GREAT Research and Resources

Gratitude

People with persistent gratitude are more likely to feel positive emotions at work, like excitement and happiness, which improves overall well-being (Grabarek, 2018).

Building a culture of gratitude can “transform work lives, leading to deeper connections to each other and to the work we’re doing” (Newman, 2017).

Gratitude in action might include:

• Writing three things you are grateful for daily in a gratitude journal.
• Listening to a guided gratitude meditation that encourages you to think of someone you want to appreciate and focus on how you have been positively impacted by that person.
• Sharing feelings of gratitude at team meetings to build an organizational culture of gratitude.

Recognition

Recognizing someone for their work can help increase motivation, build self-esteem, and promote prosocial behaviours.

Below are a couple examples of how you might show recognition in the workplace:

• "Thank you for delivering this project on time with such attention to detail.  The work you have done will help us continue expanding our offerings to make a more holistic program. Great work!"
• "I was blown away by your analysis of our web metrics. I would have never even thought of doing something like that. What you did will really help us target our communications to be more effective. Thank you."

Appreciation

Below are a few ways you might start to express appreciation to someone:

• I admire your…
• I value…
• I appreciate your...

Here are a few examples:

• "The office is a happier place with you in it. Thanks for the laughs!"
• "A reliable employee is the best gift a leader can ask for. Thank you for being someone I can always count on."
• "Your enthusiasm for personal growth and development is truly inspirational."
• "I’m so grateful that you’re not afraid to ask questions! It really helps us work well together."