Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, an annual opportunity to reflect on all the things you are thankful for – be it your career, your friends, your family, or your health.
It also doesn’t hurt that all that thankfulness is usually accompanied by a delicious feast. This year, I want to challenge leaders to think about the role that “thankfulness” plays in their workplaces.
Research by Plasticity Labs suggests that organizations who embrace a culture of gratitude will experience higher job satisfaction, a stronger sense of community, and an increased level of overall performance. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
Why then, is thankfulness at work so seemingly hard to come by?
According to a 2013 study on gratitude, people are less likely to express thankfulness in the workplace than anywhere else in their everyday lives. Just look at these stats: 39% of employees are grateful for their current job.
74% of employees will never express gratitude to their boss. 70% of employees would feel better about themselves if their boss were more grateful. 81% of employees would work harder if their boss were more grateful. 94% of men and 96% of women agree that a grateful boss is more likely to be successful.
These numbers clearly suggest that there is a significant disconnect between the “culture of gratitude” so often touted by HR executives, and what is actually happening in boardrooms and around water coolers.
Let me be clear, this is not just a manager-employee issue, as only 10% of survey respondents showed gratitude to their co-workers on a regular basis. Instead, this is an issue of workplace culture.
While culture often starts at the top, it requires all members to embrace the vision and work together to make a meaningful change in the corporate personality of your business.
Building a workplace that thrives on thankfulness is easier said than done, but here are a few tips to help you and your workplace remember to be thankful during the other 364 days of the year: Give your employees the praise they deserve, when they deserve it: Believe it or not, your employees know when they have gone above and beyond what was expected of them, and you should too.
Acknowledging employees, especially in a timely, public manner is the best way to show them you appreciate their hard work and dedication. Encourage encouragement: Just as important as praising your employees, is fostering an environment where employees are motivated to praise one another.
Whether it is by posting on a “success board” in the lunch room, sending out a weekly e-mail, or changing up the introduction to your next staff meeting, make the time for your employees to appreciate one another. It’s all perspective: As of September 2014, the unemployment rate in the United States was nearly 6%.
Although many of the 94% that are employed are not working at their dream jobs, it is important to remember that there is a lot to be thankful for in any workplace.
Being grateful for your job can be difficult, especially in the age of “bigger, better, more”; but thinking about what you have, spending time giving back to those less fortunate, and keeping a positive perspective are all great ways to show your gratitude. In the spirit of the holiday I’m going to keep this short.
Take time today to be thankful for the things that are really important – your friends, family, and health, and enjoy a delicious dinner with the ones you love.
However, remember that making the time and effort to be thankful and show gratitude in your workplace all year round can go a long way toward improving your own career satisfaction, your employee’s well-being, and the success of your business. Karina Hayat is one of Canada’s top 100 female entrepreneurs as listed by w100 and has been in the lead generation business since 2001.
She is the President and Co-founder of Prizm Media; a PROFIT 500 Listed and compliance focused lead generation company that caters to some of the fastest growing DMEs and pharmacies in US and Canada.