Imagine you are an AD (Associate Director) of an organization. Fantastic right? You’ll have assistants and other employees working under you. One day you find yourself burdened with numerous tasks so you delegate a seemingly easier task to an assistant. They put away their responsibilities and make the tasks you delegated their priority. They complete it and send it back to you on time.
Now what do you do? Most of us may think there’s nothing to be done, and go back to working on our assignments, right? Now rewind and imagine when your assistant comes with the completed task, and you take just 2 seconds to say something like, ‘Thank you so much! This was of a lot of help!’, smile and then go back to your work. We assure you even such a small token of gratitude, will be etched in your assistant’s mind forever and your workplace dynamic will improve eminently.
Not only this, appreciating the small wins of coworkers and acknowledging them goes a long way to help create an environment of gratitude in the workplace. According to HBR, studies show that employees are more productive and less likely to leave when they are satisfied with their organization. Empowering and recognizing their work, also increases motivation and improves performance in the workplace.
Psychology of Gratitude
Gratitude is more than a gesture of kindness, it also has a profound impact on psychological well-being. According to research, engaging in activities that nurture gratitude is one of the most effective ways for positive psychological interventions, which shows significant improvement in stress and depression among workers.
Gratitude stimulates the brain’s reward pathways and releases feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. This response is completely neurological,enhances the mood and reduces stress/anxiety levels. Moreover, practicing gratitude opens a positive outlook on life that helps in tackling tricky situations better.
In work environments, gratitude fosters a sense of being valued and belonging, strengthens work relationships, and helps with the overall enhancement of our well-being. Recognising the small achievements of coworkers and acknowledging them in front of their peers harbours a sense of immense self-confidence. This leads to creating a positive and productive work culture.
Techniques to Cultivate Gratitude in The Workplace
Nurturing a space to express gratitude is not only a feel-good practice. It is a key strategy that helps boost employee morale, job satisfaction, and the overall success of an organization. Given below are some techniques that can cultivate gratitude in the workplace
- Lead by example: It all starts with the top tier or the leadership. When the bosses or leaders pave the way by showing genuine gratitude, it sets a promising example for the rest of the team members. This point boils down to showing sincere gratitude to coworkers in our day-to-day dealings at work.
- Regular appreciation: It is important to make it a habit to recognize each other’s work and appreciate them for the same. Value the efforts of your team members and show your appreciation with a quick shout-out in the meeting, a personal note, or a formal recognition mail. Acknowledging other’s efforts and appreciating them can go a long way in the work environment.
- Provide opportunities for feedback: Create an environment where everyone feels safe to express their feelings and feedback on one another’s work. They should be able to express their gratitude and recognize each other’s help. This should be a regular feedback session, a suggestion box, or a specific platform for this interaction.
- Celebrate milestones: Achievements, that can be personal or group-based, should be acknowledged, regardless of whether they are big or small. Celebrating milestones like project completions, work anniversaries, or personal achievements should be celebrated to encourage and show appreciation for the employee’s hard work and determination.
- Provide resources for well-being: Taking care of your team’s well-being shows that you value them beyond just their work contributions. Wellness programs, mental health resources, or any support system demonstrate your commitment to their overall health and happiness. The ultimate goal should be to create a safe space where everyone values each other’s work and shows appreciation for it.
Implementing these techniques can transform your workplace into a thriving environment. Gratitude should be gradually incorporated into your work culture, which leads to building a team that feels valued, understood, and ready to deliver their best at all times.
It’s truly remarkable how something as simple as recognizing the little achievements and saying “thank you” can lift the spirit of a workplace. Understanding the why and how of gratitude shows us that appreciating small wins not only ‘feels good’ but is essential. It’s about building a work environment where everyone feels valued and supported. There are plenty of stories out there showing how saying a simple thanks can move mountains, and boost the happiness and productivity of people at work.
So, to everyone leading or working in a team, let’s make gratitude our secret ingredient for a happier, more successful workplace.
