Stratum Resource post, Showing Gratitude Costs Nothing

Gratitude is a widely-underrated approach to a happy, productive workforce.

One key component to employee happiness is being appreciated for a job well done. There are many benefits to employee appreciation: reduced absenteeism, less burn out and lower stress, as well as better problem-solving, more creativity, better overall culture, and enhanced collaboration.

Expressing gratitude for people whom you work with and for, and also who work for you, is an art form that perhaps needs resuscitation at times.

“The more you can train your brain to seek out the good in your business and in life, the more fulfilled you’ll become the more positivity starts to build around you. It’s always great to be able to prepare for issues before they happen, but you’ve got to be prepared for the good that is coming. Start by being able to see the positives instead of just the problems that you can now identify so easily,” Blair Singer, writer for the Entrepreneur.

Duly noted is that authentic gratitude is quite different from gratuitous shout-outs delivered randomly because thank-yous are the new mandate.

Gratitude attracts great employees and retains them. If you are known as a leader who sincerely appreciates the efforts of her team members by regularly acknowledging great effort, the word will spread.

Benefits of Gratitude in the Workplace

Gratitude in the office can have many profound benefits. Depending on what side of the gracious gesture you’re on, it can play positively into your life. This will ultimately make you happier and more stress free.

Gratitude in the workplace has the capacity to positively affect many different areas. Office culture and the ability to produce a higher standard of work are two areas where gratitude can pay dividends.

A simple thank you can go a long way in reducing one’s stress and leads to having a better working environment. It was shown that employees that feel appreciated by someone else’s gratitude are more likely to have a higher degree of job satisfaction. Not only that, but more likely to then reinforce those around them.

Authenticity is something that must be taken into consideration whilst showing gratitude. Because without being authentic, the gesture is undermined. Since gratitude can’t be forced, it has to be felt and be fully authentic in nature. For this reason, the quality of the gesture is more important than the quantity in which you disperse.

Gratitude has a place in the workplace but must be nurtured to get the benefits. As receiving gratitude releases dopamine, which is the reward hormone, it’s easy to see how the occasional gratefulness can mean for a happier environment. Yet it’s the quantifiable effects that allow the business owner to attempt the implementation of the gracious work environment.

Because when something costs nothing proves to be such a rewarding endeavor, it’s in the business’s best interest to recreate such a rewarding environment in their office.

Importance of Gratitude

There are many ways to recognize employees for good work. The size and culture of your workplace might make some tactics more workable than others. Whatever methods you choose, it’s important that recognition is frequent enough to make it meaningful in order to inure the benefits.

Let’s consider some options. Here are six creative ways to show employee appreciation.

“Showing gratitude at work builds the professional relationships required for a company to thrive. Gratitude equates to appreciation – which is a main driver of employee motivation, loyalty, and job satisfaction. Those that show gratitude to others recognize that everything we do is a team effort and I think it’s incredibly important as it facilitates wellbeing – both mentally and physically.” – Nicole Anderson, Safety and HR Manager

One of the greatest things about gratitude is that it’s incredibly contagious. Leaders expressing thankfulness and appreciation can create a ripple effect throughout the office. Studies have shown that cooperative and altruistic behavior tends to spread from person to person. A simple “thank you” has the power to change the way employees interact, feel, and perform.

Grateful leaders make the best leaders.