The Incredible Power of Gratitude

While we naturally think of gratitude and appreciation during the holiday season, we tend to box up those sentiments after the first of the year, when we lapse back into a business-as-usual mode. The new year finds us moving forward with nary a thought toward those holiday-associated emotions. And that’s a terrible shame.

Gratitude is a powerful emotion that wields a double-edged sword because it significantly boosts both the giver and the receiver. Credited with easing stress and ramping up motivation, expressions of gratitude can have a monumental impact on the workplace.

Studies repeatedly demonstrate the positive attributes of expressing gratitude. But when it comes to the workplace, a recent Monster survey discovered a big disconnect. While 97% of folks believe that expressing gratitude at work helps ease stress and anxiety, and 94% feel receiving appreciation motivates their daily work, nearly half of those same people do not feel they receive recognition for their workplace contributions.

Unfortunately, the stress and upheaval of pandemic-ridden 2020 threw multiple roadblocks in the path of this strategy known to impact the workplace positively. In some instances, administrators and co-workers were too overwhelmed with managing pandemic worries, ever-changing mandates, and staffing challenges to focus on gratitude. For other companies, the scattering of their workforce to remote locations interfered with the human connections that encourage expressions of gratitude.

Considering what 2020 dealt us, who couldn’t benefit from a mega dose of encouragement right about now? So, who have you thanked today? This week? This month?

There has never been a time in recent history when the RNs, LPNs, and CNAs in your hospital or long-term care facility needed to feel appreciated and recognized by their superiors. These battle-weary frontline heroes have stayed the course, allowing healthcare facilities across the nation to deliver first-rate care during an incredibly challenging season.

No less important or deserving of recognition and gratitude are the scores of essential behind-the-scenes stars, laboring in critical departments such as housekeeping, dietary, environmental services, and customer relations. Their tireless efforts have provided crucial support services to keep facilities operating at peak performance.

With the weight of the world on their shoulders, administrators and management teams have been called upon to make the hard decisions. To stay abreast of an ever-fluid scenario that demanded a frequent review of and adjustment to an unending stream of guidelines and mandates. Charged with leading the battle, these men and women have bravely faced this continuing healthcare crisis.

While we can pat ourselves on the back for giving it our all during smooth sailing as well as nerve-wracking times, there’s something so uplifting about hearing words of appreciation and recognition from colleagues, especially those in leadership above us.

Let’s do a quick review of the awesome powers of gratitude.

• Receivers of gratitude are more efficient, more productive, and more responsible.
• Expressors of gratitude build stronger, closer bonds with their co-workers.
• Receivers of recognition and appreciation are more inclined to show the new guy/gal the ropes and willingly reach beyond the job description to fill a need.
• Similarly, those who express appreciation tend to volunteer for assignments and go the extra mile without being asked.
• Both givers and receivers of gratitude have a stronger cohesiveness with the team.
• Leaders who take the time to express appreciation and recognize a job well done cannot help but uncover their compassionate, empathetic side.
  
  

An organization’s culture can reap huge benefits from an environment where recognition is consistently noted and expressed. So, again we ask, who have you thanked today?