Business owners will routinely claim that employee retention is one of their ongoing challenges. I disagree. It’s employee defection that causes migraines!
For businesses that don’t have the capacity to offer significant annual raises and/or year-end bonuses, one way to build morale and engender loyalty is by showing deep gratitude to the staff. This can be accomplished simply, in a timely fashion and straightforward manner. But first, a few easy-to-digest statistics about the current national workforce and their desire for gratitude:
Deloitte Consulting conducted a 2024 survey that reached some 23,000 Gen Z’s and millennials in 44 countries. (These workers, born 1980–2001, now make up about half the full-time workforce in the United States.) According to Deloitte, in terms of workplace stress, more than half of these youngish employees cite not being recognized and/or rewarded for their efforts as their single biggest concern. This is slightly higher than other stressors named, such as long hours or feeling their work has little meaning or purpose. Furthermore, salary and other financial benefits only factored in about 20% of survey responses regarding why they chose their current employers.
According to Gallup polling, the top priority of these younger workers (millennials and Gen Z’s) is an employer concerned with their well-being. A recent survey of 67,000 workers of all ages shows that more than two thirds aren’t engaged at work, a number that has increased appreciably in this decade. Fully half of all workers are not opposed to changing jobs, underscoring the fact that employee retention (or defection!) is one of the costliest, immediate and most vexing problems that employers face.
So, in lieu of traditional methods such as raises, bonuses or additional perks, which have long been the standard for a boss to show appreciation to valued employees, how can an employer keep morale high and engender employee loyalty? Gratitude is one simple answer. It can go a long, long way.
This applies to business leaders in the position of branch manager; small business owner; in charge of a department, division, or area — whether they have four employees under their auspices, or four thousand. To be most effective in the role of employer or supervisor, they must take the time — be it weekly, monthly, semi-annually or whenever it’s deserved — to offer praise and bestow gratitude to their people.
My latest book, Gratitude Tiger, is a paean to the lost art of letter writing, specifically letters of gratitude, and how those who write them to others ultimately benefit themselves. While I take the time to write full-page letters to those who have assisted on life’s journey, it’s perfectly fine to be brief and to the point. Suffice it to say, a boss or supervisor can offer direct praise to an employee with an economy of words. Even just a simple sentence. (See the breakout box below.)
This is because time is limited in the work environment, and if a business leader makes a point of showing gratitude to a dozen (or a hundred) employees simultaneously (around the December holidays, for example) it will be hard to differentiate one letter (or note) from the next. Although writing a note is ideal, in this instance it’s not a breach to use email, direct messaging, text, Slack or any preferred form of digital communication.
This isn’t about the “Grand Gesture,” the company-wide speech, the bouquet of roses, the framed commendation, the breakroom cake party, etc. It’s just the idea of regular or occasional words of praise directed toward those who are doing a good job, and those in need of a micro-morale boost.
One last point: It’s most effective to use praise with no other agenda, not in combination with anything else. This means not tacking a complimentary sentence or paragraph onto a request, a new deadline, a status report, etc. Just offer gratitude by itself, whether written or spoken, for maximum effect.
Managers and business owners are occasionally critical of their charges because they need the work done properly and in a timely fashion. They are in no position to win office popularity contests. They can be perfectionists, nitpickers and taskmasters. They can be demanding and set stringent standards. But if they regularly make a point to express gratitude to their charges, verbally or by written word or deed, chances are improved that loyalty to the operation and morale among the workforce will be on the increase.
Deep Gratitude in Concise Fashion
Leaders who to make an employee or colleague feel valued can have a major impact in little more than half a dozen words!
“Wonderful job on that recent project!”
“You’re a tremendous asset to this company.”
“You are the cog in the machine!”
“Keep up the fantastic work!”
“What a great hire you’ve become.”
“We appreciate the long hours you’ve logged.”
“Your contributions have been invaluable lately.”
“We hit the jackpot when you came aboard!”
Joel Zuckerman is an award-winning writer and keynote, who turned his attention to proactive gratitude a decade ago. In his newest book, GRATITUDE TIGER: Creating Joy Through the Art of Impactful Letters (April 2025), Zuckerman illuminates an easy, effective, endearing and uplifting method to foster and enhance vital human connections for both the giver and receiver.
Zuckerman has written 10 books and nearly 300 letters of gratitude. As a speaker, he has been engaged by luxury cruise lines, at corporate retreats, conferences, and country clubs on three continents.
He is the only two-time recipient of the Book of the Year Award bestowed by the International Network of Golf. For more than 20 years, he wrote about golf, travel and a wide range of sports and activities for more than 100 different publications and websites. These include Sports Illustrated, Delta’s Sky Magazine, Continental, Maxim, and Millionaire.
