Hatim (E4k) Rajabali’s Post

You don’t need to be thankful for your job. You earned it. You worked for it. You deserve it. Be thankful in your job for the people, the lessons, and the opportunities that lie ahead. But you don’t need to feel grateful just to have one. Leaders, your team shouldn’t feel lucky to have a seat. They should feel proud to have earned it. Gratitude at work goes both ways, never one sided. Companies thankful for the people building with them. People thankful for the chance to build something great. That’s how you create long lasting retention, not from fear. The best companies don’t expect you to be thankful for your job. They make you thankful you chose them. Because great teams don’t guilt gratitude. They earn it.

The Power of a Simple "Happy Work Anniversary" Celebrating work anniversaries might seem like a small gesture, but it's one of the most impactful ways to show employees they're valued. A thoughtful work anniversary message: - Reinforces an employee's decision to stay - Boosts morale and engagement - Strengthens organizational culture - Costs nothing but delivers tremendous ROI Yet many managers struggle to find the right words beyond generic congratulations. In our latest blog post, we've compiled 50+ work anniversary messages for every milestone and situation, from first-year celebrations to decades of service, from remote teams to peer recognition, and even messages that acknowledge difficult times. The best happy work anniversary messages share common traits: - They're specific to the individual - They acknowledge real contributions - They're delivered personally, not just via email - They look forward while honoring the past What's the most meaningful work anniversary recognition you've received or given? Share your experiences in the comments! Read the full collection of messages and tips for making work anniversaries truly memorable - https://lnkd.in/eC53nDxn #EmployeeRecognition #WorkAnniversary #CompanyCulture #EmployeeEngagement #Leadership

One of the biggest mistakes I made when I first started working with clients? Agreeing to everything they suggested. In my early days, I thought saying “yes” to every idea was the best way to prove I was being supportive and staying flexible. But I soon realized that clients don’t hire you to agree with them. They hire you to bring expertise, perspective, and strategy. The real value comes from gently challenging ideas and guiding them toward what will work best. Now, I see pushback not as conflict, but as active collaboration. It’s helping to elevate their vision with clarity, strategy, and intention. What’s a professional mistake you’re grateful for because it taught you how to show up differently?

🙏 When you think about what makes you happy with your workplace, one thing that's probably important to most is appreciation. Appreciation is a strong word. But what is it really about? How is it shown? Or what we should really ask – How do I feel appreciated? 💸 by getting a bonus or a raise? 🎁 by getting little presents for work anniversaries or my birthday? 🔊 by getting shoutouts and praise for my work? 🗣️ by getting a "thank you" and feedback for my daily work? ❓ by leaders or colleagues checking in how I feel? The list can probably go on. And probably several or all of them feel true to you. Appreciation is not something we can boil down to one simple action or factor. It's personal and it's dynamic. And what feels good to you today may not be sufficient later on. 😵💫 Well, if it's that complicated – should we then drop it altogether and not even try? No, on the contrary. I hope we all feel encouraged to reflect on how we feel as well as show appreciation and act on it. When I look at my work week, I felt appreciated this week. For me personally that was mostly due to the little thank-yous from my teamlead or colleagues when I finished a task, took over a task, we quickly exchanged ideas etc. But it was also receiving a heartfelt thank you email from management for our work even though our award application didn't win. Not wanting to minimise the value of the kind words from management, but for me the little thank-yous felt equally important. Of course this can be different for others. But it also shows that those little gestures are important and can make a difference. So even when you're in stress, take the time for a thank you. I've just timed it – only takes you 1-3secs to say or write. 🙏

3 things that I learned from talking 30mins on stage on Sunday. 1. Passion - Choose at least one topic your passionate about, this helps with your presence. 2. Experience - Previous experiences on stage can be very helpful. Use the chances to practice and encourage your kids to do so as well. 3. Gratitude - Be grateful for each opportunity and make the most out of it, especially because others are spending their time and attention with you. Bonus: In the video I added a bonus point number 4. P.S.: What did you learn on stages or similar situations? :)

