Gratitude for the Win!
You’ve heard the saying; a grateful heart is a happy heart. It makes sense then that a culture of gratitude in the workplace creates a happy workplace. However, the impact of expressing appreciation may have a larger impact than you realize. As recent research has discovered, these are the biggest areas impacted by creating a culture of gratitude in your workplace.
Higher Job Satisfaction
Employees who experienced different forms of gratitude from those in their workplace were found to have higher job satisfaction. This 2012 study suggests, “Organizational leaders can aim to boost job satisfaction by regularly prompting grateful emotions.” Telling your employees that you are thankful for their efforts can make them a lot happier in their position.
Fewer Sick Days
Another study found gratitude contributed to a decrease in an absence due to illness. Turns out, a grateful heart may also be a healthy heart. Since the act of expressing gratitude is so simple and self-guided, the study suggests there are no drawbacks for organizations to promote a culture of gratitude.
Greater Team Building
Expressing gratitude also helps employees feel like more of a team. As this study suggests, gratitude is a social emotion produced in social exchanges. With this in mind, it makes sense that gratefulness will help employees feel like more valued members of a team. In fact, the more an employee receives messages of gratitude, the more likely they are to help again. Employees who are shown gratitude experience grater self-efficacy and feel more valued – both qualities that create a great team member.
By expressing your gratitude to your employees on a regular basis, you are creating a more productive, satisfied, and healthy workforce. Gratitude has been considered a “gateway drug,” opening the door to other positive emotions and actions.
“I see gratitude as a gateway drug to empathy in that it’s very positive, it’s easy to get started with,” says Peter Bonanno, director of program development at the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute. In addition to empathy, gratitude can also help to build emotional intelligence, compassion, forgiveness, generosity, and organizational citizenship – acts that aren’t part of their job description.
Gratitude has a ripple effect, looping back around to the expresser.
If you’re looking to increase the productivity, satisfaction, and results in your organization, begin by simply expressing gratitude and experience the lasting impact of this simple action.
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