6 rules for expressing gratitude in the workplace
November 16, 2022
This is the season of gratitude. It seems like everywhere you look on social media, folks are expressing gratitude, listing what they are thankful for and proclaiming they are #blessed. It gives you the warm fuzzies! With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, and the end of the year around the corner, it all makes perfect sense.
But gratitude isn’t something that should be tied to a time of year. I believe the world would be a much better place if we all had a mindset grounded in the expression of gratitude year-round. It’s foundational to being a good person! This is especially true in business.
In the midst of “The Great Resignation,” it’s never been more important for companies to ensure employees feel appreciated and know the value they bring to their organizations. In a recent study, 22% of respondents cited “lack of recognition” as the main reason for leaving a job. That’s unfortunate, as there are many ways companies can easily express gratitude for their employees – whether it be formally, informally, from the top down, or even peer-to-peer – employee recognition programs can take many forms. These programs should be the cornerstone of every HR department.
Regardless of the approach used for employee recognition programs, here are six golden rules to follow when expressing gratitude in the workplace:
1. Be authentic
When you are recognizing an employee for their efforts, be sure to highlight the difference they made to either you personally or to the organization. This underscores why what they did matters and helps foster a deeper connection to your corporate culture.
2. Be specific
When you are recognizing someone, give specific examples of what they did and why you are grateful. Not only does this reinforce your authenticity, but it provides a reference for “what good looks like” and others can model the same behavior.
3. Be a leader
Try to make expressions of gratitude part of your everyday routine. Employee recognition doesn’t have to come in the form of a huge program (although it’s often effective when it does!) but don’t lose sight of the fact that a simple thank you can go a long way. If someone does something that’s worthy of recognition, a thank you in the moment can make a big difference.
4. Be inclusive
When you’re going to recognize someone for a job well done, make sure you include all team members who made that success possible. If you’re unsure about who contributed to a project, make sure the team leader is given the opportunity to also recognize their peers who contributed.
5. Be resonant
If possible, reward employees appropriately with something that’s meaningful to them. Whether it be a monetary gift, a day off, a better parking spot, or even a pizza party, get to know your employees’ preferences for recognition and that expression of gratitude will be even more meaningful to them.
6. Be purposeful
If you’re a communications leader in your organization, look for ways to infuse gratitude in your comms or initiatives that serve the brand, business, and workplace. For example, lead quarterly town halls with a gratitude moment. It’s a win-win when you can share the teams’ success so others can learn from it, but also recognize the impact the team has had on the business and thank them for making it possible. Or, consider using an employee engagement tool like IMAGESTRI to run a peer-to-peer recognition program.
If done right, a genuine expression of gratitude goes a long way in keeping employees engaged and happy. And that’s something we should all practice – 356 days a year.
