Gratitude in the Workplace
Wendy Cole, Leadership & Productivity Coach at iMastery, is an integral Gembridge partner. Thank you, Wendy, for sharing your article with us about gratitude and its place in the workplace. This is surely something we’d like to appreciate and see more of around us at work. A great topic to keep top of mind with October being Mental Health Month.
Keep reading for Wendy’s incredible insights…
What’s the Fuss About Gratitude and Does it Belong in the Workplace?
Leading scientific gratitude experts espouse that “gratitude is the ultimate performance-enhancing substance”.
If you’ve attended one of my masterclasses you’ve likely been invited to make a note of something you feel grateful for. So, what’s all the fuss about gratitude? What is an attitude of gratitude and how can it impact focus, motivation, and our ability to get things done?
It turns out the benefits of a gratitude practice are not limited to happiness. Gratitude can also positively impact our working lives.
What is gratitude?
In the most straightforward sense, gratitude is being thankful.
An attitude of gratitude is the practice of expressing thankfulness and appreciation across life domains. It’s also about taking the time to notice both sides of a situation, even when things feel negative and chaotic. For example, I might be frustrated by a delegated piece of work not being completed as I expected. With reflection, I can be grateful for the implicit learning opportunity. I can acknowledge I played a part by not providing a thorough brief. I can be grateful to learn from this and thereby improve my delegation skills.
The benefits and science of gratitude
The scientific research is compelling. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude delivers multiple benefits, including:
Increased happiness
Increased prosocial (kind and helpful) behaviour
Increased psychological wellbeing
Improved relationships and increased social support
Improved physical health including reduced blood pressure and improved sleep.
What’s more, gratitude and life satisfaction mutually predict each other over time.
The benefits of gratitude at work
Grateful, happier, prosocial people make better organisational citizens and contribute more to work. Gratitude can also:
Elevate determination, discipline and self-control
Increase attention, energy and goal achievement,
Enhance creativity, and
Improve decision making.
These attributes all support focus, motivation and output at work.
How can gratitude invite so many positive changes?
A regular gratitude practice rewires our brains. Feelings of gratitude increase the production of both serotonin and dopamine. In neuroscience, Hebb’s Law says that “neurons that fire together wire together.” The more we practice gratitude, the more we strengthen the brain’s neural circuits for gratitude.
Ideas for expressing gratitude
Gratitude can transform our quality of life, including our productivity and career. Expressing gratitude as opposed to just feeling grateful has the greatest impact.
The most fundamental way to cultivate an attitude of gratitude is to write. You can use a dedicated gratitude journal, or your current notebook. I like to flip my everyday notebook backwards and record my gratitude there.
Gratitude jars can be fun. Write what you feel grateful for on a piece of paper and pop it in a dedicated glass jar. It’s motivating to see gratitude notes grow over time.
If you’d prefer something more high-tech, try these gratitude apps.
The ultimate expression of gratitude is handwriting someone a note of thanks. Reading letters of gratitude can boost happiness for as long as a month.
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to gratitude; it’s about what feels meaningful for you.
What do I write?
I often begin by writing “Thanks for…” or “Today I got to…”. My list often includes a rejuvenating walk, my family, and something I’ve learnt.
When I want to reflect more deeply, these prompts are helpful.
What’s inspired me recently?
Who have I been able to help or add value to recently?
What can I learn from a difficult day/week, and how will this benefit me going forward?
Who or what can I be thankful about at work?
What progress do I notice (no matter how small)?
Perhaps writing isn’t for you? Mind-mapping, drawing or taking photos are other forms of regular gratitude practice. Saying “Thanks” verbally is powerful too.
When is the best time to journal?
Anytime you can record and express your gratefulness is beneficial.
Journaling in the evening before bed can improve sleep quality and decrease the time it takes to fall asleep. And, journaling in the morning can set you up for a positive day. Pick a time that works best for you.
How can I bring a gratitude practice to the workplace?
We are less likely to feel or express gratitude at work than anyplace else. Given the many benefits of gratitude, this is a lost opportunity.
Ideas to promote gratitude in the workplace include:
Start meetings by inviting people to share something they are grateful for. Virtual meetings actually make this easier. People tend to be more comfortable sharing a gratitude in a chat.
Have a regular meeting agenda item where everyone thanks someone else in the team.
When providing affirming feedback, weave in your gratitude as well. For example, “Thank you for asking more questions about this assignment. It has helped me provide a more comprehensive brief. This will save us both time.”
Encourage your team to explicitly thank customers and other key stakeholders. Set a customer appreciation challenge and report the details back at team meetings.
Create a virtual gratitude wall, where staff can express thanks to other team members.
Lastly, remember that forcing people to be grateful doesn’t work. Authenticity and leading by example are important. Repetition is key and cultivating a team culture of gratitude can take time. The more we practice feeling grateful, the easier it becomes.
Thank you for reading and sharing this post. I hope it adds value to you and your team.
Blog kindly shared from Wendy, originally from here.