Creating a healthy and happy workplace requires many things. And perhaps the most vital is taking the time to show gratitude in the workplace.
Easily Express Gratitude By…
- Saying (or writing) “thank you“
- Hosting a fun and engaging company event
- Making a company gratitude board or wall
- Encouraging a healthy work-life balance
- Freely offer positive feedback frequently
- For remote employees, send care packages or post a social media shout-out
- Treat your team to a tasty meal
Appreciation can be shown and interpreted in various ways. So sometimes, it can be hard to know where to begin!
Keep reading, and we’ll let you know the simplest ways to express gratitude in the workplace.
See Related: How To Improve Decision-Making Skills In The Workplace With Comedy Jugglers
How To Express Appreciation At Work
Cultivating happy and respectful working relationships is only possible by showing our colleagues and employees that we appreciate them.
From a business perspective, workers that feel valued and appreciated are typically more engaged, productive, and satisfied with their workplace. And even a simple act of appreciation can go a long way!
Feeling grateful? Let’s get into the best and most simple ways to show gratitude in the workplace!
#1. Say “Thanks” – And Say It Often!
It should go without saying that saying “thank you” is a great way to show the people around you that you are thankful.
Since we were children, we were taught that we should say these two simple words when we want to express our appreciation. And that’s still true to this day!
But sometimes, even this small gesture is too lacking in the workplace. However, this simple yet effective way of communicating can effortlessly let your employees and co-workers know that you are thankful for them.
You don’t need to overcomplicate it. Just say “thank you” when you want to recognize something that someone did. This simple act can be much more valuable than you may realize!
#2. Put On A Company Event
Nothing can show authentic and genuine gratitude like a company event can!
Taking the time and effort to facilitate an enjoyable and entertaining event for your team can give your employees the attention and gratitude they deserve. And we all know that laughter is the best way to bring out positive emotions!
Whether you’re operating in-person or remotely, finding an appropriate and entertaining speaker for your event is necessary for its success. After all, without direction and someone to set the tone, it could inevitably fall into disaster.
That’s why at Clean Comedians®, our speakers are all well-versed in the art of humor and entertainment. So whether you’re looking for a bit of magic, or something fully interactive, we have it all, and we always leave the audience laughing at the end!
Plus, we only deliver clean content in our acts. After all, dirty and crude jokes or humor only divides us instead of connecting us, and that’s no way to express gratitude. So let’s stay clear of that!
When it comes down to it, nothing says “gratitude” like treating your team to a touching and hilarious company event. Your employees deserve to indulge in a humorous and enlightening company experience that will truly help them feel appreciated!
#3. Give Your Employees Handwritten Notes
If saying “thank you” can go a long way, then so can writing it!
If you’ve ever received an unexpected handwritten note, you’ve probably experienced that warm feeling that it leaves in your heart. So do the same for your employees!
When you want to add a personal and meaningful touch to a traditional “thank you,” just write a thank you note. Then, leave it on their desk when they step away.
This lovely surprise will surely bestow upon them a feeling of appreciation and happiness when they find it. Just remember, you don’t need to rely solely on verbal recognition to give your team members the appreciation they deserve!
#4. Create A Gratitude Wall
No matter how much we might want it, none of us are mind readers. And the same goes for your employees!
Add a bulletin board or gratitude wall at your workplace to give your team a free space to share moments of their life and post their positive feelings and gratitude. Make sections for:
- Recognizing employees that go the extra mile
- Celebrating birthdays
- And even thank you notes!
You can also easily make a section and title it anything along the lines of “Things I Am Grateful For” to give your employees a nudge to actively recognize what they are thankful for.
#5. Value Your Employee’s Time Outside Of Work
Expressing gratitude starts with recognizing respect. Many employees are continuously working to cultivate a healthy balance between their work and home lives, and it’s necessary as a leader to encourage that journey.
