Does the Good Outweigh the Bad? The Influence of Receiving Gratitude at Work on Employee Outcomes

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Receiving gratitude at work has been associated with positive outcomes for employees. In this study, we extend previous findings on workplace gratitude by (a) testing the relative influence of receiving gratitude at work and workplace incivility on job satisfaction and intentions to quit and (b) examining the indirect effect of receiving gratitude at work on intentions to quit among U.S. working women.

Methods: Data were drawn from a sample of 337 employed women living in the U.S. Participants were recruited via the Prolific platform and completed self-report measures of receipt of gratitude at work, workplace incivility, job satisfaction, and intentions to quit.

Results: As predicted, receiving gratitude at work was a stronger predictor of job satisfaction and intentions to quit than experiencing workplace incivility. Further, receiving gratitude was indirectly associated with intentions to quit through job satisfaction, whereby those who received more gratitude at work were more satisfied in their jobs and, thus, had lower reported intentions to quit their jobs.

Discussion/Conclusion: The results of the current study demonstrate that receiving gratitude (a positive workplace experience) can be more consequential than some negative experiences in affecting workplace outcomes – highlighting the importance of creating and supporting positive experiences for employees in the workplace.