Show the Love: Five Tips to Improve How You Appreciate Your Employees
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about appreciation…and the power of employee recognition. We often get caught up in our daily tasks and take for granted the hard work of our teammates, which can be demotivating for them. Leaders should commit to providing employee recognition and appreciation year-round, not just during an annual performance review.
Employee recognition is key to successful employee motivation.
Studies show that recognition in a variety of forms improves employee engagement, increases productivity, and reduces employee turnover. A genuine “thank you” from a leader goes a long way because:
Recognition implies respect
Happy employees are 12% more productive
Recognition increases our sense of acceptance and value
Employees who feel appreciated are better collaborators and are more innovative
Recognition benefits us physically: we sleep better and get sick less often
People often associate providing recognition with spending money. But we don't need to tie recognition and positive reinforcement to bonuses or gifts.
The most significant factor under your control is your relationship with your employee.
Employees want to know that what they’re doing brings value to the team and, moreover, that their work is appreciated.
Here are five tips to improve how you show your employees recognition and appreciation:
Don't take recognition for granted just because you get enough of it.
Words are powerful; but actions are even more so.
Tie recognition and reward to behaviors, not timelines.
Recognition should be ongoing, but not routine.
Keep your team members' personality styles in mind when you provide recognition – DiSC is a great tool to learn more!
I love this quote from Ron Friedman’s book “The Best Place to Work”: “When we have evidence that others value our work, we tend to value it more ourselves, leading us to work harder.”