Gratitude is the easiest path to positive emotions---and in the workplace, a simple "thank you" can provide all kinds of quick positivity.

A Wharton School study found that managers who remember to say "thank you" to their subordinates can foster a more motivated workforce. LinkedIn has taken notice and devised a way to send timely compliments with a single click.

How to Send Kudos on LinkedIn

Kudos are an app-only LinkedIn feature for now on iOS and Android. You can shower your appreciation on a single connection or a group of your contacts on LinkedIn:

  1. Open the LinkedIn app on iOS or Android.
  2. Tap on the Share icon on top of your Home feed to open the Message box.
  3. Write a message if you want and tap again on the ribbon icon placed at the bottom-right of the share message box.
  4. Select an individual connection or multiple people if you want to send the kudos to a team. Click Next.
  5. Choose from the 10 kudos categories, like the simple 'Thank You", "Team Player", or "Great Presentation". You can also choose the more praiseful "Outside the Box Thinker" or "Making Work Fun". Click Next.
  6. Post to share the kudos and the person you appreciated will receive a notification that lets them know about your shout-out.

To prevent you from carpet bombing your network with senseless kudos, LinkedIn limits it to three per week, so use them when you really mean to.

A compliment can be paid with an email or a text message too. LinkedIn Kudos gives you another way. The important thing to remind yourself is that a gentle expression of gratitude can help someone make their day, add something to their LinkedIn public profile, and also boost your own self-esteem.

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