Gratitude Buddies: In a Healthcare Setting
“Can you develop a program for my staff?"“
Last year, I received an unexpected - and welcome - message from a hospital CEO. He had been following my work and liked what we were doing at Gratitude Buddies.
“Can you develop a program for my staff?"“ he asked.
The CEO shared that, post-Covid, hospital staff seemed demoralized and disconnected. While he was personally working on creating healthy working conditions, he also wanted a program to help employees shift their energy/attention and connect with one another in a positive, authentic way. He was well aware of the physical and psychological benefits of a gratitude practice and believed such dedicated and intentional focus would positively influence the working environment.
We put together a one month program that paired hospital staff as Gratitude Buddies. Some Buddies knew each other in advance and others met for the first time. They were tasked with making a conscious effort to check in with one another once a week and send each other daily or near-daily gratitude messages. They were also encouraged to pay specific attention to the “art of thank you.” Meanwhile, we added a series of supportive webinars. These webinars covered topics like mindfulness, intention, self-compassion, self-regulation and interdependence; they also included meditation and partner work.
Feedback after the program was very encouraging (translated from French):
“A very high quality program, very well run, a rich human experience.”
“This program helped me refocus on important moments.”
“The training enabled me to create "gratitude reflexes" and to be attentive to things or events that would previously have gone unnoticed.”
“Very enjoyable training that leads to reflection on oneself and around oneself.”
“I'd like to extend the training to as many people as possible.”
Pre and Post Survey Results
As part of the program, we also conducted a Pre and Post Survey, noting increases in key areas as shown in the following statistics. Our survey compared a) before and b) 3 months after Gratitude Buddies.
How often do you ‘practice' gratitude: 58% average increase.
I thank people in a meaningful way, with purpose and intention: 56% average increase.
If I had to list everything I feel grateful for, it would be a very long list: 40% average increase.
As I grow older, I find myself more able to appreciate the people, events, and situations that have been part of my life's story: 18% average increase.
Learnings and Takeaways:
Looking back on this experience has offered valuable space for reflection. In the time since, Gratitude Buddies has grown and evolved, as well as benefited from a Founders Lab. Here are some takeaways from our work in a healthcare setting, as well as intention for future programming.
Many participants asked for an in-person experience as opposed to online. Given the personal nature of the topics, I really understood this need.
Because participants are self-selecting (ie, the people who need such trainings most, often don’t come!), the program didn’t reach the entire organization. However, we still believe Gratitude Buddies should remain optional, as mandatory participation can negatively impact the environment. Furthermore, pockets of change in an organization can surely begin to influence the whole.
For this program we matched people for 30 Days. Now when I match people who don’t know one another, I do so only for 7 Days. They can then decide if they want to proceed for all 30 Days.
Some Buddies dropped out of the program early. We’ve worked on additional ways to improve buy-in, as well as created email reminders.
We now have a wonderful online platform that makes it much easier and more consistent to share messages with your buddy.
Gratitude is certainly beneficial to hospital staff, but going forward, we’d hope to extend this program to patients and their families - to create a holistic offering that supports the whole system, on the path to healing.
Gratitude Buddies is now working with a team of Coaches who can offer an advanced selection of workshops on topics, such as grief, leadership and inclusion. Key executives - or staff who need extra support - can be matched with one of our Coaches for the 30 Day Gratitude Buddies Journey.
Finally, from a personal standpoint, I’ve spent the last year going very deep into this topic. Consequently, I feel more skilled at supporting people as they navigate “gratitude as a journey” - that is to say, supporting them through life’s many challenges on the path to true appreciation.
Are you interested in learning more about bringing Gratitude Buddies to your hospital or healthcare organization?
We’d be delighted to support you.