No one likes a complainer. When you show up to work and try your best to add value while being as positive as possible, the resident Debby Downer of the workplace can instantly turn your best intentions into another bad day.

Having to tolerate a perpetual complainer in the workplace has many downsides, not only for you but for the rest of the team. Here’s how.

How Constant Complaining Impacts the Team

You bring people down. As the saying goes, misery loves company. It’s to be expected that enduring a constant barrage of complaining would have a negative effect on you as an individual. One person’s negativity spreads to others, and can put people in a funk over time.

It hurts morale. Constant complaining can have a cumulative negative effect for everyone on the team. Over time, the continuous talk track of negativity begins to wear on people and performance, usually just making things worse.

It hurts productivity. A recent study by Michigan State University researchers found that negative-minded workers are more likely to become defensive and mentally fatigued, which decreases productivity.

It makes you look unprofessional. Sure, you may think of it as a way to help bond with your coworkers by creating a common “enemy”. But the reality of the matter is, most people have no interest wallowing with you.

It shuts things down and limits possibilities. When you begin to focus on the negative your internal (and external) narrative becomes centered on what’s not working and you inevitably begin to go down a rabbit hole that becomes more and more difficult to pull yourself out of. Alternatively, when you focus on what is working, and when you take an appreciative approach to your work you keep the door open for many more possibilities.

The Benefits of a Positive Outlook

So, how do we move away from negativity in the workplace? The good news is, whether positive or negative, emotions spread. If you can begin to intentionally express positive emotions, like gratitude, in your organization, it can eventually turn the mood around.

This concept of emotional contagions can work to spread negative or positive thinking. Each of us has the power to change the mood of our organization by choosing our attitude and providing feedback to others who are ruining the vibe around the office.

I recently spoke with Positivity Strategist Robyn Stratton-Berkessel, a respected leader in organizational development through Appreciative Inquiry. Her advice? “What you focus on, grows.”

“It seems simple: you focus on joy and you grow joy; you focus on trust and you grow trust; you focus on integrity, you grow integrity. When you train your appreciative eye in this way, you see there is so much to be appreciated—from the glorious sunrise, to the smiles of your colleagues, and the feeling of satisfaction for a job well done.

“This is a big shift from the traditional view of organizational life where we’re rewarded to focus first on mistakes and problems, while the strengths and best assets get taken for granted. This human pattern is built into our evolutionary need for survival: people shut down (or attack) when faced with threat, and they open up (and include) when they feel safe. When one’s mind and heart is open, positive emotions, thoughts and actions follow.”

Here’s how to get started if you need a little jolt of positivity:

1. Check your emotions throughout the day and choose your attitude. Being mindful of your reactions to events throughout your workday can help you identify when you may be slipping into Debby Downer territory. Plus, it can also help you identify the triggers that negatively impact your state of being.

2. Pay attention to your language. “Pay attention to the language you and everybody else uses in your organization,” says Stratton-Berkessel. “When you change your language, you change your world. Meaning is made in the relational, leadership processes. In this way, you sew the seeds for your collective future.”

3. Say thank you. The simple act of showing some gratitude to others can have a profound effect on the emotional contagion of your workplace. In fact, one study found that in organizations where recognition occurs, employee engagement, productivity and customer service are about 14 percent better than in those where recognition does not occur.

4. Start a gratitude journal. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that subjects who wrote about things they were grateful for on a weekly basis (versus another group of subjects who were tasked with writing about what irritated them and a third that wrote about events that affected them) reported being more optimistic and feeling better about their lives. Taking time to reflect on what’s working really can help to reinforce the good things.

Neel Burton, MD’s article on the psychology of gratitude does a nice job of discussing the topic in more detail. Neel points out the other benefits that gratitude can have in peoples’ lives including: reduced stress, higher engagement at work, increased motivation and higher levels of satisfaction.

5. Ask for feedback. Find someone with whom you work closely and ask them to make observations of your behavior. They can keep you honest and provide feedback in the moment when you begin to complain. This support can really help you nip that behavior in the bud and, trust me, if you are a habitual complainer the person you ask will be glad to help you out.

6. Shift the narrative. Stratton-Berkessel advises leaders to “shift the organizational narrative to one of successes, high points, opportunities and future possibilities. When you discover what works well and is energizing to stakeholders, you set about learning how to do more of that. Solutions lurk in quiet corners within organizations. When you find them, spread the stories, design processes and practices that expand and amplify the positive behaviors. Appreciation will become contagious.”

Find Your Positive Inertia

At the end of the day, like increases like. Whatever has momentum will tend to continue to exist and grow. Newton’s first law of motion applies in terms of workplace dynamics as well. “An object in motion continues in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.”

If you complain and focus on the negative, you can expect to find every single aspect of your work environment that supports your narrative. Finding ways to apply an unbalanced force to yourself or others who seem to be stuck in a cycle of negativity is the only way to change the inertia of your workplace.

This article originally appeared on Forbes.

