Gratitude in the workplace should be the norm, and we urge you to be leaders by taking the initial steps toward altering the culture in your company, industry, and workplace as a whole.
While the pandemic continues, we should concentrate on cultivating thankfulness to make the best of the situation. By being consistent and sincere, the widespread use of digital communication tools, which isn’t going away anytime soon, may help us develop thankfulness in our lives and at work.
If you think a thankfulness culture at work is just a nice-to-have, you might want to reconsider. Several new research on the benefits of thankfulness reveals that it not only benefits our health, sleep, and stress reduction, but it also benefits us at work, resulting in increased job satisfaction and employee retention, as well as stronger teams.
The Power of Gratitude in the Workplace
You’ll discover how far-reaching the power of gratitude can be once you figure out how to start recognizing the dedicated members of your team. It has the potential to have a snowball effect that enhances day-to-day operations in unexpected ways.
Here are a few examples of how appreciation can improve a workplace.
- People Feel Acknowledged – People’s talents can often make them feel limited. It’s simple to express gratitude for a job well done or a goal achieved, but it’s much more challenging to stop and thank the person who made it possible. Begin expressing gratitude for your employees’ qualities that go beyond meeting deadlines. Applaud them for their upbeat attitude, capacity to smile despite adversity, ability to motivate others, and sense of humour. Appreciate your staff for who they are as individuals, not just what they do.
- It Fosters Collaboration – Virtual meetings have permanently altered the way individuals collaborate in the workplace. Engaging in familial conversations is considerably more complex; new people feel separated from the beginning, and some employees feel left out. Cultivating an appreciation culture helps people let down their guards and removes some professional obstacles. Gratitude in the workplace will result in happier, more productive employees and better onboarding experiences for new employees, even if they work remotely.
- Leaders Emerge – Leaders will emerge as soon as you begin to cultivate the seed of thankfulness in the workplace. These are the people who will change the focus away from measurable results and toward making employees feel validated outside of the workplace.
How can you incorporate gratitude in your workspace?
After you’ve grasped the significance of gratitude, you might be asking how to incorporate it into your company’s culture. Recruit critical members of your team to assist you in brainstorming methods to demonstrate appreciation, and start with these basic ideas:
- Greet staff or send a quick greeting when they log in each morning.
- Surprise your coworkers with complimentary coffee, lunch, or other delights.
- Recognize efforts, even if they are unsuccessful.
- Always remember to express gratitude, even for minor achievements.
- Recognize and reward employees’ efforts outside of the workplace.
Once you start noticing a difference in morale due to a thankfulness culture, you’ll be inspired to keep it continuing until it becomes second nature and synonymous with your company.
Conclusion
Everyone wants to be respected and acknowledged; it is one of the deep and fundamental human desires. Displaying gratitude in the workplace has both business and human benefits. Leaders must recognize and prioritize their efforts to consistently express genuine gratitude and appreciation to their employees. They must foster a gratitude culture throughout the organization, in which all employees feel responsible for and empower to recognize one another for their excellent work.
