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Last evening, I sat thinking about all the wonderful people I’ve worked with over the years. I thought about the managers who’ve helped me learn and achieve new things, and the teams I’ve personally coached. I thought about the good and the bad.

This kind of reflection almost always brings me back to a place of gratitude because it reaffirms that my workplace isn’t just about business.  It’s about the people. It’s about the relationships. It’s about the challenges and the growth. It’s about all the things we often take for granted like a simple thank you, feeling supported, having our efforts recognized and acknowledged, being listened to and having the opportunity to be creative.

The list could go on.

One study from the Predictive Index asked employees of multiple companies what their coworkers, team members, managers and leaders do that makes them grateful to work with and for them. The responses were telling. Some companies seem to have more thankful and grateful employees than other companies. Also, all respondents expressed gratitude for something other than pay. Here are some of the quotes they received:

“My team is awesome! Collaborative, professional, fun, creative, and supportive!”

“Make me feel valued and appreciated, recognize me, treat me with respect.”

“Allow me to make autonomous decisions and detailed plans of how to accomplish goals.”

 “Appreciate my input and opinion, listen to what I have to say and add their opinion to excel as a team.”

"They are friendly, collaborative, helpful, polite and supportive.”

“They are sincere with caring about my well-being.”

“I am grateful to work with team members who can be open-minded and creatively collaborative.”

“I am blessed to be surrounded by people who value a well-balanced life. Our culture allows people to earn a living, raise a family, be charitable, and have outside interests.”

“They give me a chance and stretch me with honest feedback that allows me to grow.”

When the results of study were published, one reader (Gary Barnett) commented that:

“This is a fantastic example of what is so commonly misunderstood about engaging employees. It isn't the money or foosball tables, it is the overall feeling that a company cares, pays attention to individual needs, and trusts employees.”

We concur.

You see, where the rubber meets the road here is where employees feel like they are valued on a personal level. Salary is a necessity, but can easily be replaced. Connecting with your people on a personal level, whether it be acknowledging their efforts and contributions to your corporate project, or recognizing and supporting their individual differences in life in general, stimulates a positive work environment and an engaged company culture.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!


C.A. Short Company partners with companies to manage, drive and facilitate increased employee engagement to increase financial performance, productivity, quality, and core performance outcomes. Our process and research-based platform enables executives and managers to engage their teams to increase the bottom line, motivate staff, and incentivize positive behavior. To request a Complimentary Consultation, please click here. 

 

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