Chances are you spend a good chunk of your waking hours on the job. You may claim you just do it for the paycheck, but be honest — don’t you also want your work to be a source of satisfaction and achievement?
If you do, consider cultivating an attitude of gratitude.
Yes, gratitude. It’s an amazingly powerful positive emotion. In the workplace, it can build team spirit, boost productivity and bolster job satisfaction.
The best part is that practicing gratitude is dead easy.
You can show appreciation for co-workers simply by sending them a note, email, text or even a GIF. Or you can spread the good feeling around and give a public shout-out to that team member who consistently goes above and beyond. Feeling super grateful for the specific help of a colleague? Put your praise in a memo and send it directly to that person’s manager or supervisor. You may make a friend for life.
Please note: Written, or oral, thank-yous don’t need to be lengthy. They do, however, need to be utterly sincere. Don’t forget to include what you’re thanking the person for.
Sometimes your boss is the person you want to thank. Again, authenticity is key, whether you write a personal note, post a LinkedIn recommendation or say supportive things in a group setting. You can also thank a boss by vowing to be a better contributor or volunteering to take on more responsibility.
Don’t forget to thank the people who never, or rarely, get thanked. Admin, cleaning, contract and cafeteria staff often feel taken for granted, even invisible. Just be sure your thanks don’t come with an ulterior motive, such as a request for special favors.
Gratitude is free, of course, but you can also pair it with a small treat. Surprise your cubemate with a fresh cupcake. Volunteer to be the one to go for coffee. Please make sure the offering is something the person truly wants and can have. Sometimes just taking the time to listen is an enormous gift.
Last but not least, the benefits of gratitude work both ways. Research shows that people who experience feelings of gratitude form stronger relationships, find it easier to control unhealthy cravings, tend to be more honest and are inclined to be more generous — all good things you want for yourself, at work and everywhere.