06/05/2022
If you follow me on LinkedIn you will have seen my public display of gratitude. Gratitude is one of the 24 strengths we all possess and I am currently stretching my own gratitude muscles.
Gratitude is also important in the workplace. Grateful employees and teams are happier, more engaged and generally score higher on wellbeing and job satisfaction.
Research has identified 3 dimensions of gratitude in the workplace (Cortini et al, 2019: Gratitude at Work Works):
Relational gratitude: how people express their gratitude for each other, from customers and clients and stakeholders that are part of the work.
Collective gratitude: gratitude experienced towards the organisation, a part of the organisational culture.
Dispositional gratitude: your personal tendency to notice and appreciate the positive in the world.
So what can you do with that information?
Generally, gratitude multiplies when shared. At the end of the work week, take stock of your week, ask yourself what went well, what good did you do?
And equally, take notice of what good others have done for you. Express your gratitude to your colleague who helped you overcome a challenge. Say thank you for the little things that happen in between and let people know you notice.
And most importantly: notice when people give your positive feedback, praise or thanks. Often we overlook these little positive messages. A lot of my clients experiment with starting a gratitude list, where they note down all the positive feedback they receive from colleagues, customers or their boss throughout the day.