Workplace Appreciation & Gratitude helps increasing productivity

When’s the last time you were recognized at your job? What immediate feelings did you have when this happened? Whether it’s a simple “thank you” or an office party thrown in your favor, everyone likes to be appreciated. On a surface level, appreciation is good for employee engagement, motivation and retention.

Expressing appreciation and gratitude is a proven positive force. It doesn’t matter where we sit in the organizational chart, saying thank you to those above, across, or below us helps everybody feel appreciated, valued and rewarded. People who experience gratitude are more likely to feel happier and spread that happiness, increasing trust and collaboration among colleagues.

Do we all just need to say, “thank you” more often? Well, yes and no. Yes, thanking others is a step in the right direction, but empty (albeit well-meaning) platitudes can fall flat, seem insincere, and backfire. The best way to cultivate gratitude is to be intentional, thoughtful, and authentic. The following guidelines can help you be a master at appreciation:

• Treat everyone as an individual. Each person likes to be recognized and acknowledged in a different way. One person might like to be recognized in front of the group at a department meeting while another would appreciate a personal, handwritten note. Get to know your team. If you’re not sure what someone would prefer—just ask! Remember the Platinum Rule: Treat others as they would like to be treated.
• Make time. Appreciating others does not usually float to the top of our to-do list on its own. We have to be intentional and make a point to show how grateful we are on a regular basis. Make it part of your discussion at feedback sessions with your staff or set aside time each week to send a few emails to those who have made an impact.
• Pay attention. People not only want to be recognized for their achievements but also valued for their inherent worth as a person and colleague. Pay attention to things that you appreciate about your colleagues and tell them! Is it their positive attitude? Their punctuality? Their attention to detail? Tell them what you appreciate about them as people.
• Be authentic and specific. No recognition at all is better than an insincere platitude. Giving everyone the same note or generally acknowledging a team’s hard work can come across as fake and could actually lower morale. Think about how each person contributed to a team’s effort or how a staff member really stood out this past month and include those specifics in your thank you.
• Establish a culture of gratitude. Make space for gratitude in your workplace. Add time for appreciation in your regular team check-in, or put a whiteboard in the break room for staff to write appreciation notes. Take the lead in making gratitude a consistent part of your office interactions.