So a simple way to help employees feel appreciated is by respecting your employee’s time outside of work. That means
- No late-night phone calls
- No guilt-tripping employees to do more than what is required of them
- Respecting their home lives and family responsibilities
#6. Offer Positive Feedback
Too often, we are quick to provide negative feedback when someone does something wrong. And then we are then stingy when offering positive feedback when really, this should be the other way around!
Offering our co-workers and team members positive feedback allows them to feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in their hard work. And this serves to boost morale and improve their feelings of drive and engagement.
And all of this contributes to your expressions of gratitude!
Bonus: 9 Ways A Funny Motivational Speaker Can Inspire Laughter In Your Workplace
#7. Send A Care Package To Remote Employees
Times are changing, and nowadays, many companies have a large force of virtual and remote workers. And it’s essential to find ways to show them some appreciation too!
A great way to give personal attention to your remote workers is by sending a care package. It’s easy to curate a touching and personalized gift package full of your team’s favorite coffee beans or chocolates and show them that you’re thinking of them.
After all, no one ever said “no” to tasty treats and sweet gifts!
#8. Give A Social Media Shout-Out
Especially for remote teams, it can be hard to find the correct times to connect to share a “thank you.” So why not give them some well-deserved public recognition?
Giving your employees social media shout-outs can show them that you are grateful and proud to have them on your team. Showing gratitude and recognition to your colleagues and employees can provide a great mood and morale boost.
#9. Treat Your Team To A Lunch Outing
If you’re like us, food is equivalent to a one-way ticket to our hearts. After all, sharing a meal can help strengthen our professional relationships and connect with those near us.
Treating your team to a company lunch or dinner can easily show them your gratitude. Taking a little extra time and effort to connect with your employees and co-workers over a tasty meal is a surefire way to express gratitude and thankfulness!
Regardless of how you show gratitude in the workplace, taking a conscious step to express it is always the first part. And the second step is to have fun with it!
When it comes down to it, an enjoyable workplace is one where the company’s culture is built on happy and healthy relationships.
The Value Of Expressing Gratitude
Gratitude plays a vital role in our overall mental health, both when we give and receive it.
But expressing gratitude isn’t just as simple as saying “please” and “thank you” when someone opens the door for us. In fact, gratitude reaches a much deeper place in our hearts and can help us find true meaning in our positive emotions.
When we can experience a deeper appreciation for the people around us, our minds can flourish, and our levels of respect and happiness can quickly increase.
So bringing this immense power to the corporate workplace can help provide the support and recognition necessary to build a happy and healthy team!
Why Is It Important To Practice Gratitude In The Workplace?
Recognizing and appreciating the meaningful interactions in our lives can instill a sense of happiness and gratitude in our hearts. And when we are active in practicing gratitude in the workplace, it can help create a great place to work at.
Appreciation starts with acknowledging the hard work and efforts that our employees apply every day in the workplace. So whether it’s nailing a big presentation or taking a bit of extra time to tidy up the community work area, your team’s efforts deserve to be noticed!
No matter our title or role, we are all human beings, and receiving gratitude can go far in boosting our happiness and positive emotions.
That’s why showing appreciation in the workplace is necessary not only for increasing employee productivity but also for cultivating a healthy and enjoyable work culture!
A Few Benefits Of Showing Gratitude In The Workplace
Gratitude can be shown in many forms, but regardless of how you spread your appreciation, the benefits are all relatively the same.
You don’t need to look far to discover the many benefits that just a little gratitude can bring to your workplace and your employees.
- It can strengthen relationships that we form at work
- It reduces workplace stress
- It can significantly improve our workplace culture and employee retention
- It can boost employee engagement and build morale
You can maybe assume you are already showing gratitude an adequate amount at work – but in fact, practicing appreciation is an active process, not passive!
So if you’re not taking conscious steps every day to build upon your own personal levels of gratitude and thankfulness, you might need to try incorporating some of these ideas into your working day. And we’ll be right by your side through it all!
Keep Reading: 6 Benefits Of Showing Gratitude At Work
—
Adam Christing is a professional comedy magician, virtual MC, and the founder of CleanComedians.com. He is a member of the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and a popular corporate entertainer, magician, and virtual speaker.