A Pause for Paws Up!

As we settle back into our fall semester routines after Fall Break, it’s a great time to remind ourselves of the opportunity we all have to take a few moments to celebrate the hard work, helpful attitudes and caring dispositions of our colleagues by submitting a Paws Up! nomination. Each week, a Paws Up! submission is published in the Vet Gazette as a means of promoting a healthy work environment by enabling expressions of appreciation and gratitude.

The Paws Up! program is administered by the PVM Wellness Committee with the goal of helping the college utilize a popular evidence-based strategy for boosting the collective well-being of our Purdue Veterinary Medicine community. Research shows that both extending and receiving gratitude can have a profound impact on workplace well-being and career satisfaction.

What are some of the benefits of expressing gratitude? Regularly sharing gratitude has been linked to reduced stress, lower rates of depression, and increased happiness. It helps people focus on the positive aspects of their work life. Another benefit of extending gratitude is that it promotes stronger relationships among team members. Recognizing our colleagues’ efforts creates a culture of respect and cooperation in our workplace.

What are some of the benefits of receiving gratitude? In addition to simply feeling good, being on the receiving end of gratitude can help to reinforce our sense of accomplishment and self-worth. When employees feel valued, they are more likely to enjoy their work, which can lead to more job satisfaction and decreased turnover. Being recognized also can help improve the motivation to continue giving our best effort. In addition, there are 31 more scientifically supported benefits of gratitude detailed in this article by Happier Human.

“Paws Up” gives everyone at PVM the opportunity to share gratitude throughout our community by recognizing a student, staff, faculty member, or team/department. Any PVM staff, faculty, student, or team may be nominated by anyone in our college, and it’s easy to do! Just follow this link to complete the simple nomination form, including the name of the person or team you are nominating, the PVM department they work for, and a description of how they brightened your day, helped you do your job better, or kept things running smoothly behind the scenes. Submissions are published anonymously throughout the year and may be edited for style and length. For more information, visit the PVM Wellness Committee website.

We look forward to receiving and sharing more submissions over the coming months to highlight the wonderful people who uplift our community!

Writer(s): PVM Wellness Committee | pvmnews@purdue.edu

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