The post The Surprising Power of Appreciation at Work appeared first on gothamCulture.

Reward and recognition programs have a tendency to get on auto pilot, with a few star employees and top sales people lauded by management the same time every year as crystal trophies collect on a handful of desks. But as a new breed of employee enters the workforce—one the values rewards and recognition for a job well done—companies are starting to turning to these programs as a way to keep their entire staff satisfied, motivated and productive.

For LivePerson, a leading provider of digital engagement, we’ve looked to reward and recognition programs as one way to keep our 1,200 employees invested in not only their own success, but that of the company. And we’re not the only ones that are investing heavily into programs like this. Nearly 75% of companies have some kind of program in place.

However, after an internal employee survey conducted in 2013 uncovered that LivePerson employees weren’t satisfied with the current methods of recognition, we knew we had to rethink this critical element of the employee journey.

Designing an Employee Recognition Program Where Everyone Wins

The first step in redesigning our recognition program was to look to our mission of creating meaningful connections, and our values of being and owner and helping others. Using those established ideals, we created a reward and recognition program, the Outstanding Employee Awards, that served to recognize our employees. This program also brought them closer together through the peer-to-peer nomination style while shedding light on the behaviors of our most successful employees. The results were phenomenal. We had almost 600 nominations from across our company, an engagement rate that more than doubled our goal. And not only did the winners feel great, but their peer nominators felt involved and heard as well.

Here are some ways that you can use your company’s culture to establish a strong program to reward and recognize your employees and involve everyone, not just a select few “usual suspects”:

Encourage peer-to-peer recognition. Employees are the ones that see the day-to-day success and accomplishments of their peers — especially those who are behind the scenes and might not have lots of public exposure. It not only inspires more connection and collaboration among employees, but colleague recognition can make a bigger impact than manager recognition (not to mention it’s 35% more likely to have an financial impact than manager recognition).

Involve a community aspect. Millennials want more than just a job that pays the bills. Instead, they are looking for purpose and expect the companies they work for to give back to the community in one way or another. Including a volunteer day is an easy way to make employees feel good about themselves and their company.

Connect them with leadership. In large, global companies especially, employees can feel pretty disconnected from the executive team. A chance to spend some time with them outside of the office can go a long way to making an employee feel special.

Give them a break. In this digital era, employees tend to work around the clock, even on what should be a stress-free vacation. This can lead to serious work fatigue, so encourage them to shut down the laptops, stay off their emails for a few days, and get some R&R.

Look past cliché team activities. Bringing your employees together for a day of fun is a great way to connect them, especially if your company, like LivePerson, believes that true innovation comes from collaboration. Encourage team or group activities that they wouldn’t normally do, but be sure to look past the ‘team building’ trust falls and look to more unique experiences that bring them closer together. And you may just uncover some hidden skills and talents that could be beneficial to the whole company.

Above all, stay true to your culture. Before your company launches into a reward and recognition program thinking that it’s the way to reboot unmotivated employees, it’s important to keep in mind how a program like this would fit into your own company’s culture.

Do you have other ideas that have worked to reward and recognize your employees? Please share!

Kristy Sundjaja is Chief of Staff and Global Head of People at LivePerson, the global leader in intelligent online consumer engagement. In her role, Kristy integrates and aligns business and people strategies to deliver the company mission of creating meaningful connections to consumers and brands. LivePerson currently employs 1,200 people in 13 locations around the world

The post Is It Time to Rethink Your Employee Recognition Program? appeared first on gothamCulture.

This is a perfect time to give thanks to your customers and your employees for all the work they’ve done over the last year, but some organizations today still miss the opportunity to give their team something meaningful during the holidays.

How can you show your gratitude to your team this holiday season? We asked our team to share their thoughts and ideas around holiday giving. Here’s what they had to say:

Chelsea Weber – OD Intern

At one of my early jobs, I had a boss who, a few days before December 25^th, left gift bags on each of her team members’ chairs. Mine was a big bag, but it did not have anything expensive in it. Instead, it was a mix of good books and trinkets that would help me in my next chapter as a United States Peace Corps volunteer. The books were used, and the trinkets were more humorous than useful. The note that accompanied the bag highlighted a couple of specific strengths she had noticed in my work and wished me luck on my journey ahead.

Each and every item in that bag told me something loud and clear: that she had been listening, and that she cared about my success. I knew I mattered.

As humans, we need to feel genuinely seen, and the holidays are a perfect time to give that gift. People respond positively to authenticity in leaders and can sense genuine interest. And part of showing that authenticity as a leader is to see your team members as individuals with specific traits and strengths. Showing employees they matter through personal touches and quiet nods to their individual talents, hopes, or interests creates a deeper connection that lasts far beyond the motivation generated by a one-time reward or a lavish party.

Add to your holiday celebrations this season by reaching out and thanking your employees for something they’ve contributed or giving them something that speaks to who they are.

