Practicing Gratitude throughout your organization is the smartest decision one can ever make. For those, who don’t know what Gratitude is and how we can practice it? Gratitude is being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen in your life and taking the time to express appreciation and return kindness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build stronger relationships.

Like life, the workplace has many obstacles. On a daily basis, it’s very difficult to spot them out. What can managers/leaders do to create a positive work environment? According to a study, engagement rates for employees whose managers focus on their strengths are more than double that of employees whose managers focus on their weaknesses. One of the best ways to overcome it is to introduce Gratitude in the workplace. As mentioned above, gratitude at work is the process of being thankful to show appreciation to team members. And by practicing gratitude, you can undoubtedly contribute to encouraging a positive environment in the workplace.

In modern business, Gratitude has to be a part of the culture. We should also foster emotionally intelligent and empathic workplaces where employees practice thankfulness and forgiveness. We shouldn’t just celebrate employees on “employee appreciation day” but we need to try to appreciate every employee by a little “thank you” all-around the year. Recognition reward performance, what an employee has accomplished as a worker; whereas appreciation acknowledges a person’s inherent worth. It shows how you care and value them. And you won’t believe the results of following this practice, a happier and healthier work culture like never before.

Gratitude is not just about building relationships between you and your employees, but also between employees and the organization as a whole. The basis of any relationship is honesty and vulnerability, and to build a connection with your colleagues, you need to open up and honestly express your thoughts. It’s a sign of strength, not weakness. 81% of employees report they feel motivated to work harder when their boss shows empathy and appreciation for their work. When gratitude becomes a regular practice in workplaces, employees feel valued, and it boosts their productivity and engagement. Also, they face fewer toxic emotions, like dissatisfaction and envy.

Don’t limit your gratitude to your personal life. Gratitude at the workplace, yes, it works like a miracle! In short, “Thank you” is just a word, appreciation is an action and gratitude is a practice. And, you can be thankful, appreciative and grateful, all at the same time!