Your heartfelt gratitude shows you really do care
Giving appreciation is a good everyday habit at home and at work
Gratitude is so appreciated and so underused. Heartfelt acknowledgment means much more than square-filler “Thank you for your service” rubber stamps.
This is especially meaningful in a troubled world, particularly when applied in the workplace.
“There’s research that demonstrates improved return on investment, thanks to gratitude,” said Liz King, chief marketing officer of gThankYou! Team, which creates custom Certificates of Gratitude. “You have higher employee retention, improved performance, increased happiness, and better relationships.”
Throughout the workforce, gratitude is a precious commodity. It’s a feeling Meghan M. Biro, analyst, brand strategist, podcaster, and TalentCulture chief executive officer, knows well.
“There’s no doubt: In 2020, the world seems pretty serious,” she said. “All around me here in Oregon — and up and down the West Coast — we’re dealing with unprecedented firestorms. A series of tropical storms seems ready to hit the southeastern U.S.
“We’re all still grappling with a pandemic that has dramatically changed the workplace,” Biro said. “With all this going on, many of us seek solace. We covet a moment of relaxation. And for the many of us working solo at home, we crave human connection.”
As she sees it, “there’s no better time to be deliberately human — to reach out to a friend to say hello. Or perhaps to make an employee or coworker smile by just saying thank you. But how do we show gratitude in a meaningful way while we’re socially distancing?
“Sharing gratitude with employees and peers may be the special sauce of workplace culture and engagement,” Biro said.
Just a phone call away
Forced physical and social separations struck a chord with King.
“We are so short on personal engagement right now,” she said. “If you can, pick up the phone. Check-in on your employees. People need to know they’re valued and not alone. Don’t forget a heartfelt, personal thank you note always makes somebody’s day.”
In many cases, organizations struggle with expressing gratitude. They save it for workers who go above and beyond. Gratitude for everyday achievements is wasted because employees are expected to do those things anyway.
“Employees need to hear from the boss first,” King said. “You can’t build a workplace culture of gratitude if it’s not expressed by leadership. Too often management thinks in contractual or economic terms, as in your ‘Thanks’ is a paycheck. But we don’t work just for money. We work for respect, a sense of accomplishment, purpose.
“There needs to be an organizational commitment and plan to support a culture of gratitude,” she said. “People are less likely to feel or share gratitude at work than anywhere else. We need to overcome our aversion to gratitude in the workplace.”
Small, simple gestures go a long way.
“Start with a personal, over-the-phone call to connect and show you care,” King said.
“Gratitude can feel inauthentic if we aren’t specific about what we are appreciative of,” she said. “For example, we are grateful to Mary for making the coffee — not grateful for the coffee.”
Create a daily, empowering habit
Gratitude in any setting should feel natural, not startling because it’s out of place.
“We need a structure, a system, a program to make sure gratitude is part of the culture, not just isolated gestures,” Biro said. “Managers are so busy — and frequently they’re the ones who thank people for their hard work. But doing so may fall to the bottom of the list too often. Make it easy for them.
“Given social distancing and work from home, we need better tools for expressing gratitude in ways that matter,” she said. “Don’t confuse ‘rewards’ with a genuine, ‘Job well done.’”
As Biro and King noted, gratitude must be heartfelt and genuine for good work, not dispensed as participation awards in which people are recognized because it’s their turn as the flavor of the day.
“Like life, you need to consciously make the effort to practice gratitude,” Biro said. “Express it — over and over — to everyone in the workforce, every day. It will catch on.
“Harness the digital opportunities that turn gratitude from just a social and momentary gesture to a meaningful one,” she said. “The best way to promote a culture of gratitude is to make it easy, fun, shareable, social, relevant, and tangible. Then watch the momentum grow.”
Keep a log
Much like other forms of feedback, appreciation takes form when put in writing.
“Even at work, people can do a gratitude journal and list one thing they are grateful for,” King said. “Do it for three weeks and see the difference. Leaders can set company culture norms through sharing authentic, sincere, and consistent gratitude for employees’ efforts and contributions — publicly and privately.
“Hold managers accountable and train them,” she said. “When people are thanked for their work, they are more likely to provide help to others. Then the gratitude contagion begins.”
Words and their context matter in ways that no one can mistake their meaning.
“It’s important to feel safe with communication,” King said. “Build a company gratitude plan. It helps organizations be thoughtful and focus on actions of appreciation and kindness.
“Provide opportunities to share gratitude among colleagues — a digital gratitude wall or bulletin board, thank you apps, thank you cards,” she said. “Ask employees and new hires, ‘How do you wish to be thanked?’”
Holiday cheer for all
Leaders could show gratitude over the holidays by giving workforce-wide gift certificates. They would not only spread goodwill internally but also help local businesses bounce back from a tough year. Do that early so people can make it part of their holiday buys.
“One huge way to show gratitude is to invite the whole organization to participate in a gratitude push, and lead the way with the first round to your managers,” Biro said.
“This holiday season is going to be hard,” she said. “Likely we can’t have the kind of celebrations we’re used to. Leaders can make a huge difference. Commit to gratitude right now, not just engagement. One drives the other.”
Be sure to show appreciation to those who put their lives on the line.
“Can you spearhead a giving program to first responders or the needy?” Biro said. “One gift certificate of groceries for an employee and another pledged to a deserving organization? Lead the way to renewing that holiday spirit.”
Even virtual community service opportunities will make everyone involved feel better.
“Have your CEO write a holiday letter of appreciation to employees thanking them for their contributions during this challenging year and all they do for your business,” King said. “Plan ahead. Right now is the time to think about the holidays and get the ball rolling.”
The gThankYou! Team has a free gratitude guide with practical tips to help everyone make appreciation a part of their day.
About The Author
Jim Katzaman is a manager at Largo Financial Services and worked in public affairs for the Air Force and federal government. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