Mark Emerson – General Manager

I think one of the best ways to thank employees is simply to give a handwritten note. It goes a long way by acknowledging the contribution throughout the year and sets the stage for the next year.

Gifts are always a nice idea and don’t have to be expensive. One company I worked for would send a gift basket to every employee for the holiday and then a gift card directly to the partner of the employee.

Having a company dinner is also always nice, but the logistics can get in the way sometimes and the cost can climb when you start adding in your employee’s partners (although it’s nice to meet them so you know who your co-workers are talking about around the office).

If the company can swing it, giving the time off between Christmas and New Year’s is probably one of the best gifts – it gives everyone time to enjoy the holidays and reset for the next year, and truthfully, much doesn’t get done during this time for most companies anyhow.

Claire Taylor – Associate

When I think about employers showing their appreciation for their employees during the holiday season (or any season, for that matter), I think how they do it matters even more than what they do.

A sincere ‘thank you’ will always be more valuable than one given out of obligation. When someone takes the time to choose or plan something that fits the occasion or the person, the show of appreciation becomes as much about the intent as the actual item or event.

When organizations are thinking about saying thanks to their employees, they should approach the situation similarly. Organizational culture can help give insight into what would be most appreciated by employees at large. There may be several options that would resonate as meaningful with employees. Depending on the company, they may even be able to say thank you in more than one way (e.g., a holiday party plus a holiday gift) or let employees choose from a few options (e.g., select a holiday gift or an event to attend from several option) to maximize their chances that a particular action or item will resonate with each employee.

Even if the organization is not in a position to host exciting events or present lavish gifts, they can still sincerely express their gratitude. In many cases, the simplest gestures are the most meaningful, especially during the time of year that many struggle to slow down and appreciate the spirit of the season.

Shawn Overcast – Managing Director

Recently, a colleague (read more from Jonathan here) shared with me a framework for thinking about one of our client organizations, and the cultural implications they were experiencing. This framework, known as The Golden Circle, was created by Simon Sinek in an effort to reframe how leaders should think and communicate about their organization.

Leaders who are most inspirational communicate differently. Most communicate from the outside in – What, How, and then maybe Why. We start with what is most tangible. Inspired leaders think, act, communicate from the inside out. Instead of what we do…how we do it…and then the call to action, inspired leaders communicate what we believe…the way we do it…and then what we do and the call for action. Why focuses not on making money, but on the purpose, belief or cause for existence. Sinek explains that ‘people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.’

Some of our clients have found ways to excel at communicating strategic direction and intent, some at driving customer loyalty, and others have mastered operational efficiency and reliability. Yet, they may struggle with communicating to their customer, and to their employee population why the organization exists.

While it is critical we define this at the organizational level, it is also imperative that we define this at the individual level. Why do my employees exist on my team, in our company? The answer is not simply to make money. There is a reason you chose him or her. Today, we consider the topic of creative ways to acknowledge the individuals in your organization, and help them to recognize their value and purpose for being a contributing member of your team.

Tip #1. Get personal. Recognize each employee as an individual, not just for showing up and doing their job. Not even for doing their job exceptionally well. Recognize that one thing he or she contributes in a way that no one else does. Acknowledge those things that would be missed, that bring personal significance to you as the leader, and to the members of the team.

Speaking of the team…this recognition can go a long way in helping you build – or sustain – a high performing team. In The Wisdom of Teams, Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith, define high performing teams in part by members’ strong personal commitment to the growth and success of each team member of the team as a whole.

Tip #2. Go broad. It’seasy,and typical for those highest performers to get recognition. They do good work – consistently – that results in big impact for the company. Think for a moment about your last trip to the dentist. If you’re a high performer (or high achiever), you likely received kudos for good flossing behavior. For those of us who might not receive such praise and recognition, we might have been given a pass. You don’t have to floss all of your teeth, just the ones you want to keep. If the thought of recognizing each employee becomes overwhelming, keep this motto in mind.

We all need to feel appreciated and valued by others. That recognition can serve to validate, to motivate, or to elevate our performance, regardless of where we are today.

Tip #3. Create opportunities. It’s great to take advantage of the time of year to start these habits of recognition. But let this be the gift that keeps giving. Establish a culture of gratitude.There are many research studies being funded on the topic of gratitude, and the findings are consistent. Psychologists Robert Emmons of U.C. Davis and Michael McCullough of the University of Miami have found that practicing gratitude can actually improve our emotional and physical well-being.

Gratitude matters. It impacts our self-esteem, our quality of sleep, our physical health, our psychological health, our stress levels, and even our ability to establish longer-term relationships, according to a 2014 study published in Emotion. Happy and healthy employees means happy and healthy client relationships.

As those of us in the United States prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, we give pause and reflect on what we’re most grateful for. I am grateful for my friends and family, and the diversity of perspective they help me to find. I am grateful to my colleagues for inspiring me to up my game, by continually upping theirs. And I’m grateful to you, our readers, for taking the time to engage…and for sharing your thoughts and ideas in return!

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