A staggering 87% of employees worldwide are not engaged.
— Gallup
Did you know that your own gratitude practice can increase employee engagement? Engaged employees are those who are involved in, enthusiastic about, and committed to their work and workplace, according to Gallup researchers. If supervisors can raise employee engagement, there’s an indirect impact on the workplace, the health of the employees, and the morale. But there is also a direct positive impact on the bottom line.
Appreciation and acknowledgement are two of the key elements in creating an engaged workforce.
Acknowledgement
No power on this earth can destroy the thirst for human dignity.
— Nelson Mandela
It may seem a silly or even contrived but the simple step of smiling and saying “Good morning” when you walk into the office can increase employee engagement. I remember when I was working in an office with a well-known grump. I discovered that I was avoiding her desk when I walked in every morning. And I also discovered that I was becoming increasingly grumpy myself. I made a conscious decision to try something different. I’d walk in every morning with a smile on my face and say, “Good morning,” in a cheery (but not obnoxious) voice. There wasn’t a change at all for the first week or so, but then, slowly, the change happened. She began giving me a nod in reply. Then it was a smile. Finally, she replied with a “Good morning” back to me.
But, even before she responded verbally to me, my attitude changed. I wasn’t as grumpy. There’s power in having a positive mental attitude even when no one else around you has one.
Gratitude can have such a powerful impact on your life because it engages your brain in a virtuous cycle.
Alex Korb Ph.D
Appreciation
When you show appreciation or gratitude to employees or co-workers, you are boosting their performance and engagement. Plus, you are improving your own health as well as theirs! And, studies have shown that if you express gratitude to an employee, that employee is more likely to express gratitude to others as well. More gratitude = more employee engagement.
You can show appreciation by focusing on an employee’s strengths, using active listening skills so they know they are heard, and pointing out when you see that they are making progress. And, make sure you aren’t making any of these workplace mistakes: http://hredgeonline.com/2019/01/23/5-biggest-mistakes-in-workplace-communication/
Health Benefits of Gratitude
A couple of different scientific studies have shown that feelings of gratitude help improve your sleep, decrease depression and decrease fatigue. When patients expressed gratitude, their levels of inflammation dropped, they reported higher levels of happiness and feelings of personal satisfaction, and they had a higher resilience to stress. Good health contributes to employee engagement.
3 Action Steps to be more Grateful
- Gratitude Journal – Writing down the things you are grateful for can actually re-wire your brain. There are a couple of different strategies. Some people write down 3-5 items each day; others set aside time to write a weekly list. Some people repeat items that they are grateful for and some keep track and try to only write something once. There’s no right “way” to do it.
- Express specific gratitude – We’ve talked before about the importance about giving feedback that is specific, gratitude is the same. The more specific you get, the bigger the impact. Whether it is in your own journal or if you are expressing gratitude to someone else, be specific.
- Be Mindful – It can be a challenge to practice mindfulness at work, but being mindful of appreciation and acknowledgement, leads to more gratitude.
I’d love to hear how you practice gratitude and if you’ve seen a change in others around you.