A Global Ecosystem of Gratitude

The Remarkable Impact of Gratitude

Expressing thanks gets us pretty far in this world. Gratitude is often cited as the most important element of healthy personal and professional relationships, a beneficial way to cope with stress, and the source of numerous science-backed health benefits. We’re talking lower levels of stress hormones, and higher levels of serotonin and dopamine for contentment at the neurotransmitter level.

Expressing thanks also gets us pretty far in business. In a global workforce that is increasingly dependent on collaboration through a screen, it can be harder to cultivate a strong work culture without the chance for organic interactions and conversations around the office. Intentionality is necessary to build relationships at work, and properly and compassionately leveraging the power of gratitude at all levels can unlock a thriving virtual corporate culture at your global organization.

The Significance of Cultural Influences

However, members of the global workforce need to remember the many ways our cultural backgrounds influence things like our values. The way people from one culture tend to express appreciation can be completely different from people of another culture, and the same is true for how we like to receive expressions of gratitude.

The GlobeSmart Profile is the perfect tool for learning more about the work styles of your coworkers, as well as cultures around the world. Our 100+ Culture Guides have in-depth information on communication styles, building relationships, giving feedback, business socializing, gift giving, body language, and more. This information can be leveraged to more meaningfully engage with those you work with, in ways that express gratitude in ways they understand and appreciate.

Global Perspectives on Gratitude

Our differences in approaches to gratitude have implications for both team building and collaboration as well as formal and informal forms of employee appreciation in a global workplace. Addie Johnsen, Aperian Global’s Chief People Officer, recently asked colleagues from different countries about the forms of appreciation they resonate with most, and unsurprisingly, the answers varied. She found that colleagues in more group-oriented cultures tend to value things like a commemorative plaque honoring a work anniversary, to display proudly at their desk to show connection to and pride in their organization. Conversely, colleagues in more individual-oriented cultures value company-branded items less, with some even saying they consider such items to be wasteful, and care more about monetary compensation or growth opportunities like skill-building courses and conferences.

In addition to formal employee appreciation, informal recognition from peers surprisingly looks different across the world. Some colleagues love to praise their coworkers publicly for their accomplishments and contributions, while others find this very uncomfortable. People from some cultures, like Americans for example, say “thanks” a lot, but other cultures have a deeper, more nuanced understanding of gratitude.

Xin Yi Yap, Aperian Global’s Inclusion and Diversity Product Manager, is a Chinese Singaporean currently living in the United States. She shares that people from Asian cultures typically don’t express gratitude verbally to close ones; saying “thank you” and formal acts of gratitude are reserved for people one does not know well. “It’s interesting, thinking back about my assimilation to American culture,” she shares. “I really appreciated the open expressions of gratitude and love, but I also do miss the acts of love and support that came without doubt nor ask for verbal affirmation. In Singaporean slang we call that being “automatic,” which can be perceived as a lot more sincere.”

Rachel Korah, our Global Talent Resources Manager in India says, “I can totally understand feelings of guilt and regret while expressing gratitude. It stems from the feeling that just saying is never enough—we have to show our gratitude!”

Our Danish colleagues approach gratitude from a much different perspective. Louise Christensen, Senior Program Manager at Aperian Global, says, “Praising someone in front of others can feel misplaced in Denmark and make people feel uncomfortable. Some might not even know how to take it in or what to say in return. It is much more common to actually undervalue yourself and underestimate your own accomplishments—even if you know you have done well.” This is reflected in the Law of Jante, a social Scandinavian code of conduct in which one does not think or act like they are better than anyone else.

So, with so much variance, how do global organizations ensure inclusivity?

A sense of belonging to a company means a lot to one person, and compensation means more to another. Some people feel elated when they’re praised in front of their coworkers, and others would prefer a thoughtful Slack message from their manager. No one is wrong or right, better or worse.

In an effort to be fair and equal, there is a chance you’re not going to make everyone happy. It’s important to not let this uncertainty keep you from trying different things. Connect and relate with employees on an individual level, and ask people what they value instead of assuming or guessing. This is important now more than ever in an increasingly virtual workforce, and shows intentionality and a respect for individual and cultural differences.

Unfortunately many efforts to express gratitude can backfire and actually make someone feel worse, and even cause a stress response. Similarly, it can be a knee-jerk reaction to judge those who are different from us. The Scandinavian way of undervaluing yourself can be interpreted as “too cold and impersonal,” while the Americans and British are sometimes labeled as “superficial and shallow.” At the end of the day, psychological safe workplaces should make people feel good. They do not encourage employees to conform to a homogenous mold, or put them in an uncomfortable position for the sake of others.

Localization and Flexibility

In addition to asking employees about what they value and how they prefer to be recognized, consider what business practices can be customizable, and the resources that are available to you. Today’s management model is currently shifting to include more mentorship and advocacy roles, which makes managers a top resource for employee recognition. Managers know their team members better than most at the organization, and they have an important role to play in properly recognizing their team members.

From a simple “thank you!” over Slack and office celebrations to bigger recognitions like compensation increases and promotions, expressions of gratitude can look very different in the corporate space. A global ecosystem of gratitude depends on a variety of them. In a remote environment and with team members all across the world, it is key to prepare for flexibility.

We partner with Thnks for this exact reason. Thnks is a relationship-building platform for organizations to send gifts from a curated collection to team members, customers, and clients throughout the year. Maybe a manager wants to give one of their team members a coffee because they know they were up late the night before, or maybe an account manager wants to send a client an Uber gift card for their meeting on a rainy day. This is one effective way to embed flexibility into your organization’s ecosystem of gratitude.

“Gratitude is the key ingredient to a strong relationship,” says Brad Veach, VP of Marketing at Thnks. “By showing someone that you appreciate them, you are building goodwill between the two of you and rooting your relationship in mutual value and respect. Yes, the positive impact of gratitude is all backed up by science, but honestly, I think we all innately know its power—and we would do well as individuals, businesses, and frankly as a society if we practiced it more!”

Think of the different ways gratitude is expressed at your organization, and consider if these strategies are culturally inclusive. True global inclusion requires addressing systems and practices that do not work for everyone, and cultivating an inclusive ecosystem of gratitude benefits us all.

Grow your cultural awareness and develop lasting inclusive behaviors with support from a multitude of resources in GlobeSmart.