Another insightful session wrapped up for the 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 with two incredible leaders at Cognizant. I had the privilege of hosting Poornima Sathy and Pradipto Basu for a conversation on career mobility with purpose and strategy. One of my favourite takeaways from Pradipto was this powerful reminder:  “𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴'𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴.” He likened career growth to the Hernán Cortés metaphor. Sometimes, you need to burn the ships to truly commit to the next chapter. Growth demands discomfort and embracing that discomfort is often the first step toward transformation. Poornima brought a fresh perspective on career mobility, reminding us that it’s not just about climbing up, it’s about moving deep, wide, and even across. Her advice to all? “𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿.”  Being recognized as a specialist or SME gives you a strong foundation to build breadth and leadership. The session was packed with insights on how to navigate transitions, balance depth with versatility, and stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving workplace. Thank you Poornima and Pradipto for sharing your stories and wisdom so generously. Enjoyed every minute of our conversation! #careerdevelopment #careerdevelopmentweek #cognizant #careers Rama Siva | Azhagiri Selvarajan | Noreen Kamka | Sreehari VS | Rekha Nair

I’ve been thinking a lot about how people mistake endurance at work for purpose. Someone spends 20 years at the same company — no ownership, no real growth, just the quiet promise of stability and a new title every 2 years. Then one day, they’re laid off. And the farewell post reads: “I’m so grateful for my time here. Starbucks gave me so much.” And everyone applauds the grace. But maybe it isn’t grace. Maybe it’s conditioning. We’ve been taught to confuse compliance with character — to thank the very systems that discarded us, as if gratitude can erase the imbalance of power. Corporate culture calls it “values". Ethics isn’t about loyalty to a brand. It’s about loyalty to what’s right. To the people who showed up every day. To the truth that no company is ethical just because it says it is. Final thought, if your legacy at work can vanish the moment payroll tightens, it was never yours.

“I guess they only share the big stuff.” “I had my work anniversary last week… no big deal.” “That’s just how it is here - the same names always come up.” “It wasn’t a huge win, so I didn’t mention it.” You won’t find these quotes on a company values poster. But you might hear them if you listen carefully - in passing comments and whispered conversations in breakrooms. Too many companies treat recognition like a campaign - something to roll out at performance review time, or to polish up for social media. But genuine recognition comes through connection. Your people remember the moment you saw them. The “I noticed you stayed late - thank you” that no one else heard. The “I saw how you helped the new starter” when no one asked you to. The “I know today wasn’t easy” on a day that didn’t end in metrics. That’s what sticks. That’s what builds culture. Not the quarterly awards. Not the Slack emojis. Not the ‘Team of the Month’ slides buried in a presentation. Real recognition is: - Consistent -Thoughtful - Human So, here’s the question: If I asked your people today, which of those four quotes would they reply with? And more importantly, what are you doing about it?

I just saw another post celebrating someone's 80-hour work week. Look, I get it. I've been that person. But after 14 years in hiring, here's what I've learned: when teams consistently work late, it's usually not dedication. It's broken systems. Poor project planning. Unclear priorities. Or worse—people feeling like they have to perform "busy" because that's what gets rewarded. The best teams I've built? They left on time. They had lives. And they still shipped better work than the teams grinding themselves into the ground. We need to stop measuring success by hours logged and start measuring it by actual impact. That's it.

One of the hardest lessons in leadership is realizing that your A-players won’t always be with you forever. And that’s okay. Because real leadership isn’t about holding people back, it’s about pushing them forward. Your job is to enable your top talent to grow, to live their dreams, and to fulfill their potential, even if that next chapter doesn’t have your company’s name on it. When someone leaves because they’ve leveled up, that’s not a loss, it’s proof your culture works. Support them. Celebrate them. And build an environment where ambitious people know they’ll always be better for having worked with you. That’s leadership.