Gratitude At Work #everydaygratitude

I’ve worked at various kinds of jobs and have had my fair share of great, good and bad experiences. But through it all I’ve found the one thing that keeps employees happy and the workplace a positive one is gratitude. Gratitude at work at work! Yes, it’s the small ‘thank-yous’ that count. The fact that you were noticed and acknowledged. That your good work, great attitude or small act of kindness was not taken for granted.

Gratitude At Work

Showing gratitude can increase a person’s wellness, increase better sleep habits, increase metabolism and lessen stress. This directly impacts work results and employee interaction. With employee appreciation, you’re not only boosting performance and engagement, but the employee’s well-being and health.
– The Psychological Effects of Workplace Appreciation & Gratitude

Managers who remember to say “thank you” to people who work for them may find that those employees feel motivated to work harder. Researchers at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania randomly divided university fund-raisers into two groups. One group made phone calls to solicit alumni donations in the same way they always had. The second group — assigned to work on a different day — received a pep talk from the director of annual giving, who told the fund-raisers she was grateful for their efforts. During the following week, the university employees who heard her message of gratitude made 50% more fund-raising calls than those who did not.
– Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier, Harvard Health Publishing

So, what are some simple ways infuse more of that into workplace culture? Here are some tips:

Don’t wait to be grateful. Regardless of your position in an organization, cultivate gratitude as a core part of your work – on a regular basis.
Be humble. We all need to be grateful for the team that powers the engine of our business.
Acknowledge that our success depends on others. A grateful employee is a smarter employee. It helps improve your standing in a team to admit that you don’t know everything, and that everything you’ve ever learned that’s made you successful has come from someone or something else.
Be sincere. In many cases, being grateful can be disarming. As a leader or a team member, when you are thankful and express it – sincerely and frequently – it will often make people stop in their tracks… and soon coworkers will mirror your efforts.

Nothing says “I appreciate you” more than an investment of your time, especially because everyone knows how busy you are. I was blessed with an incredible mentor and boss during many of my years in corporate. Lisa made certain to spend time with me in and outside of the office on a regular basis. Knowing how much she believed in me inspired me to be at my best at all times. The tangible gifts I received from other peers and bosses are long forgotten, but Lisa’s gift of time will forever be remembered and valued. Think about what’s most important to others and invest a bit of yourself to make it happen

Marla Tabaka