6 reasons why expressing gratitude at work can boost frontline employee engagement
Are words of affirmation your love language? Though showing appreciation is a must in our personal lives, it shouldn’t be overlooked in the workplace! At Krispy Kreme UK, a market-leading doughnut retailer from North Carolina, leaders work hard to ensure that their frontline employees feel engaged and appreciated.
Champions of Social Leadership, Krispy Kremers are all about using digital tools to influence people at work – and showing gratitude is one of their priorities. Human beings yearn for recognition and appreciation: it makes us feel seen, validated, and provides us with the motivation necessary to do better. In the midst of a recruitment crisis, showing your employees you care is more important than ever.
From holding each other accountable for the company’s success to celebrating their teammates’ achievements on their Yapster newsfeed, Krispy Kreme frontline employees are a cheerful bunch – and this leads to high levels of engagement and more sales! Here’s why gratitude at work can boost frontline employee engagement – from the perspective of Krispy Kreme.
If you’d like to read more about all things retail, check out our previous Showcase with Krispy Kreme leaders here!
Why does showing gratitude at work matter?
Share updates and celebrate your team’s success on your Yapster newsfeed.
1. gratitude at work fosters confidence in frontline employees
How can you expect your employees to grow within your business if they’re never praised for what they do right? Showing gratitude at work is key to strengthening your frontline teammates’ skills and boosting their self-esteem. At Krispy Kreme, Head of Retail Matt Reeve uses the Yapster newsfeed to share the accomplishments of his employees and encourage other teammates to follow their lead.
Great employees should be rewarded and praised for their hard work. This way, they’ll become confident leaders as they climb the corporate ladder while encouraging new starters to bring their best to the table.
2. Expressing gratitude strengthens team spirit
According to PEDALS Academy, gratitude isn’t only crucial for employee engagement but also key to healthy team dynamics. When teamwork is celebrated, frontline employees’ bonds become stronger: their leaders let them know they are appreciated for what they achieve together.
At Krispy Kreme, leaders have implemented Yapster KPI Games to boost healthy competition and sales amongst their teams. By allowing frontline employees to participate as teams at store or area level, leaders encourage them to work better together to reach their sales targets. Gratitude at work isn’t an individual matter – it’s about showing your teams how much you care!
3. Showing appreciation boosts productivity
Though gratitude is a value, it’s only effective if it’s enacted by leaders on a daily basis. According to a study conducted by the American Psychological Association, 93% of employees who felt valued by their company reported being motivated to do their best at work and 88% declared feeling engaged. As humans, we’re highly motivated by rewards – whether they come in the form of benefits or of genuine praise and appreciation. When frontline employees feel appreciated by their employers, they are more likely to envision a long-term career right where they are.
Interact with your teams by sending or reacting to messages on Yapster.
At Krispy Kreme, 76% of messages and 82% of reactions on Yapster during KPI Games are sent by managers. Leaders who care about generating engagement and producing motivational content help boost morale amongst their teams!
4. Gratitude increases retention for frontline employees
Gratitude at work can also help you retain frontline employees. The more engaged your employees feel, the more likely they are to decide to grow within your business. Because engagement is closely tied to appreciation, great leaders know that the best way to keep their employees motivated has everything to do with rewarding them fairly for their performance. From verbal recognition to work-life balance and benefits, support is at the heart of a positive employee experience.
At Krispy Kreme, frontline teammates can disable Yapster notifications outside of work hours to ensure that they come back to work recharged and ready to perform. Work-life balance enables Krispy Kremers to pursue an engaging career without compromising on their personal life!
5. Expressing gratitude has powerful psychological effects on both parties
According to Harvard Health Publishing, expressing gratitude is linked to many psychological and physical health benefits, from a better ability to deal with adversity to more satisfying relationships and positive emotions. One’s work environment is key to their wellbeing, both in terms of physical and mental health.
Simple gestures such as thank-you notes can trigger tremendous positive effects on frontline workers, whose feelings will automatically be elevated – but did you know that the giver of compliments was equally rewarded? Expressing one’s gratitude for another person also helps improve their mood and sense of purpose! Leaders who take the time to thank their employees are also generally more satisfied with their careers – which enables them to guide their teams with enthusiasm and drive.
6. Gratitude at work is key to a positive company culture
Ever heard of the spillover effect? According to research conducted by psychologists Adam Grant and Francisca Gino, employees who were acknowledged and thanked by their higher-ups showed higher levels of self-worth and efficacy and were more likely to trust each other and help each other out.
Gratitude at work allows leaders to foster an environment in which employees are encouraged to value each other and work to improve their processes as a team. Positive feelings and reinforcement beckon positive attitudes and behaviours in frontline employees. Give it a try – don’t be shy!
If you’d like to become a better Social Leader and lead your pack towards success, register for our upcoming showcase here! Let’s start Yapping!