It’s the beginning of a new year and time to reset and set goals for 2019. One thing that your organization may want to consider to improve morale, drive productivity, employee retention, wellness and engagement is fostering a culture of gratitude. Hopefully, other organizations can use ClearPath’s journey as an example for helping to shape their own cultures.
A culture of gratitude starts from the top. If leadership takes the time to recognize the modest acts that can so easily go unnoticed throughout the company, it encourages others to do the same. People might feel awkward calling out the sometimes seemingly insignificant things people do or recognizing a milestone. But it’s a snowball effect—the more you express gratitude, the more natural and easier it becomes.
Focusing on gratitude is said to lower blood pressure, improve your sleep, reduce depression and anxiety, and help prevent substance abuse. Giving thanks to others is linked to lower levels of heart disease and higher levels of immunity. Being vulnerable and letting others know they are appreciated builds authentic connections between people, fulfilling a fundamental human need for belonging. When people are connected, they thrive.1
Gratitude Friday
One of the unique things about the culture at ClearPath Workforce Management is our Gratitude Friday email. Our entire staff are welcome to participate and recognize the things we’re grateful for. Sometimes, not everyone participates, but we know we can, and I really enjoy reading the others’ input. I think it is astounding that Renee Fink, CEO ClearPath, starts every Friday with a “Gratitude Friday” email. Her top priority is to recognize and take care of our employees. The acknowledgement of employee birthdays and anniversaries and saying a simple thank you are so inspiring and truly makes a difference.
To cultivate a culture of gratitude, the gratitude needs to be authentic. You can begin by setting a goal to thank someone for something specific each day. When you take the time to go out of your way to do so, people will know you are genuine, and you’ll see significant improvements to company morale. We want our employees to consistently recognize and thank those who play a part in their achievements. These practices tie into ClearPath’s Mission Statement and our Core Values that enrich our culture:
As a compass, we lead by serving each other with integrity and respect by guiding the journey in the direction of a ClearPath.
ClearPath operates in accordance with the highest standards in all relationships with clients, contract employees, internal corporate employees, and suppliers. ClearPath supports a culture that encourages a team spirit and innovation in implementing the best practices throughout the company.
Workplace gratitude isn’t something that is passed only from the boss to the employee. To have a real impact on workplace positivity, employees should show it to one another and to their bosses. You may begin to see changes emerge when gratitude flows from employees to their clients. When gratitude emanates in this way, your client’s satisfaction may improve and so will your business.
Get a fresh start on fostering a culture of gratitude now, while the new year is fresh; you can keep it going, one “Kudos” and “Fist Bump” at a time.
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- Written by: Connie Wendt
- Posted on: January 8, 2019
- Tags: EMPLOYER OF RECORD SERVICE, ENGAGING W-2 WORKERS, FORM I-9, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR COMPLIANCE, W-2 Worker Classification, Workforce Classification