Gratitude in the Workplace: All Fur Coat and No Knickers? - The Thanksgiving Special!

Episode notes

Send us Fan Mail Happy Thanksgiving! This week, we’re serving up a hearty helping of gratitude—but is it heartfelt or just for show? In this special Thanksgiving episode of The Elephant in the Org , Danny, Marion, and Cacha carve into the complex world of workplace thankfulness. Are annual "thank-you" emails and pizza parties really enough? Or are they just, as Marion says, "all fur coat and no knickers?" We discuss why performative gratitude often misses the mark and explore what it takes to make appreciation feel authentic and meaningful. In this episode, we explore: The difference between performative and authentic gratitude (and why it matters). Why recognition programs and ritualized thank-yous can sometimes tick the wrong boxes. How managers can build authentic connections with their teams (spoiler: no pizza parties!). The gratitude gap: Why middle managers need more support to foster appreciation. Plus, we share our personal reflections on gratitude this year and invite you to join the conversation about what true appreciation looks like in the workplace.