5 Ways To Implement Gratitude Sharing At Work During Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving season is here. While Covid-19 has frustrated many family plans and reunions, the C-suite can take the lead to celebrate virtually with co-workers. Here is why.

Article originally published @ Forbes by Luciana Paulise

Thanksgiving Day is an annual national holiday in the United States and Canada to celebrate the past year’s harvest and other blessings.

Prayers of thanks and special thanksgiving ceremonies are common among almost all religions after harvests. Still, these ceremonies have not been quite transferred to the business environment until recently.

Researchers are recommending gratitude sharing, especially when times are tough. The book Leadership in a Time of Crisis affirms that “leaders have to help the team think about how much better off you are than any worst-case scenario and be thankful.”

Benefits of gratitude sharing

– Increased Connection: Expert in emotional intelligence, Daniel Goleman, expressed in a recent interview referring to Covid-19 challenges, “What we are experiencing is a great opportunity for gratitude. To appreciate the people we are in contact with, the people we are locked up with, our families, our friends, the people who have helped us along the way. It is also a great opportunity for deep personal reflection. To think about the meaning and purpose of our lives, to think about the people we love, to let those people know that you love them and to appreciate what we have. Not to think about what we had to give up, but what we have left and how valuable it can be. This is a time to make sure you are connected to the people you care about.”

– Improved psychological safety: Show your vulnerability by opening up to your employees about how the crisis has impacted your life. Executive Coach Michelle Tillis Lederman confirms that “it gives those around you a sense of permission not just to have similar feelings but also a willingness to share those emotions. Taking the lead and revealing vulnerability establishes a climate of psychological safety”.

– Reduced stress, depression, and anxiety: Chakra expert Maria Alcantara in her book Chakra Healing recommends regularly cultivating mindfulness and practicing gratefulness to achieve energy balance. “By regularly cultivating mindfulness, we keep ourselves in the present. When we ruminate and get depressed, we often dwell on the past. When we experience anxiety, we are worrying about the future. Staying in the present allows us to show up fully for ourselves. Practicing gratefulness also elevates vibration.”

Ways to implement gratitude sharing at work

Organize a virtual Thanksgiving event. It can only be an informal breakfast or lunch where everyone in the company shows up online with no agenda, to keep the human connection. Leaders can thank for the work and effort made during the pandemic, contributing to the sense of belonging, camaraderie and building a positive perspective about the future.
Make it a routine: Being thankful doesn’t have to be just an activity during Thanksgiving. You can also make it a regular routine. At the start of a meeting, you can ask each person to share something they are grateful for.
Get a coach. Seek advice from executive and team coaches or people who have lived through difficulties. HR consultants recommend getting certified as culture coaches to move past compliance and become a culture advisor.
Organize Kudo events or systems to reward employees regularly. Kudos can come in different forms: smiles, thank you notes, certificates, days off, you name it. Many companies like Zappos have also instituted peer-rewards, where employees can reward each other for a job well done.
Start at home: just before going to bed, include in your routine a moment to thank for what you have received during the day. It could be a work accomplishment or a simple hug from your significant others. Try to think about anything that made you feel happy during the day. Thank yourself, eyes closed and in a meditation position. If you don’t have anything to be thankful for, you are probably too hard on yourself. Think again and push yourself to at least have three thankful thoughts.

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It is common today to live on autopilot or in survival mode. This is an individual choice, but it can severely impact employee engagement. When employees start to be more present at work, feeling engaged and contributing from a place of gratefulness, teams can benefit from better interactions, a sense of belonging and increased psychological safety, with a significant impact on business performance in the long term.