What a Californian mindset can teach us about the importance of staff recognition
At Gratitude Cafe, a hip vegan restaurant in Los Angeles, diners are not only being served delicious, ethical, sustainable food, they are also being asked to reflect on what they are grateful for.
Mouthwatering and mood-boosting dishes listed on its menu are represented by self-affirmations – ‘I am blessed’ (butternut squash pasta), ‘I am terrific’ (smoked tofu pad thai) and ‘I am dynamic’ (wholewheat samosa chaat). When ordering, you are encouraged to say your affirmation aloud to your waiter who will repeat this back to you (“You are original”, “You are magical”, etc), while also leaving diners with a philosophical ‘question of the day’ to mull over.
So far, so LA. But look beyond the crisp table linen and cool white decor of the restaurant, and it’s clear the company cares deeply about its ethos and invests heavily in the wellbeing of its staff, stating: “We are not just in the restaurant business, we are in the business of developing people. Of all the successes we’ve found, we are most proud of the lives that have been changed through our communities and culture.’
Workhuman is the world’s fastest-growing integrated social recognition and continuous performance management platform. Our human applications are shaping the future of work by helping organisations connect culture to shared purpose. With a consistent stream of gratitude fuelling unparalleled, provocative workplace data and human insights, Workhuman Cloud is a critical software engine for global companies seeking to motivate and empower their people to do the best work of their lives. Formerly known as Globoforce, and now operating as Workhuman, we were founded in 1999 and are located in Framingham, Mass., and Dublin, Ireland.
