Be Grateful

Are you grateful for what you have today?

Are your employees grateful for what they have today?

Be Grateful

In the workplace, gratitude is defined as a person’s orientation to noticing and appreciating the positive in one’s work life.     As an owner or entrepreneur, you should be grateful for what you have accomplished in your business; it’s your baby, after all.

But it is equally important for your employees or those who work under you to also be grateful.

In an earlier blog, I showed the many ways to express gratitude, which, when done consistently, will develop a culture of gratitude throughout your business.

To expand on that blog, I thought I’d provide several reasons why having a culture of gratitude is important.

Why be Grateful

1. Employees who are grateful are motivated.

A 2013 study by Glassdoor found that “80 percent of employees say they feel motivated to work harder when their boss shows appreciation for their work.”  When an employee receives appreciation, it activates the reward neurotransmitter known as dopamine. That feeling of being appreciated drives us to “virtuous cycle,” which reinforces that feeling and motivates to seek out more opportunities to be appreciated.

2. Employees feel fulfilled.

Communicating appreciation shows employees that they are valued, respected, and validated. When someone takes an interest in their work, it leaves them feeling fulfilled.

Likewise, when an employee feels fulfilled at work, that sense of significance will spill over into other aspects of their life and express gratitude to others, creating a cycle of gratitude.

3. Gratitude cultivate helping behaviors.

Showing appreciation is like a set of dominoes. The more it is given and received at work, the more it could be given and received in other areas of the employee’s life. Employees will be more eager to work and to help other people.

Jeremy Adam Smith at the Greater Good Science Center states, “When people are thanked for their work, they are more likely to increase their helping behavior and to provide help to others.”

4. Grateful employees are better prepared for failure.

Multiple studies have shown that grateful people are more likely to experience low levels of stress or negative physical health and well-being. The healthier a person is in every way, the more they can bounce back from setbacks at work.

Also, grateful people are more likely to see beyond the immediate crisis to the greater good and gain for the company and themselves. They are also able to work better under pressure and see their work as an opportunity not just to make money, but also to learn and grow.

5. They establish good social connections.

Grateful employees who express appreciation to new people they meet are more likely to develop good relationships with them.

A 2014 study found that “thanking a new acquaintance for their help makes them more likely to seek an ongoing social relationship with you. Saying thank you provides a valuable signal that you are someone with whom a high-quality relationship could be formed.”

6. Grateful employees are less likely to be dishonest.

This bottom-up strategy to combat dishonesty in the workplace focuses on the feeling of gratitude to enhance the moral choices the employees make.

The Bible

Creating a workplace culture of appreciation can serve as a boost to your company’s level of productivity, your employees’ happiness, and your peace of mind.

The basis of this culture of appreciation is found throughout the Bible.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 says.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

God wants you to be thankful for everything, and you are to pass that gratitude on to those around you.  Because this is the will of God, it is no surprise that something as simple as gratitude can have such a large impact on a business and its employees.