A little ‘thank you’ at work goes a long way…

I’m a GP at the start of the pandemic.  It’s 8pm. I hung up the phone after speaking to the last patient of the day (an hour late). I then stare at the list of hundreds of blood results still to process in despair. Decision fatigue is setting in. The last remaining receptionist on site, intuitively reading the bleak situation, decided to bring me a cup of tea and a biscuit. I muttered thanks but barely looked up to acknowledge her.  It gave me just enough boost in energy to get through the final bits of work. The workload in general practice and more widely across the NHS was, and remains, relentless. This is echoed across many different industries and felt palpably by many employees no matter what area they work in. Friends in various jobs are reporting increased dissatisfaction at work. With increasingly blurred lines between work and home life, more staff sickness, and a big financial squeeze, this is not surprising. At times this can lead to fraying of colleague relations. 

One of the commonest reasons for feeling dissatisfied at work is ‘feeling undervalued’. In one survey

70% of people reported feeling that they had not received any appreciation at work in the last year.

I truly did appreciate the receptionist for bringing me tea and a biscuit that day (chocolate coated no less), but I hadn't really told her. A grunt of ‘thanks’ doesn’t count.  It was more than a simple act. She was likely having a stressful day herself but went out of her way to show she understood it had been a difficult clinic and that I might need a little boost. She’d been working non stop until now too, but what thanks did she get? Just 10 mins earlier I’d heard a patient shouting at her for not being able to offer an appointment the next day.. 

The next shift that month, a similar scenario began to unfold. It’s late, there was still a mountain of work to do and I heard the receptionist knock at the door. This time, I made a conscious effort to turn and smile. ‘

‘Thank you’.

A smile greets me in return. What then occurs is a 2 minute chat about our days, including a funny anecdote about how a child had managed to break the lift that morning trapping the manager inside for 5 minutes. (I’d been completely oblivious). I express gratitude for the help I was given in contacting a difficult to reach patient. More than just a simple reflex of politeness, I really meant it.  It turns out that this short exchange does much more to boost my energy levels and mood than the tea and biscuit itself. It’s important that we don’t lose sight of each other when at work, but it is concerning how rare on a busy day saying ‘Thank you’ with any depth or meaning can be. 

Toddlers up and down the country have been taught to say their pleases and thank you’s with aplomb. To my shame, even the common decency of saying a token thanks was the first thing to become derailed during a stressful day. It really shouldn’t and needn’t. We’re often advised that taking a break can actually help us to be more productive, and we should always take time to do so. Similarly, we should always take time to express appreciation for our colleagues. Since this moment 2 years ago I have made it non negotiable to thank colleagues daily. This time will not be lost. It will be recovered manifold through a boost in mood, teamworking, and productivity. 

Of course, building a sustainable culture of gratitude at work will take more than just occasionally thanking each other. It is however a low hanging fruit that is an excellent place to start. Sounds straightforward doesn’t it?  I take little consolation however, in knowing that my previous occasional neglect in this area isn’t unique. Research conducted by the Temple Foundation is damning. According to their survey..

people are less likely to express gratitude at work than in any other setting.

This is despite the fact that

93% of respondents reported that being thanked at work made them feel happier and more motivated.

Starkly, respondents also acknowledged that

when they themselves said thank you it made them feel happier and more fulfilled. 

There is a wealth of evidence relating to the widespread benefit of showing more appreciation for our colleagues and incorporating gratitude practice into the workplace. Not only will it improve employee wellbeing but it makes business sense. In one study university fundraisers were divided into two groups; their task was to cold call alumni to obtain donations for the university. One group started making phone calls, whilst the other received a message of thanks from their boss beforehand.  They emphasised how grateful they were for the work they were doing. The group who received this message of thanks subsequently made 50% more phone calls than the control group. Showing gratitude at work thus has a direct positive impact upon productivity. I certainly wouldn't argue that the only reason to say thank you would be to encourage more work. We shouldnt be thanking our colleagues purely as a productivity tool. For starters, the sincerity of the act is crucial. We spend much of our lives at work, it needs to be a place we enjoy. Indeed, there is increasing evidence that feeling appreciated at work often ranks on a par (or even higher) than monetary rewards. As new generations come through this trend is growing.  

We know that expressing gratitude benefits both the receiver and the giver of gratitude. We also know that there is a butterfly effect, with gratitude rippling on through networks. Simply saying ‘thank you’ to our colleagues can make a huge difference, and is something we can all become more mindful to do right now.  However, building a deep culture of gratitude in workplaces can help ensure sustainable benefits including  increased job satisfaction, better team cohesion and strength of relationships, reduced sick days, and a reduction in staff turnover.

We now spend our time exploring the benefits of gratitude practice in the workplace and crucially, simple steps that can be taken to build a sustainable culture of gratitude.  We work with organisations big and small to help facilitate lasting change. We absolutely love to deliver our workshops and see teams grow and enjoy forming deeper connections. We learn something new ourselves too each time. We’d love to join you at your workplace to see how we can kickstart you and your teams gratitude journey. Contact us at hello@gratitube.co.uk.