ABSTRACT
Purpose: The current study is examining the efficiency of 5 days gratitude intervention where to list 3 things that employee was grateful for at workplace in daily basis. Method: The design of the study is experimental design that uses two groups, gratitude and control. It uses also work related intervention journaling-listing approach. The sample is employees in education and retailer sectors in Bahrain (N=145). Participants are measured at two point of time pre-test and post-test. The measurements used are self-report five scales; dispositional gratitude questionnaire, subjective well-being questionnaire, Positive and negative affect scale, Job satisfaction questionnaire and Affective Organizational Commitment. In addition, two questions to explore how employee evaluate their gratefulness towards specific events, people and experience and how do they prefer their managers to express their gratitude towards them at work. Findings: In term of the demographic result, most of the participants are female 56%, belongs to (24-30 ) age group, 90% from education sector, 80% are married, 65% earns average monthly income between 751 and 1000, 73% are bachelor holders and 97% Muslims. The outcomes have revealed that the gratitude intervention used was not effective since the independent t-test was not statistically significance. 91% of employees preferred word of gratitude and thankfulness from their boss as an appreciation expression towards them. More than 97% of the participants were grateful to their good health and to their family, spouse, children and parents. Conclusion and recommendation: The insignificant results of the used intervention in the current study may suggest for future studies to consider other methods to facilitate gratitude in the workplace. Finally, Gratitude is important in both general life and work place. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Keywords
Gratitude; Intervention, job satisfaction, workplace, appreciation, Bahrain, Thankfulness, organizational commitment, Subjective well-being