Don't expect a big thank-you at work this week. While people may express gratitude when they gather at Thanksgiving, showing appreciation is far from traditional at the office.
A common attitude from the corner office is "We thank people around here: It's called a paycheck," says Bob Nelson, an employee-motivation consultant in San Diego.
The workplace ranks dead last among the places people express gratitude, from homes and neighborhoods to places of worship. Only 10% of adults say thanks to a colleague every day, and just 7% express gratitude daily to a boss, according to a survey this year of 2,007 people for the John Templeton Foundation of West Conshohocken, Pa., a nonprofit organization that sponsors research on creativity, gratitude, freedom and other topics.
More than half of human-resources managers say showing appreciation for workers cuts turnover, and 49% believe it increases profit, according to a study of 815 managers by the Society for Human Resource Management.
Even the crustiest managers acknowledge that acknowledgment matters. Jack Welch, the former General Electric chief executive who is famed for his business philosophy of ceaseless, rigorous review and improvement, says he thanked employees on every plant tour and facility visit. "If you don't do it, you don't have a culture. You are just a bunch of bricks and mortar," he says.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, November 21, 2012
Judith W. Umlas: Grateful Leadership: Using the Power of Acknowledgment to Engage All Your People and Achieve Superior Results