And How to Build a More Human Workplace in 2026

2025 was the year I began sharing daily Humanity Practices — small, simple behaviors that make work feel more human. I didn’t start them as a campaign or a strategy. I started because everywhere I looked, people were stretched thin, teams felt disconnected, and leaders kept asking the same question:

“How do we build a workplace that feels more human… without adding more to everyone’s plates?”

What became clear over the year was this:
People weren’t looking for grand transformations.
They were looking for small, doable shifts that changed how work felt in the moment.

So I paid attention.

After reviewing thousands of reactions, comments, and reflections across these posts, five humanity practices consistently surfaced as the most meaningful.

These weren’t the flashiest ideas.
They weren’t the most complicated.
But they were the most loved, the most shared, and the most needed.

Here are the top five humanity practices of 2025 — and how every leader can use them to build a more human workplace in 2026.

1. Learn how to say — and spell — your colleagues’ names correctly.

Mispronouncing or avoiding someone’s name chips away at belonging. It sends a quiet message: You’re not worth the effort.

Names carry identity, history, and dignity.
When you get a name right — confidently and consistently — you signal respect before a single project even begins.

January Move:
Commit to learning — and practicing — the correct pronunciation of every new name you encounter.

🔗 Original post:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rockihoward_2-belonging-is-built-on-the-follow-through-activity-7358497235447242753-7Rvo

2. Give someone a shout-out — without waiting for permission or a platform.

A message.
A quick Slack.
A “Hey — I saw that. You crushed it.”

Public or private, recognition builds belonging faster than performance reviews ever will.

When peers recognize each other without waiting for formal channels, trust becomes real — and cultures become warmer.

January Move:
Give three shout-outs a week. Make them specific and sincere.

🔗 Original post:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rockihoward_shout-people-outeven-when-no-ones-watching-activity-7361758693878607872-13Y8

3. Be the person who circles back. Who remembers. Who keeps their word.

Trust isn’t built through big promises.
It’s built through consistent follow-through.

Anyone can say, “Let me know how it goes.”
Very few circle back.

Following up communicates:

January Move:
Choose one commitment each week — and complete it visibly.

🔗 Original post:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rockihoward_building-belonging-starts-with-follow-through-activity-7359221999321141248-0qsZ

4. The first day shouldn’t feel like the first test.

A warm welcome.
A simple introduction.
A lunch invite or a short virtual coffee.
A “you’re not alone.”

People decide whether they belong long before they understand their role.

January Move:
Assign every new hire a “first-day ally” — someone whose only job is to make day one feel safe.

🔗 Original post:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rockihoward_the-first-day-is-everyones-job-activity-7366832196197756928-2LJC

5. Notice who’s working harder just to be included.

If someone has to keep proving they belong, they’ll eventually decide they don’t.

This shows up as:

Belonging shouldn’t be earned.
It should be the baseline.

January Move:
Look for who carries the hidden workload — and interrupt the pattern.

🔗 Original post:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rockihoward_stop-making-people-prove-they-belong-activity-7360416621439406081-tXw6

The Real Lesson: Humanity Is a System, Not a Sentiment

These practices aren’t random. Together, they shape:

Humanity isn’t a feeling we hope for.
It’s a set of behaviors we practice.

And if 2025 taught us anything, it’s this:

Small humanity practices shape culture faster — and more sustainably — than any policy or program.

Want more humanity practices as we head into 2026?

If you’d like to receive future Humanity Practices, insights, and updates directly:

👉 Subscribe to the newsletter on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7359544858446884864Because the best workplaces in 2026 won’t wait for humanity to happen.
They’ll practice it — on purpose.