Who Are You Thankful for at Work?

If you could do one thing that could motivate those around you and drive success more than anything else, and all that would be necessary is to remember to do it each day, would you?

It doesn’t cost anything. It only reaps rewards. It is something anyone can learn, and everyone will benefit.

“Too many people leave work every day thinking, My boss doesn’t appreciate me,” says Jazwiec, author of "Eat That Cookie!: Make Workplace Positivity Pay Off ... For Individuals, Teams, and Organizations."

“When you feel that your boss doesn’t fully value your work, you start to care a little less. You don’t provide the kind of service you would if you felt appreciated. You don’t make an effort to help your co-workers. And when the majority of the people in a workplace feel this way, the overall environment is hugely impacted,” she adds. “Productivity decreases, turnover increases, and it can become very difficult to stay afloat, especially in a tough economy.”

According to a Gallup poll, 65% of people say that they do not feel appreciated at work. That impacts morale, leads to negativity and ultimately, decreased productivity. Feeling unappreciated or disrespected in fact, is the number one reason people quit their jobs.

So, what is that one thing you can do?

It is gratitude. It is showing appreciation by saying "Thank you.”

Image from My Renewed Mind

I saw a meme recently that asked the question,

“What if you woke up tomorrow with only what you were grateful for today?”

Take a moment to reflect on that question, both personally – and professionally. Jot down the top three things you are grateful for at work.

Leading with Gratitude

Bryan Miles, CEO and co-found of eaHELP states: “Gratitude is the only lasting motivator of change. It’s the only thing that will propel you to change in the future, if you’re grateful for what you have now.”

• Express gratitude with those around you at work each day
• Thank your customers, employees, and partners
• Do it in writing
• Share why it matters and the impact of their efforts
• Be sincere
• Provide ways for others on your team to express gratitude to each other

Benefits of Gratitude

Recognized behavior gets repeated; unrecognized behavior goes away. Showing gratitude:

• Provides a sense of optimism and enthusiasm
• Increases self-worth and trust between employees
• Creates energy and determination
• Increases willingness to be helpful to others
• Provides a sense of safety and synergy
• Improves clarity and decision-making
• It reduces stress
• It feels good
• And it boosts performance

“Among all emotions, there is one which, more than any other, accounts for the presence or absence of stress in human relations: that is the feeling of gratitude.” — Dr. Hans Selye of McGill University

The team at Butler Street hopes you had a terrific Thanksgiving holiday and will carry on the tradition of sharing gratitude with those around you.  We would like to express our thanks to you for reading our blogs, for sharing your challenges and ideas with us, for your business, and for allowing us to help you and your company grow.

Look at your list of 3 things. Who will you thank today?

Related: Always be grateful for the Customer; 15 no cost ways to recognize employees