No one disagrees with the act of gratitude. “of course, we should be grateful!” Given the obviousness of the concept of gratitude, we still avoid expressing appreciation for our greatest gifts: it is as if we view them as given. If I help you as my friend with an issue or need, and you say thank you, I’m more likely to help you again in future. But if you don’t say thank you, I suppose that you can find a way to figure out a solution by yourself next time. The same is true at work, with the universe and with your family.
Gratitude is an inherent quality that resides within each human being. However, it is not simply an emotional response: rather, it is a choice that we make.
There are a lot of benefits to expressing gratitude including benefits for health and wellbeing, work environments and communities, financial wellbeing, relationships as well as character development and spiritual growth. When it comes to work, gratitude has a profound impact on the business. Research shows that organizations with employees who experience frequent positive emotions as a result of being appreciated have lower employee turnover and higher customer satisfaction.
Consistent and meaningful expressions of gratitude by leaders, managers, mentors and supervisors increase productivity, enhance creativity and encourage cooperation. Gratitude also has healing powers. Dr. Alex Korb, in his book Upward Spiral mentions that gratitude promotes the production of happiness neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine to manage emotions and anxiety and immediate stress response.
Here are seven ways to show gratitude at the workplace:
1. Start by Appreciating Yourself
It is important that you value yourself by recognizing and appreciating the efforts you put into utilizing your gifts to contribute to your team’s success. It is not to say that you are better or above anyone else. It means that you give yourself the credit and respect you deserve. This act of gratitude towards oneself makes it easier to receive and accept gratitude from others. In doing so, pay close attention to:
- The compliments you’d like to give yourself
- People you’re grateful for
- Significant positive aspects of your life at the present moment
- Learnings from your current challenges
2. Create a “No Meeting” Day
A survey conducted by MIT Sloan Management on 76 large companies with global operations in more than 50 countries confirms the benefits of introducing a no meeting day at work. Autonomy, satisfaction, communication, and engagement improved as a result of having a single no meeting day. These improvements resulted in lower stress and micromanagement, leading to enhanced productivity among the employees.
Get consensus from the team members to choose one day in a week when there are no internal meetings on the calendar.
3. Share Team Achievements with Leaders within the Organization
Share the success of the team and their contributions to the project in achieving big milestones with management. This is a profound act of gratitude that creates an environment of trust. It shows that you are paying attention to the team’s hard work and dedication. It also demonstrates that you believe in them.
4. Create a Wall of Gratitude
Create a space where everyone can post what they appreciate about each other’s work and what they are grateful for. This small act gives visibility to the team’s contributions and encourages others to do the same thing more frequently.
5. Model a Gratitude Behavior
Use any opportunity to create a culture of gratitude by taking the lead on showing that you care. Highlight team members’ contributions and achievements in emails, newsletters, or any other communication channel you can think of. If you’re not sure how to express gratitude in a way that would be meaningful to your team specifically, discuss with them openly how “they” would show gratitude. Not only these discussions help come up with ideas, they also show that you value the team’s input which can be very empowering.
6. Show Appreciation Through Actions, Not Just Words
Although saying “Thank You” to people within the team can go a long way in enhancing motivation and drive, you should consider extending your act of appreciation beyond words and through actions. Encouraging collaboration, providing opportunities for growth and training, valuing everyone’s opinion and input as well as giving bonuses when possible are a few examples of how gratitude can be demonstrated through actions.
7. Extend the Culture of Gratitude to Vendors, Suppliers, Clients and Any Other Stakeholders
Your suppliers, vendors and Clients who contribute to the success of your business are also deserving of your gratitude. Your entire team can be involved in thanking them. Expressing gratitude towards these stakeholders’ contributions strengthens your partnership with them for more future successes.
Gratitude in the workplace can make all the difference for your company’s work culture, employee satisfaction and partnerships with stakeholders outside your organization. As you begin to practice gratitude, you’ll notice that it becomes easier and easier. You’ll also notice that you will find more things to be grateful for.