The Culture of Gratitude Part #1

When I read this article, below, by Liz Jazwiec, I thought Who ever talks about gratitude in the work place. Actually "IN" the work place? And it's so important to have. Being thoughtful and thankful and having honest communication is the back bone to a great organization.

I have broken this article into two parts so please keep a look out for the 6 Ways to Create a Culture of Gratitude in Your Organization next! ;-)

Sharon LaMothe

LaMothe Services, LLC

http://lamotheservices.com/

Here’s a question just in time for Thanksgiving: Does your organization encourage a culture of gratitude? Not in an obligatory (and fear-tinged), “In this economy you’d better be grateful just to have a job, buddy!” way, but in a, “Gee, I really appreciate my coworkers and the feeling is mutual” way? Chances are the answer is no. According to a recent Gallup poll, 65% of people say they don’t feel appreciated at work. And that feeling quickly leads to pervasive negativity, low morale, and (worst of all) decreased productivity.

Companies can deliberately infuse their cultures, from top to bottom, with the proverbial “attitude of gratitude.” In fact, those who don’t put gratitude on a pedestal, especially in today’s high-stress work environments, are shooting themselves in the foot. “Too many people leave work every day thinking, My boss doesn’t appreciate me,” says Liz 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 coworkers. “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.”

Jazwiec stresses that workplace gratitude isn’t something that is passed only from the boss to the employee. To have a real impact on workplace positivity, employees should show it to one another and to their bosses. And leaders and employees should show it to their customers. “It’s obvious when you are in a workplace where people value gratitude and graciousness,” says Jazwiec. “There is a really great vibe in those places. And when gratitude and graciousness are missing, it is equally evident. People in those environments seem to have a sense of entitlement. Coworkers who come into contact with them might say, ‘There is just no pleasing those people!’ Customers might say, ‘They just don’t care about me!’ Neither reaction is good for business.”

The great thing about infusing gratitude into the workplace is that it can come from anyone, regardless of position. “If you are a leader, you can infuse gratitude from the top down, perhaps by making it a required standard of behavior for employees,” says Jazwiec. “And if you are an employee, you can start your own grassroots gratitude movement by expressing gratitude yourself and encouraging your coworkers to do so as well. Everyone—and I mean everyone—can show gratitude in a workplace and influence others to do so.”