Gratitude in the workplace: 5 tips to show appreciation to employees

‘Thank you.’ Such a basic phrase that I not only work to use myself but have also been drilling into my toddler on a daily basis. Chances are it’s second nature for you to say it in everyday life, but when someone doesn’t say it, you notice it. At the end of the day, it’s a simple gesture to show our gratitude towards someone who has positively impacted us in some way.

It’s no surprise then that extending that simple act into the workplace makes a difference. One study reported that 83% of employees tied their professional success to being recognised for their work. Additionally, 82% reported that their level of engagement improved with recognition and 71% said they were more likely to remain with the organisation if recognition was received frequently. These are clear indicators that expressing gratitude in the workplace is more than ticking a box, it’s directly tied to metrics like turnover and employee engagement.

How to express gratitude at work

Workplace gratitude is the intentional act of showing appreciation to a colleague, manager, administrator, or any other person you encounter in your day-to-day work life. This can be implemented in numerous ways which require varying levels of effort, and when done authentically, can be such an easy way to boost employee morale and company culture. A few ideas include:

1. Send a note: Write an email, send a message on chat, pick up the phone, reach out via text. These may be overly obvious, but they are also majorly underused. With so much technology at our disposal, let’s work to use it as a force for good. Next time you grab your phone to scroll social media or start composing an instant message, stop and think first of who you can send a quick note of thanks to.
2. Share accolades: Create a central location where teams and leaders can share kudos for one another. Encourage employees to share their workplace gratitude for their peers – both those on their teams as well as across departments – as a way to thank them more publicly for work that may go unnoticed otherwise. In hybrid or in-office environments, these could be housed on a bulletin board in a common area. In remote or globally dispersed groups, you could store them on the company intranet or by using a platform like Kudoboard. Making this a regular part of business will go a long way toward instilling a healthy culture within your organisation.
3. Make it a routine: You want gratitude in the workplace to take hold and become a normal part of life within your company without becoming background noise. Whether it’s a weekly, monthly, or even quarterly initiative, set some intentional time aside to thank and recognise employees for their contributions. Think along the lines of Thank You Thursday, Grateful April, October Ovations, or Autumn Appreciation as some quick ideas to get started.
4. Host a surprise guest: When holding a meeting, invite a colleague or leader to join in person or remotely to share a recent experience with that particular team or an individual on the call. You want this to be a genuine interaction that highlights the success and work of the person/people involved, not merely going through the motions.
5. Provide rewards: I was hesitant to include this one because I truly feel that workplace gratitude can be effective despite any budgetary constraints. As seen in the above examples, a lot of ways to show gratitude at work do not cost a thing. But if you’re looking to take those efforts one step further and invest some capital into thanking employees, here are a few ideas:
   • Anniversary milestones: This timeless expression of workplace gratitude is a great way to demonstrate appreciation for an employee’s loyalty to the organisation. Often when they hit the traditional markers (five, 10, 15, etc., though I did have one company in my past who recognised one year of service as well) they are given a gift or allowed to select from a variety of options.
     
   • Get-togethers: The standard happy hours, lunches, or team bonding activities are still relevant ways to thank employees when possible to get everyone together. These social gatherings will remain a staple of team bonding whenever team members are in the same geographic location.
     
   • Coffee club: Send out gift cards for employees to get a coffee or a snack on the company’s dime. In lieu of the traditional days when people could just walk into the company kitchen, grab some coffee, and catch up with a co-worker, having a system like this in place still demonstrates workplace gratitude in an effective way for remote and hybrid environments.
     
   • Time off: Often teams are burning the midnight oil to meet deadlines, wrap up projects, and finalise deliverables. Particularly at a time when the team has been stretched in terms of time and capacity, consider offering a few ‘free’ hours off without requiring them to use any of their annual leave. Of course there may need to be certain advance steps taken to ensure there is adequate coverage in their absence, but don’t underestimate the impact of a simple ‘get out of here early.’

Benefits of expressing gratitude at work

As with most business cases, you’re probably thinking this all sounds good in theory, but what’s the ROI? Besides those boosts to morale and culture, there are other notable effects that can really make a difference in terms of employee retention, wellness, and workplace effectiveness.

1. Higher level of employee engagement: This is an easy connection to make. When employees feel valued and appreciated for the work that they do, they are more likely to be engaged, energised, and motivated about the work they are doing.
2. Stronger teams: When teams demonstrate workplace gratitude among one another, respect and camaraderie increases among them. In turn, collaboration thrives, embedding a strong team identity and boosting psychological safety and team performance.
3. Strengthened relationships between managers and employees: When a manager takes the time to thank their employees, it creates space for more candid conversations and feedback. This demonstration of gratitude in the workplace shows employees that they are valued by their manager, which lays the foundation for better trust, communication, and information flow between them.  
4. Reduced risk of burnout: Gratitude in the workplace works to minimise some of the main culprits of burnout like lack of recognition and poor management. When employee burnout is present, it negatively impacts every other element in this list. When you factor in the damage burnout can do to a person and team morale, a small token of gratitude can go a long way toward curbing a potentially disastrous consequence.

Workplace gratitude in practice

As with most initiatives, leaders set the tone when it comes to gratitude in the workplace. If they are accustomed to creating a culture of appreciation, that will trickle down through the rest of the organisation. Former President and CEO of Campbell Soup, Douglas Conant, was known for championing this type of environment. “On a personal level, I send out about 20 thank-you notes a day to employees, on all levels,” Conant said.

Leaders here at Talogy agree that consistent workplace gratitude practices are a staple of a positive workplace culture. A few of them shared their own habits of expressing appreciation to their teams and colleagues:

Lately, I’ve been carrying a deep sense of gratitude for one of my direct reports. I watched her navigate a difficult situation with such maturity and a grounded mentality – choosing not to take things personally, putting differences aside, and genuinely starting over. Her willingness to lean into development (the core of what we do), stay committed to the work, and try to understand where others were coming from reminded me of what real growth looks like. It was a moment that inspired me.

Abrar Al Mubarak, Director, Consulting Talogy Middle East and Africa

One of my favourite literary characters growing up was Anne of Green Gables. At the end of a long day of misadventures, she said something that I’ve carried with me as a mantra since: Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet. In later years, my first mentor in the HR world taught me an early and lasting lesson about the importance of balance and perspective.

This overall mindset allows me to approach each day with positive intent. My conversations generally start with a check-in and end with a ‘thank you’ for what the individual contributed and/or for what they do every day. And as I close out each day, I take a moment to reflect on what went well, what could have gone better, and how I can start tomorrow with a fresh perspective. Some days it’s easy, some it’s more challenging, but every day, I am grateful to be happy, healthy, and doing work that I love with people I respect and care about.

Trish O’Brien, Chief People Officer

It’s time to prioritise workplace gratitude

Let’s face it: work can be more stressful than we would like at times – and that’s only one responsibility that most employees are navigating in addition to their home and caregiving duties. With workplace wellbeing at an all-time low since it began being tracked, it’s time to get serious about incremental steps that can be taken to ensure employees feel seen, heard, and appreciated. A little more gratitude may be just what this world needs to make it a little brighter and kinder.