“Thank You for Your Good Work”: the Impact of Received Gratitude on Employees’ Work Motivation

Abstract

Previous literature suggests that receiving gratitude in the workplace might have beneficial outcomes for the employees; however, the research linking received gratitude to employees’ motivation is scant. In this study, we aimed to examine the relations between employees’ received gratitude and their controlled and autonomous motivation, as well as amotivation at work. Drawing on the self-determination theory, we also explored whether the frustration and satisfaction of employees’ basic psychological needs would mediate the relations between received gratitude expressions and work motivation. A sample consisting of 643 Romanian employees participated in the study. They filled out questionnaires assessing the gratitude they received in their jobs, the frustration and satisfaction of the basic psychological needs (i.e., for autonomy, competence, and relatedness), as well as the motivation to put in effort in their work. Results indicated that received gratitude was negatively related to amotivation and positively related to controlled motivation and autonomous motivation. Moreover, received gratitude was negatively related to the frustration of the three basic psychological needs, while the association between received gratitude and satisfaction of the basic psychological needs was positive. Results further supported the mediational role of the frustration and satisfaction of the basic psychological needs in the relations between received gratitude and employees’ motivation. These findings suggest that expressions of thankfulness are an important stimulus for motivation in the workplace, as they remind employees about the importance of their efforts for other people, while also making them feel capable and autonomous in their jobs.

Keywords:

• Wellness
• personnel
• motivation

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Elena Gabriela Nicuță

Elena Gabriela Nicuță is a doctoral student in Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania. Her research interests are within the domains of positive and organizational psychology, mainly focusing on the predictors and outcomes of gratitude in the workplace.

Loredana R. Diaconu-Gherasim

Loredana R. Diaconu-Gherasim is a Professor at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania. Her research interests are in the field of positive psychology. Her ongoing research projects focus on well-being and motivational beliefs, and how contextual characteristics are related to people’s cognitive and socio-emotional adjustment.

Ticu Constantin

Ticu Constantin is a Professor at the the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania. His research interests are within the field of work and organizational psychology, especially with regard to employees’ motivation and personality assessment.