The Gratitude & Affability Audit Kit

Introduction

The purpose of this toolkit is to move beyond abstract cultural goals to a data-driven understanding of these foundational virtues. Gratitude is not about "being nice"; it is a powerful driver of discretionary effort and retention. When employees feel seen and valued, they are more likely to go above and beyond. Affability is not about forced friendship; it is about creating low-friction, high-trust interactions that accelerate the speed of work and collaboration. A lack of affability creates a "social tax" on every interaction, slowing down projects and eroding psychological safety. This audit provides the tools to measure and improve these critical cultural assets.

How to Use This Kit

This audit is a multi-method process designed to gather a holistic view of your culture.

1. Launch the Survey (Week 1): Deploy the short, anonymous survey to a representative sample of employees. This provides your quantitative baseline. Key to Success: Communicate the purpose of the survey clearly, emphasizing that it is confidential and that the goal is to improve the work environment for everyone. This will maximize your response rate.

2. Conduct Listening Circles (Week 2): Based on the initial survey data, conduct 2-3 small, facilitated "Listening Circles" with a cross-section of employees (different departments, tenure, and levels). The goal is to understand the "why" behind the numbers—the stories and experiences that bring the data to life. Key to Success: The facilitator's role is not to defend the company, but to create a psychologically safe space for honest sharing.

3. Synthesize Findings & Plan Action (Week 3): Use the Synthesis Template to combine your quantitative data and qualitative themes into a clear report. The goal is to identify 1-2 high-leverage, actionable recommendations that will have the greatest positive impact on the culture.

4. Integrate & Iterate (Ongoing): The results of this audit are a critical input for other Logos Ethica processes. Use your findings to inform the Ethical Performance & Promotion Framework and to define new Responsible KPIs. Plan to re-run this audit annually to track progress and maintain momentum.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Reacting Defensively: The data and stories you uncover may be difficult to hear. A defensive reaction from leadership will shut down future feedback and prove that the culture is not safe. The correct response is always, "Thank you for trusting us with this feedback. We are committed to learning from it."

• Surveying Without Action: Asking for feedback and then doing nothing is worse than not asking at all. It signals that leadership does not genuinely care and breeds cynicism. Do not launch this audit unless you are fully committed to taking visible action on the findings.

• Confusing a Program with a Culture: A new recognition tool is a good start, but it is not a substitute for genuine, human-to-human appreciation. This audit should lead to a change in daily leadership behaviors, not just the launch of a new HR program.

Part A: The Audit Survey

(To be deployed anonymously. Rate on a 1-5 scale from "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree.")

Section 1: Gratitude (The Culture of Appreciation)

Why We Ask This: A culture of gratitude is a direct driver of employee retention and engagement. Feeling appreciated is a primary human need; when it is met at work, employees are more motivated and loyal.

1. My direct manager regularly acknowledges and shows appreciation for my work in a specific and timely manner.

2. When our team achieves a significant goal, the success is celebrated in a way that feels meaningful and authentic.

3. I feel that senior leadership is genuinely aware of and grateful for the contributions of our employees.

4. I regularly see and receive appreciation from my peers for my contributions.

Section 2: Affability (The Quality of Interactions)

Why We Ask This: A culture of affability reduces the "social friction" that slows down work. When interactions are respectful and trust is high, collaboration is faster, and problems are solved more efficiently.

1. My day-to-day interactions with my immediate colleagues are generally pleasant and respectful.

2. I feel comfortable approaching my manager with a question, a concern, or even a mistake.

3. Meetings on my team are typically characterized by respectful debate, where it feels safe to challenge an idea.

4. When I need to collaborate with people from other departments, the process is generally smooth and cooperative.

Part B: Listening Circle Facilitator's Guide

Facilitator's Mindset: Your role is to be a neutral, empathetic listener. Your primary goal is to make the participants feel heard and respected. Start by setting the ground rules: confidentiality, no interruptions, and the goal of learning, not judging.

Opening Prompt: "Thank you for being here. Today, we want to understand what it really feels like to work here. Let's start with recognition. Can you share a story of a time you felt genuinely appreciated for your work? What was it about that moment that made it impactful?"

Deeper Follow-up Prompts:

• "On the flip side, can you describe what it feels like when good work seems to go unnoticed? What is the impact of that on your motivation?"

• "Think about the last time you received praise from a leader. What was it that made it feel meaningful (or not)? Was it public or private? Was it specific or general?"

• "Let's talk about meetings. Describe a recent meeting that felt particularly positive and efficient. What was different about it? Who was leading it?"

• "Describe a time you felt hesitant to ask a question or raise a concern. What was it about that situation that made you pause?"

• "If you had a magic wand and could change one thing to make daily interactions here more positive and productive, what would you change?"

Closing Prompt: "This has been incredibly helpful. Thank you for your honesty. Based on our conversation today, what is one small thing we could all start doing tomorrow to improve our culture of appreciation and respect?"

Part C: Synthesis Template

Virtue: Gratitude

• Quantitative Score (Avg.): [e.g., 3.2/5]

• Key Qualitative Themes:

  • "Recognition feels inconsistent." "Senior leadership praise feels generic and impersonal." "We only hear from leaders when something is wrong."

• Potential Root Cause (Hypothesis)

  • "Our leaders are busy and may not be trained in how to give effective recognition. They may see it as a 'soft skill' rather than a core leadership competency."

• Actionable Recommendations

  • 1. Implement a simple peer-to-peer recognition tool (e.g., a dedicated Slack channel).

  • 2. Run a short workshop for all senior leaders on how to give specific, personal, and impactful recognition.

• How We'll Measure Success (KPI)

  • "Increase in 'Gratitude' score in next year's audit." <br> "Positive mention of recognition in exit interviews."

Virtue: Affability

• Quantitative Score (Avg.): [e.g., 4.1/5]

• Key Qualitative Themes

  • "Team interactions are great, there's a lot of trust." "Cross-departmental meetings can be tense and feel political." "It's hard to get time with managers from other teams."

• Potential Root Cause (Hypothesis)

  • "Our organizational structure creates silos. Teams are incentivized to focus on their own goals, which creates friction when collaboration is needed. There are no clear protocols for cross-functional work."

• Actionable Recommendations

  • 1. Identify and celebrate the teams with high affability scores and ask their managers to share their best practices.

  • 2. Provide 'effective meeting facilitation' training for all cross-functional project leads.

  • 3. Pilot a simple 'Rules of Engagement' charter for all cross-departmental projects.

• How We'll Measure Success (KPI)

  • "Decrease in time-to-completion for cross-functional projects." <br> "Increase in 'Affability' score in next year's audit."

Methodological Notes & Inspirations

This audit process combines quantitative survey methods with qualitative techniques drawn from ethnographic research and design thinking (e.g., user interviews). This mixed-method approach ensures a richer and more actionable understanding of culture than a survey alone can provide. The focus on specific, positive behaviors is inspired by research in the field of Positive Organizational Scholarship, which demonstrates that building on strengths is often more effective than solely focusing on weaknesses.