The one thing you should do each morning at work to instantly make your day less stressful

Careers guru Andrew G Rosen says growing number people don't greet their colleagues. Photo/Getty

When you're the last to arrive at work and everyone is already furiously squirrelling away at their desks, you might be tempted to try to slink in unnoticed.

But according to careers guru Andrew G Rosen, while a lack of morning greeting is now becoming increasingly common in workplaces, by failing to acknowledge your colleagues, you could be storing up problems, reports the Daily Mail.

Writing for Jobacle, he points out that every individual's morning starts with some kind of ritual, whether it's a workout or simply making a coffee, so if you exclude yourself from the expected norms in the office it's making a big statement about your lack of care.

''Making the words 'good morning' part of that routine is part of the process to Make Work Better," he said. "If we can't make even the most measly effort with our co-workers, it says a lot more about you than you might care to admit.'

While it only takes two seconds to offer a quick greeting, there are six important benefits you can reap from taking the time to be friendly.

Improving atmosphere

It might be a very small thing, but when you let basic standards of civility slip it doesn't bode well for the future.

You'll find a simple "good morning" goes a long way to improving communication and fostering a good atmosphere in the long run.

It makes your colleagues human

You need to view the people you work with as flesh-and-blood people and not shadowy figures you resent.

This will come in handy later when you're trying to solve problems and collaborate.

It makes your workplace democratic

If everyone says good morning, no matter what their rank, if means that everyone from the managing director to the cleaner is treated with the same importance.

It's a marker of how you feel about your workplace

A greeting at the beginning of the day is quick, free and painless or at least it should be.

If you find the mere act of saying hello difficult, then it could be a warning sign that it's time to look for a new job.

Everyone wants recognition

This simple act will make your colleagues feel value as you're showing them recognition, and most people want to be recognised whether they realise it consciously or not.

It's also a way of making your presence felt rather than skulking in and slinking into your chair.

A greeting blows away awkwardness

If you've not bothered to say hello, imagine how tricky it's going to be later in the day when you need to speak to your colleague about a problem or ask for their help.

Start the day on a good note, and you'll rule out potentially stressful situations later in the day.

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