Workplace Culture, Kindness, and Values

Sorry. It’s one small word that may be holding your team back from building a stronger culture of workplace gratitude. Apologies have their place, but people often say “sorry” when “thank you” would be better. How often do you find yourself apologizing when it’s possible to be reworded into a more positive message?

Think of it this way… If you had to choose to be surrounded by an abundance of genuine “thank you” messages among colleagues or a lot of people saying, “sorry” all the time, what would you prefer? (We think we know the answer.) However, it takes a little bit of awareness and effort to rewire our tendencies.

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As the new year kicks off, it’s a wonderful opportunity to assess what employees achieved and overcame during 2023. Organizations everywhere have worked hard to reassess priorities and make significant changes after the pandemic-related pandemonium.

At gThankYou, we are advocates for weaving gratitude through the entire year. Stay tuned for our 2024 calendar, which provides a variety of ways to illustrate appreciation every month of the year. In the meantime, let’s take this opportunity to start the year on a high note. Here are some applicable tips to help foster a sense of appreciation in the next few weeks.

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As we head back to school, it’s a good time to take a moment to appreciate the hard work of custodial staff who keep our schools clean and safe. These essential workers often go unnoticed, but their contributions are vital to the success of our schools.

National Custodian Day is officially October 2, but why wait?

Kick off the school year with an abundance of gratitude for those who helped clean up and get our schools ready for staff and students. Hang a giant custodian thank you card and hang it up for everyone to sign and set the tone for everyone who enters the building.
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Motivational posters may be a little outdated, but sharing positivity in the workplace never gets old. Whether it’s simply sharing a quote to conclude a meeting or a classy sign in a conference room, there are many famous — and not so famous — quotes that can impact how employees feel about the culture of an organization. We’ve pulled together 15 quotes for a workplace culture of gratitude that may inspire or encourage you and your teams.

The most important application is for leaders to model an attitude of gratitude, taking the time and effort to thank and acknowledge what deserves praise. Flippant usage of “thanks” isn’t the goal … it’s providing a positive space to allow people to acknowledge and support each other.
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Photo by Spikeball on Unsplash

When leaders understand the importance of celebrating teams and organizational values, important messages resonate beyond an “event.” There are many opportunities to bring people together to underscore that your business is about people and values, not just work and the bottom line.

We’re in a time of heightened pressure to recruit and retain happy, committed employees and this big-picture thinking is critical. Here are a wide variety of ways you can incorporate “celebrating teams and organizational values” into your workplace. We hope this sparks inspiration for gifts of connection, belonging and shared joy.

Give the Gift of Connection

• Welcome new employees with a memorable first impression. Schedule coffee or lunch with the head of the company on their first day at work.

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Photo by Ali Bakhtiari on Unsplash

NEWS ALERT: The work world has shifted. Priorities have changed, hybrid and remote working has become status quo, and flexibility is key. Collectively, we are figuring out how to navigate new ways of working.

What’s really keeping HR people up at night is how to RETAIN talented and hardworking staff. If we thought retention was important before, we have a tighter grip now. But what is the secret sauce to keeping employees happy, healthy and gainfully employed by you? Appreciation and recognition go a long way. Here are some ways to navigate new ways of working:

Pay attention equally to employees regardless of their location.

With a shift to remote and hybrid workplaces, it is important to “spread the love” to those who may be working elsewhere. “Out of sight, out of mind” is the wrong approach. Be sure to show appreciation equally for people across town or the globe. (more…)

We honor Random Acts of Kindness Week every February (Feb. 13-19 this year) to celebrate small acts of goodwill. We all know that every day is a good day to build workplace gratitude through kindness. But how often do you think about random acts of kindness? How often do you actually do it? It’s a great reminder that little gestures go a long way.

Where Did Random Acts of Kindness Begin?

The phrase “random acts of kindness,” is believed to have been coined by the writer Anne Herbert in the early 1980s. Apparently, she scribbled on a restaurant placemat, “Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.” The phrase uses language of war (“senseless acts of violence”) in a call for the opposite.
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