Member Article

World Gratitude Day, 21st September – A call to action for gratitude and recognition at work

Celebrated from 1977 onwards by the UN’s Meditations Group, World Gratitude Day was founded as a day to bring the entire globe together in a day of thankfulness, and serves as a reminder of the importance of expressing gestures of thanks and appreciation.

But when it comes to gratitude in the workplace, while its value may seem obvious, recent research by Workhuman and Gallup shows there’s still a long way to go.

Lack of appreciation and increased burnout

Amidst ongoing uncertainty and challenges, feeling “overworked and underappreciated” is a common experience for many. The Gallup-Workhuman study revealed that four out of ten employees say they aren’t receiving enough recognition from leaders at their organisation.

Feeling undervalued is a drain on the employee experience and a major risk factor for burnout, as evidenced by 25% of employees reporting being burned out at work “very often” or “always”. Employees who do not get consistent recognition at least a few times a month are nearly twice as likely to report being burned out always or very often. Leaving recognition needs unmet nearly quadruples burnout rates.

For a quarter of the workforce, energy, motivation and productivity are dwindling, yet, the vast majority of leaders (81%) say recognition is not a major strategic priority for their organisation.

Employees crave more recognition

Providing consistent, high-quality recognition can cut the rates of burnout by half or more, and employees who feel fulfilled by recognition are 44% more likely to be “thriving” in their life overall. Recognition is an effective way for organisations to demonstrate that they care about their employees, and the research shows that employees who receive recognition from their manager, supervisor or a leader at least a few times a month are nearly three times as likely to strongly agree their organisation cares about their overall wellbeing.

“People who are thriving at work are not only better employees, they also feel better as people,” said Derek Irvine, SVP strategy and consulting, Workhuman. “By meeting employees’ recognition needs, companies can reap the benefits of a happier, more connected and engaged workforce – something every business would be grateful for”.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by P Adams .