Gratitude in the Workplace

We have been running an 8 week series focusing on gratitude at work on the Gratitude Habitat Facebook page. Below are the weekly insights posted thus far. We have a few weeks left and will continue to update this blog with the final posts. Apply these suggestions to your work environment and see what happens….

3/22/11 People want to belong and feel appreciated by their employer. When shown gratitude at work, employees are happier, feel appreciated and take more pride in what they do. This generates contentment, which results in a healthier mental and physical state as shown by studies done by Robert Emmons and Michael McCollough. People who are happier work harder, are healthier and stay with a company longer.

3/29/2011 “The difference between mere management and leadership is communication.” ~Winston Churchill

Leadership isn’t something you can do on your own.  It requires a team. Great leaders inspire, motivate and help their employees to become better. They express appreciation. Effectively applied in the workplace gratitude may positively impact such factors as job satisfaction, loyalty, and citizenship behavior, while reducing employee turnover and increasing organizational profitability and productivity.

TELL US: How have you been shown appreciation at work by your leaders?

 4/5/2011 Gratitude at work is about building your team, about strengthening your relationship with coworkers . It is something that should be given freely to show respect for an individual’s efforts and hard work. If a person is shown appreciation at work, they are much more apt to continue to do their best. 

When someone works hard every day for their employer doing what is “expected and anticipated” at their job, it is at this moment when gratitude will have its greatest impact, its greatest power. Gratitude isn’t the reward; the feeling a person gets when shown gratitude is the reward.

4/12/2011 While being shown gratitude at work by peers and management is important, it is equally crucial to have an attitude of gratitude toward your employer and for the job you hold. Your approach toward your work is crucial. Appreciate that someone values your skills and experience, be thankful that you are able to support yourself and your family. Even if you are in a job you don’t like, there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. And being grateful leads to productivity, better health, a more positive, creative outlook, better problem solving skills and so much more.

 4/18/2011 It’s important to show your appreciation to your boss or manager. More often than not, the only things the boss hears are the problem, complaints, frustrations, and annoyances. A sincere expression of gratitude is sure to be welcomed.

Because this is a business relationship, be mindful about how you express your appreciation. Overdoing it, especially in a larger company, could be construed as “looking for points.” Most of the time, a sincere verbal or written,“thank you!” will suffice.

If your office or workplace is smaller and you enjoy closer relationships, letting your boss know you’re grateful for your job because it has made a positive difference in your life is appropriate and may be appreciated.

4/25/2011 It’s important to show gratitude toward your coworkers for the things they do for you. Sometimes it might be big, like staying late to help you finish an important project, and other times it’s no more than lending a sympathetic ear. Regardless of the favor, they need to know you appreciate them. Be sincere, use their name, say “Thank you” and let them know why you appreciate what they did.

5/3/2011 Life is about relationships. Relationships in business are equally as important to the wellbeing of a corporation. How you build connections with people–managers, coworkers, employees or customers—can make or break your company. People see through  transparent relationship ploys. Instead, be grateful, show that appreciation and mean it. Gratitude is a huge stepping stone to solid associations, becoming a social force results in a sense of community and cohesion. Gratitude builds relationships that go beyond the mere working interaction.

5/10/11 As the final post in the Gratitude at Work series, we’re going to switch from people to the intangibles work offers. Think about all of the things your job provides you for which you are grateful. And I’m talking about more than a means to pay the bills. Does your work provide social interaction, a creative outlet, mental stimulation? Let us know what your livelihood gives you.