The Power of Gratitude in Supporting Workplace Wellbeing
As 2025 draws to a close, many organisations are reflecting on the year that was. It can be a time of celebrating wins, consolidating learnings, and planning for the future. It’s also a great time to practice gratitude for what you, and your team, have been able to achieve and the impact you’ve had. Better yet, why not build gratitude into every week of the new year? Odds are it will pay dividends in supporting employee wellbeing, belonging and resilience at work. Here’s how you can do it…
What is gratitude?
Gratitude isn’t just about being positive or polite. It’s the recognition and appreciation of a benefit received, accompanied by a desire to reciprocate (Emmons & McCullough, 2003). In the workplace, that means noticing effort, acknowledging impact, and expressing appreciation in ways that strengthen connection. Far from being “soft,” gratitude is increasingly recognised as a key ingredient in thriving, psychologically safe organisations.
The science behind gratitude at work
Research has evolved beyond the feel-good narrative. Studies show that gratitude plays a measurable role in supporting engagement, motivation, and mental health. A 2024 study found that employees who regularly experienced or expressed gratitude reported higher work engagement and satisfaction of core psychological needs (Su et al., 2024). Evidence has also shown that employees with a higher tendency to notice and appreciate positives demonstrate greater motivation and sustained performance over time (Nicuță et al., 2025). In other words, gratitude helps people feel more in control, capable, connected, and motivated at work.
The benefits aren’t limited to individual wellbeing. Researchers have also found that when leaders express authentic gratitude, it fosters helpful behaviour among team members, enhances trust, and reduces the likelihood of negative behaviours (Grant & Gino, 2010). Other studies echo this: teams that actively cultivate appreciation tend to experience fewer interpersonal conflicts and higher psychological safety, key predictors of innovation and retention (Fehr et al., 2017).
From theory to practice: How to embed gratitude at work
Turning gratitude from an idea into a cultural norm takes more than slogans or token “thank-you days.” It requires modelling, structure, and sincerity.
- Lead by example: Leadership sets the tone. Encourage managers to deliver specific, timely, and effort-focused appreciation. When the praise focuses on impact and effort, not just outcomes, it reinforces the behaviours that sustain performance.
- Build peer-to-peer channels: While leadership gratitude is powerful, research shows that peer appreciation is just as valuable for belonging and morale (Fehr et al., 2017). Introduce mechanisms that make gratitude visible and easy, for example, a shared “gratitude wall,” or digital and town-hall shout-outs. These moments help normalise appreciation and create a culture where recognition flows in all directions, not just from the top down.
- Integrate gratitude into everyday rhythms: Rather than adding new initiatives, embed gratitude into existing rituals. Begin team huddles with one example of something that went right. End retrospectives by reflecting on learnings and contributions. Include a “recognition moment” in one-on-ones. These small, consistent cues help gratitude become part of “how we do things here.”
- Keep it voluntary and authentic: Not everyone enjoys public recognition, and forced participation can backfire. Tailor your approach and offer gratitude privately, rather than publicly, when it makes sense. Encourage teams to co-design how they’d like to celebrate contributions. Genuine gratitude arises from autonomy and sincerity, not obligation.
- Measure what matters: Gratitude initiatives should be data-driven, not decorative. Use quick pulse surveys or engagement tools to track perceived appreciation, recognition, and connection. Reviewing this data quarterly can highlight whether gratitude practices are supporting a positive culture, or if they need refinement.
"Not everyone enjoys public recognition, and forced participation can backfire. Tailor your approach and offer gratitude privately, rather than publicly, when it makes sense."
The payoff: connection, safety, and sustained wellbeing
When gratitude is embedded rather than superficial, it creates upward spirals within teams. Employees who feel appreciated are more likely to help colleagues, share knowledge, and persist through challenges. For leaders, this translates into tangible outcomes: higher engagement, stronger collaboration, and lower turnover. A culture of gratitude doesn’t eliminate stress, but supports teams to recover and perform sustainably.
Importantly, gratitude also aligns with broader psychosocial safety principles. Recognising effort and contribution reduces perceived injustice, fosters recognition, fairness, and inclusion – key factors under Australia’s psychosocial hazard frameworks. It’s a small, human intervention with large ripple effects.
Bringing it all together
As we close out 2025, consider what role gratitude could play in your culture. Start small: a conversation, a thank-you note, a reflective practice in a team meeting. Over time, these moments can create meaningful, positive shifts in the collective mood and culture of your workplace.
Importantly, gratitude also aligns with broader psychosocial safety principles. Recognising effort and contribution reduces perceived injustice, fosters recognition, fairness, and inclusion – key factors under Australia’s psychosocial hazard frameworks. It’s a small, human intervention with large ripple effects.
Ready to take the next step?
At The Wellness Workshop, we can help support your employees’ wellbeing and encourage gratitude for themselves and others.
- The Self-Care Workshop equips individuals, leaders and teams with practical tools to proactively support their wellbeing – including by practicing gratitude and reflection – and building connection amongst teams.
- The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential, professional support to your people when they need it most.
References & Resources
- Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377–389.
- Fehr, R., Fulmer, A., Awtrey, E., & Miller, J. (2017). The grateful workplace: A multilevel model of gratitude in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 42(2), 361–381. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2014.0374
- Grant, A. M., & Gino, F. (2010). A little thanks goes a long way: Explaining why gratitude expressions motivate prosocial behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(6), 946–955. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017935
- Nicuță, G., Opariuc-Dan, C., Diaconu-Gherasim, L. R., & Constantin, T. (2025). Linking trait gratitude to employees’ performance and work motivation: A two-wave longitudinal study. Personality and Individual Differences, 221, 113310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2025.113310
- Su, J., Wei, C., Zhao, J., & Kong, F.. (2024). Gratitude at work and work engagement: the mediating role of basic psychological needs satisfaction. Current Psychology, 43(24), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-024-05919-4
