Rebuild a Culture of Gratitude as You Reboard

As you reboard, it is a fantastic time to check your overall culture. It is important to welcome back employees back with intention and positivity. But does employee appreciation take center stage in your workplace? If you feel tentative about your answer, this is your chance! Building (or rebuilding) a culture of gratitude begins when employees are valued and appreciated.

The Great Resignation

During what is being called The Great Resignation, leaders are under scrutiny about retention and workplace dynamics. As a result, organizations are scrambling to entice people to stay.

NPR reports, “As pandemic life recedes in the U.S., people are leaving their jobs in search of more money, more flexibility and more happiness. Many are rethinking what work means to them, how they are valued, and how they spend their time. It’s leading to a dramatic increase in resignations — a record 4 million people quit their jobs in April alone, according to the Labor Department.”

Many workers want to stay remote. Be sure that your call back into the office still offers that valued flexibility employees have become accustomed to.  Do employees really need to be back in the office full-time or at all? It may be the benefit that workers are willing to leave you for and if you don’t ask how important it is to them, you won’t know until it’s too late.

Keep Workplace Culture in Mind with these Tips:

• • Be intentional with reboarding. Reboarding is an opportunity to embrace employees with your appreciation for everything they have done for your organization over the past year. If you missed it, be sure to check out our post, “Appreciation is Key During ‘Welcome Back'” for suggestions on how to welcome staff back to work.

 

• • Plan ahead and think year-round. Don’t wait for a mass exodus or a particular event to show appreciation. You can implement gestures of appreciation in all shapes and sizes easily and within budget. The key is to be proactive and choose ways of appreciation that reinforce cultural values. If giving back to the community is a core value, choose volunteering and donating options. Supporting families? Then keep that in mind with your choices for sharing your thanks and support to employees.For inspiration, here is our free 2022 Day-to-Day Employee Appreciation Calendar.

 

• • Ask questions. It is wise to request, evaluate and apply employee input whenever possible. Try to use multiple channels of communication to gather their thoughts, feelings and ideas. Consider having employees involved in how they wish to be recognized and appreciated.

 

• • Embrace experiences consistent with your culture. Research shows that a great way to thank employees is through experiences. Be creative in ways to appeal to the senses and offer people something to remember.

 

• • Don’t overlook simplicity. We can never emphasize this enough. For example, simple notes, incentives and thank you gifts go a long way in communicating that you value someone.

 

• • Be cognizant of post-COVID needs. Be forthcoming with resources for help. Illustrate that you are grateful for employees’ resilience and return. And share what you’ve learned as a leader through the pandemic challenges. Provide opportunities for colleagues to share pandemic stories – they are important contributions to your renewed workplace culture.

 

• • Say ‘Thank You’. Building a lasting culture of gratitude starts with a commitment to routine, sincere appreciation. No one hears a heartfelt ‘thank you’ too much. Be generous with your thanks and you’ll see it’s contagious in a good way.

 

A Culture of Gratitude is Powerful

Check out this gratitude infographic; it illustrates 6 ways in which appreciation positively impacts the workplace. Visit our site, blog, case studies and resources for ideas about fostering a culture that thrives!

 

 

To learn how to build a lasting culture of gratitude, download our free workplace guide, “Transforming Your Workplace With Gratitude” and share with colleagues!