Workers want and need to know that they are appreciated. Showing gratitude to employees is the easiest, fastest, and most inexpensive way to boost performance. New research shows that gratitude boosts employee engagement, reduces turnover, and strengthens team bonds.
Not only is gratitude beneficial for those expressing it, it is one of the most powerful variables in predicting a person’s overall well-being – above money, health, and optimism.

Despite these benefits, few executives effectively utilize this simple tool. In fact, new research reveals “People are less likely to express gratitude at work than anyplace else.” What accounts for the staggering chasm between awareness of gratitude’s benefits and the failure of so many leaders to do it – or do it well? Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton call this the gratitude gap.

In Leading with Gratitude, the authors introduce eight simple ways managers can show employees they are are valued. They supplement their insights and advice with stories of how many of today’s most successful leaders, such as Allan Mullaly at Ford and Hubert Joly of Best Buy, successfully incorporate gratitude into their leadership styles.