day 5, we finished strong, spreading kindness in our communities in person. Team members were encouraged to volunteer locally in ways that were meaningful to them – whether that was with a local charity, doing clean up outdoors, or running a donation drive. One of our Content Team Leads, Brian, helped out at Polo Pony Rescue, a rescue that offers a sanctuary to retired polo ponies that can no longer be ridden due to old age or injuries. Team members donated clothing and household items to help out those in need, and Amy, our Senior Marketing & Communications Manager, even donated blood!
Doubling Impact, Doubling Kindness
RAK Week at Hennessey Digital is always a blast. It reminds us that kindness isn’t just a task—it’s a joyful opportunity. RAK Week is also a unique, effective way as a remote company to encourage involvement in our corporate responsibility initiatives and work together to impact our communities. Thanks to everyone’s dedication this year, Hennessey Digital’s RAK Week doubled our charitable giving from the event over last year’s amount, and raised $2,225 for charity.
At Hennessey Digital, we’re all about finding unique ways to give back as a remote company. This year, we are thrilled to donate to Action for Cheetahs in Kenya, a group nominated and voted on by our team, that’s dedicated to supporting cheetah conservation in their native habitat.
RAK Week 2024 showcased the incredible power of kindness to transform lives and communities. As we look back on this year’s success, we’re excited to continue expanding our efforts and inspiring even more acts of kindness.
Share your kindness stories with us! Tweet @HennesseyDgtl and let’s spread the love together!