5 Ways to Show Thankfulness in your Workplace

Work can be stressful. (I can sense your heads nodding in agreement). 

People at work can be stressful. 

But, let us not deceive ourselves.  At some point, you and I have been the less than ideal employee, the frustrating co-worker, or the seemingly inept leader. 

When we realize this, we are left with a tremendous opportunity to promote growth and change. Each individual's work is important. When the work is done well as a collective group, families, communities, nations benefit in ways that change the patterns of society.  

Let us be thankful this season for the ways everyone around us contributes.

Without the people in your workplace, you wouldn’t be where you are.  It takes a team of people made up of different skills sets and abilities to run a successful business.  Whether a large company, or a small one, each person’s role, at some point, has been a great asset to where it is you are today, and where you hope to be in the future.  You might have that one person in mind who is hard to work with, but I guarantee that even they bring something to the table and deserve to be appreciated. Work is done with more efficiency, care and excitement when done well together.  Showing appreciation for one another is a sure-fire way to bolster moral and encourage productivity.  

5 Ways to Show Appreciation:

1.  Authentic Compliments:

These do not have to be long, wordy, complicated conversations.  With a simple comment of a time when you have observed them being amazing, you will incite a feeling of trust.  This will benefit your relationship, and people are known to cling to positive affirmation to a point that it encourages the same behavior in the future.

2. Lending a Helping Hand:  

What has this employee/co-worker/boss done to help you?  How can you do a small task that takes one thing off of their plate, in an effort to show that their hard work does not go unnoticed? Again, simplicity is key.  Filing a report, covering their class while they use the restroom, making a phone call or delivery for them…small things go a long way.

3. The Thank You note:

In a world of emails, text messages and posts, stand out by giving someone a hand-written note.  I recently had a conversation with a client in which they asked me, “why does your generation never write thank you notes?”  So, let us all rise up and jot down a quick note of appreciation to someone who deserves/needs it.

 

4. Public Praise

Have you ever had a boss commend you in front of your co-workers, or had a friend compliment you online, or had a parent speak with pride about you at Thanksgiving dinner?  Didn’t that feel amazing?  It is now our turn to bestow that upon someone else, and let them know how valued and wonderful they are.

5. Say “thank you.”  

While it seems simple, unless you are someone who is comfortable communicating openly, this can be a daunting task.  I challenge you to step outside of your comfort zone and be a deliverer of appreciation to someone else.  This takes humility, which is an exceptional character trait to practice. Looking into someone’s eyes and just saying, “thank you for being a good friend,” or “thank you for always working so hard,” or “thank you for the promotion, it means so much to me and my family,” is an interaction that will touch the heart of the one you are thanking, and will most likely touch yours, as well.

Work is good, helpful and necessary.  It is not only good for community around us, but it is good for us as individuals, as it presents such wonderful opportunities for us to grow, and for us to show love to one another. 

Happy Thanksgiving, now go out there and thank someone.