Gratitude is an interesting thing.  You feel it from someone, and it’s like everything around you suddenly makes sense.  You give it to someone, and it’s like nothing around you can go wrong.

In the workplace, gratitude is essential.  Without gratitude, your coworkers might feel like what they do doesn’t matter… that it doesn’t make a difference.  But in all reality, every step – no matter how small it is – has an impact on where your business will go and what it can become.  And although every step taken forward can’t be acknowledged, it’s crucial that as many as possible do get noticed.

Show gratitude to your coworkers, and they’ll work harder, be more helpful, and make strides to create a positive workplace culture.  However, this isn’t just about saying thanks and moving on with your day.  There are a few things you should keep in mind.

Don’t wait around.

Too many people make the same mistake.  They wait to show their gratitude.  Maybe they’re waiting for a project to be done in its entirety.  Or maybe they’re waiting for that perfect moment.  Whatever the case might be, one thing leads to another and that gratitude is never shown.  Moments are lost, accomplishments are forgotten, and gratitude becomes just another thing no one gets around to.

Hear what Alex Rogers, CEO of CharTec, has to say about running a business

Unless it’s something really large – like an internal promotion to a management position or a new deal that’s going to bring in a lot of money – there should be no waiting game involved.  Walk over to whoever it is and let them know right then and there that they did a good job.  A few nice words are usually all it requires to make an employee feel like they’re on top of the world.

Be authentic and specific.

While we’re on the subject, though, it’s always a good idea to go beyond a simple “good job” or “you rock.”  Let that person know specifically why he or she did a good job.  The more specific you can get, the more genuine it will feel to that person.

You don’t want your moments of gratitude to feel canned.  Specifics will help, but you’ll also need to be careful with other things – like if you consistently follow up your compliments with a request.  Don’t allow your gratitude to lose its effectiveness.  Because if that happens, then when something worthy of your gratitude does come around, it will require a lot more effort to show it.

Little wins matter, too.

There are the big things that everyone in the business notices, and then there are the little things that might only go noticed by one department or a handful of people.  These things need to be noticed, too.

Looking to encourage your employees in other ways? Check out these office perks that work.

Unfortunately, though, since only some people notice the accomplishment, the person responsible for the win has less of an opportunity for a compliment or a “job well done.”  Because of this, it becomes the responsibility of the company to encourage and promote interoffice gratitude.  Ultimately, it needs to become part of your culture, and a really simple way to do this is to introduce an app into your business that provides your coworkers with an interface for digital high-fives, like YouEarnedIt.