Wanting to be recognized is a basic human need. As such, to acknowledge and recognize are key human drivers of employee performance and engagement.
Appreciation is the bedrock to all respectful and successful relationships.
You’ll never heard a client say, “I am too appreciated at work and I am thinking of quitting because of it.” In fact clients report feeling deeply frustrated and incredibly stressed as a result of not feeling appreciated or recognized at work. Sometimes, so much so, that they are thinking of quitting their job.
In fact, multiple studies show that almost 80% of employees who quit their jobs do so because of lack of appreciation. Contrarily, workplaces where employees are recognized for their contributions rank high for “customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction and retention.”
Have you ever left a job due to lack of appreciation, recognition, or acknowledgement? Or have you ever left a love relationship due to lack of appreciation? Whether in work or love it’s all the same, it’s all about our relationships. Appreciation is the bedrock to all respectful and successful relationships.
Here are ways to acknowledge employees:
Offer consistent praise and recognition
This is proven to lower turnover rates. Look for frequent opportunities to recognize the specific efforts, contributions, and work of your employees. Say “thank you.” Acknowledge their good work verbally, send a note, offer public recognition, and find ways to be creative with how you offer praise and recognition on an ongoing basis.
Provide incentives for a job well done
Employees hunger for praise and incentives more than money. Incentives can come in many ways, such as learning opportunities, project rewards, prizes, bonuses, extra perks, etc. Keep in mind that recognition is the motivator, not the specific reward or incentive itself. All incentives should be offered in a fair way.
Find ways to ensure the work being done is enjoyable
Meaningful work can be its own form of reward. Some managers do not necessarily see the importance of recognizing employees who are simply doing their job. However, that is exactly what employees should be recognized for! No task or job is too mundane to acknowledge. It is the not the task you are acknowledging, it is the person who is doing it. Pride and motivation come from within, yet they are often called forth from our external environments, in this case, the workplace.
Find out what matters to your employees
Give employees options to choose the rewards that they prefer. According to Gostick and Elton (2007), “the best reward is always personal, and tailored to employee interests and lifestyle, given by a manager that cares enough to find out what motivates each individual.”
Celebrate successes often
Create a workplace culture that celebrates good work, successful projects, the implementation of change, company anniversaries, milestones reached, or any other aspect of the work being done and the people who are doing it. Think of the recent Rio 2016 Olympics, imagine if a sprinter came over the finish line to win gold and no one cheered. Celebration is motivation!
