Gratitude in the workplace is an uncommon practice that employers seem to neglect. More often than not, the office becomes a source of stress. However, studies show that gratitude can significantly enhance an individual’s quality of life.
From how the person perceives things to how it amplifies the significance of living, being an appreciative person helps to increase happiness.
Apart from that, gratitude also allows the person to acknowledge all the blessings instead of taking them all for granted – and this includes being happy in their jobs.
How can gratitude help in business?
Workplace disengagement is often the result of leaving workers unsatisfied with their job. And, in return, this forces employees to leave the company. The great dilemma is that it can greatly affect the company’s revenue.
It is why, as a leader, saying a word of gratitude helps employees feel motivated and inspired. According to a Glassdoor Employee Appreciation Survey, 81% of employees feel motivated at work when their managers or employers show appreciation.
Folks tend to work harder and better when they feel valued for their job. It also builds trust and loyalty, which can be rare these days.
As such, showing gratitude to your workers can bring change to the workplace atmosphere. It promotes a positive and stronger employer-employee relationship too, which can eventually solve the growing rate of workplace disengagement.
How to cultivate gratitude in the workplace
The journey towards a grateful living does not happen in one night. Here are a few ways to practice appreciation in the workplace:
- Get to know your team.
- Do the habit of saying thank you.
- Stay humble
1. Get to know your team
Showing no interest in your team promotes negative and ill-feelings. Aloof managers create a wide gap, which can eventually affect the team’s overall performance.
Having said that, get to know them at a more personal level. People are more likely to relate to someone they know.
Create regular employee engagement events like teambuilding exercises. For a cost-effective alternative, try to invite them to join you for lunch. What’s important is the end goal, which is building connections.
2. Make a habit of saying thank you
For employees, receiving compliments is another way to say thank you for a job well done. Whether it is merely making through a day of work or finishing a considerable amount of tasks, acknowledging their efforts uplifts them.
This kind of setup will not only encourage them personally, but it will also affect positively the employer-employee alliance in the workplace.
3. Stay humble
Showing gratitude in the workplace also includes staying humble even when your position is higher than your fellow workers. It is a fact that a successful task is not made by one person only but by several people who worked together.
In other words, teamwork is a collective work. Hence, the credit should be distributed evenly. And you can show that by simply remaining humble.
Although showing gratitude cannot cure all the stress caused by work-related issues, it can at least soothe an employers’ corporate life. Problems like workplace disengagement can also be prevented from growing through it as well. Thus, it makes life a little more bearable for both employers and employees.