In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, this post will be dedicated to gratitude. Research has shown that practicing gratitude can make you happier. Take a moment and test the theory. Stop reading and spend the next few minutes naming things (out loud is ok) for which you are grateful. How many of you smiled at just the thought of those things? If your thoughts turned to people for whom you are grateful, how have you expressed this to them? If you answered yes, then how long ago? Are you saying to yourself, “they know I am thankful for them and can’t live without them.” Are you sure?
There seems to be a question that I hear regularly asked and debated regarding thanking employees for doing their job. I mean that is why you pay them, right? If they are simply coming to work every day and doing exactly what you ask, they are meeting their end of the deal and by paying them, you are meeting your end of the deal.
Now, why not take another moment to think about the employees who don’t fulfill their end of the deal. You know the ones, they that take your time, energy and other resources to try to correct their behavior or improve their performance. They are expensive and costly and often they end up leaving the organization anyway. And when they leave, you say “thank goodness!” They are giving you the opportunity to practice that gratitude! Do you feel better?
Why not take the opportunity to create a win-win with the employees that just do their job. Show them gratitude and by doing so, you will create happiness for you (win) and happiness for them (win-win).
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Sheri Mazurek is a training and human resource professional with over 16 years of management experience, and is skilled in all areas of employee management and human resource functions, with a specialty in learning and development. She is available to help you with your Human Resources and Training needs on a contract basis. For more information send an email to smazurek0615@gmail.com or visit www.sherimazurek.com. Follow me on twitter @Sherimaz.