How Business Leaders Can Show Appreciation for Their Teams

A little appreciation goes a long way, especially in the workplace. Employee recognition is actually a key determinant of company growth and productivity.

According to a recent survey of 2,000 Americans conducted by StudyFinds, 59% of employees say they have never had a boss who truly appreciates them. Other interesting findings from the survey were that 53% admitted they would stay longer at their company if they felt more appreciation for their work and 29% said they’d willingly give up a weeks’ worth of pay for more recognition from their employer.

Steve Foran, the CEO of Gratitude at Work, explains that there is a direct connection between showing appreciation or gratitude to employees and attracting and keeping the best talent, as well as having them bring their personal best to work each day.

He says, “Offered properly, gratitude and appreciation fulfill the two fundamental human needs that are prerequisites of being our best selves. The first is the need to feel capable and competent which is met when your gratitude is specific to the task at hand. The second is the need to feel socially valid and cared for which is met when your gratitude is focused on them as a human being, not connected to any business outcome or result.”

Here are some ideas on how to show appreciation for your team:

• Publicly acknowledge and praise your employees for their successes — the more specific, the better
• Encourage team members to show appreciation for their colleagues by creating a space for shoutouts on team calls
• Celebrate entire departments for their collaboration. Perhaps, spotlight a “team of the month” and treat them to lunch.

Everyone benefits when genuine feelings and expressions of gratitude are expressed in the organization. It’s time for employers to step it up with showing appreciation. A thank you can go a long way!

Action Item for leaders: Plan a regular “office recognition” event or meeting.

OK, this might sound silly, but if employee appreciation and recognition drives company culture, why not prioritize it? Yes, you should provide in-the-moment praise and feedback when your team reaches a milestone or makes progress on a goal. And while a quick recognition is great, setting aside space and time to acknowledge your team is even better.

Plan for a monthly or quarterly team “event” that rewards milestones and individual and team achievements. Creating a defined structure for expressing gratitude for your team will make employees feel valued, celebrated and seen. If you are feeling fancy, you can even host an entire employee appreciation day!