The Growing Importance of Gratitude in the Workplace

It has been said that a person who feels appreciated will always go above and beyond what is expected of them. Especially in 2020, when your employees are being pulled into a million different directions, they need a reason to feel motivated. After long days of homeschooling, working remotely, managing a household, and trying to keep things as “normal” as possible, a little appreciation can go a long way.

In the past, the word gratitude was not widely associated with work. But, when companies are adapting to a new normal and many companies adjusting to working 100% remotely, they need to get creative when it comes to keeping employees satisfied.

Workplace gratitude should be a common occurrence and we challenge you to be leaders by taking the first steps towards changing the culture in your company, your industry, and within the workplace as a whole.

The Power of Gratitude in the Workplace

Once you find ways to start appreciating the hardworking individuals on your teams, you will realize how far-reaching the power of gratitude actually can be. It can have a snowball effect that actually improves day-to-day operations in a way that you might have never expected.

Below are just a few of the ways gratitude can transform a workplace.

People Feel Acknowledged - Oftentimes, people feel limited by their talents. It is easy to show appreciation for a task completed, or goals met, but it’s much harder to stop and acknowledge the person behind the task. Start showing gratitude for the traits in your employees that extend beyond deadlines. Commend them on their attitude, their ability to smile through frustration, their ability to motivate others, and their sense of humor. Go beyond the job description and appreciate your employees for who they are as people.

It Builds Relationships - virtual meetings have forever changed the way people interact in the workplace. It’s much more challenging to engage in familial conversations, new people feel isolated from the start, and some employees are left feeling out of the loop. Cultivating a culture of appreciation removes some of these professional barriers and helps people let down their guards. Gratitude in the workplace will lead to happier employees, more productive employees, and create positive onboarding experiences for new individuals even remotely.

Leaders Emerge - Once you start planting the seed of spreading gratitude within the workplace, leaders will start to emerge. These are the individuals who will shift the focus from tangible achievements to helping employees feel validated outside of their everyday work. These are the people who will implement daily meditation, gratitude journals, and other ways to get people involved in the new mindset.

How Can You Incorporate Gratitude Into Your Workplace

Once you understand the importance of gratitude, you might be wondering how to implement it as part of your company culture. It’s easier than you think. Recruit key members of your team to help you brainstorm ways to show appreciation and use these simple suggestions to get your ideas flowing:

• Greet employees each morning or send a quick message when they sign-on
• Surprise team members with free coffee, lunch, or other treats
• Recognize efforts even when they go wrong
• Always remember to say thank you even for small accomplishments
• Commend employee efforts outside of work (ex. Volunteering, coaching, etc.)

Once you start to see the shift in morale from a culture of gratitude, you will be encouraged to keep it going until it’s second nature and synonymous with your business.

About ThreeBond International, Inc.

With every product we develop, we take great strides in minimizing adverse environmental impact. All of our industrial adhesives, sealants, and coatings are designed to provide a useful solution for your business, while also helping to cultivate a culture of mindfulness towards our planet. We proudly serve a myriad of industries with our enormous product assortment. Our reputation at ThreeBond is fortified by how closely we partner with our clients to meet their needs. Learn more.