Gratitude is an essential ingredient to healthy and productive workplaces.
Researchers at Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania discovered that when leaders openly expressed gratitude, the productivity of their teams increased. However, there is an unfortunate disconnect between the places that most of us choose to express, or not express gratitude. A study of 2000 Americans by the John Templeton Foundation discovered that work is the place people are the least likely to experience and express gratitude.
Not showing gratitude at work is a missed opportunity. Showing gratitude at work benefits not only our organizations, but has a direct positive impact on ourselves. Considering that the average American spends approximately 90,000 hours over the course of our lives at work, it might be beneficial to consider the personal impact that gratitude could have on that large segment of time.
When we feel grateful, it lets us enjoy positive experiences more, cope better with stress, build stronger connections at work, and build our resilience. Research indicates that recording what we are grateful for regularly allows us to experience greater satisfaction in all areas of our lives, whether at work or home. On a basic level, when we focus on gratitude during our workday, it boosts the level of positivity, which not only boosts productivity, but results in a healthier and more supportive workplace—as well as better overall well-being for everyone involved.
Anything that is consistently practiced in the workplace has a ripple effect. Negativity can spread and create a toxic workplace. On the opposite spectrum, gratitude will encourage others to get on board and spread positivity. This creates a workplace that is friendly, open, and increasingly optimistic. When gratitude expression becomes a rewarded activity, others will naturally be drawn to it. When all levels at work witness it being expressed consistently by management, everyone will view it as one of the prerequisites to promotion within the organization.
Many workers are dealing with an increase in stress and burnout. This is the result of change occurring at an increasing speed due to technical innovation, tight deadlines, and competitive pressures. According to research by Harvard Business Review, gratitude improves well-being, reduces stress, and builds up resilience. Regularly expressing gratitude can help ameliorate increased stressors faced by both management and front-line staff. It can help diffuse excess amounts of stress and make workplaces more relaxed and fun places to be.
“After introducing weekly team meetings that have a gratitude component nearly 10 years ago, it’s gone from something that was new and uncomfortable to something that’s looked forward to as a team ritual,” says Sona Khosla, Chief Impact Officer, Benevity. “Embedding gratitude in the workplace doesn’t come without its challenges—there will be naysayers, people who remain quiet, and a constant pull towards efficiency and work-only focus.”
She continues, “By remaining committed to the practice of gratitude in the workplace, I’ve seen individual contributors on my team go on to implement it in their teams in new roles and at new companies, and eventually, the quiet ones speak up and tell you that while they may not actively participate, they still appreciate it. At some point, with practice and normalization, gratitude transcends typology and becomes cultural.
As we struggle with an increase in mental health issues among workers, gratitude is a known method for having a powerful positive impact on our mental and emotional well-being. When colleagues and leaders are able to express as well as receive gratitude this results in an increase in optimism and increased coping mechanisms, which allow us to more effectively cope with and bounce back from setbacks and challenges.
Gratitude also strengthens relationships in the workplace at all levels. Communication, teamwork, and harmony increases amongst colleagues and between various levels within the organization. This leads to increased trust, leading to a smoother functioning and healthier work environment. The likelihood of making valued friendships in the workplace increases, building camaraderie and a strong sense of security and belonging, missing from many organizations. Plus, a culture of gratitude can improve an organization’s reputation as a great place to work—in turn attracting more like-minded people.
“A culture of gratitude is reciprocal. It is a culture of engagement where leadership encourages regular input and feedback from employees about being recognized, valued, and respected,” says executive coach and leadership consultant Lydia Henry. “Engaged employees reciprocate with a higher level of innovative collaboration and an investment of discretionary psychological energy that translates into overall enhanced productivity. Workplace gratitude transcends stress and fear during times of disruption and uncertainty. It builds team resilience from a solid foundation of trust.”
Organizations that have built cultures of gratitude experience decreased turnover and increased employee motivation, job satisfaction, and productivity. Grateful teams build commitment, positive, and compassionate workplaces resulting in a sense of security and belonging. This culture builds a strong base from which both individuals within it and the organization itself can build on setting goals and ambitious targets.
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