By nature, we are emotional beings, and being spurred on by hearing affirmations that we are doing a good job is built in to us. Employee appreciation is crucial to retaining a strong and effective workforce, and it can be so simple to ensure it is happening. After all, it’s essentially the act of acknowledging and thanking your staff for the effort and commitment they put into their role.
Post-pandemic importance
It’s important to remember we have all – including your workforce – lived through a turbulent year of heightened stress and anxiety, which has led to burnout for many. The universal pressure on mental health and resilience can have a drastic impact on morale and in turn, productivity. But your employees have continued to produce amidst these challenges. A lack of recognition can lead to employees becoming disengaged with their work and workplace. When employees don’t feel valued within a business, that can also be seen in a company’s results and returns. This alone should make it a top priority to get right.
Positive outcomes of employee appreciation
“72% of businesses said recognition given for high performers within a workplace significantly impacted employee engagement.” – Harvard Business Review
Employee appreciation can have a notable positive impact on your business, such as heightened job satisfaction, which in turn ensures a lower turnover of staff. It can also create higher engagement levels from staff, and, even in high pressure periods or situations, consistent appreciation for someone’s hard work can help to minimise burnout.
The impact on productivity
When people can feel that their efforts are seen and appreciated, it drives them to continually perform at an outstanding standard. In a team setting where there is a culture of recognition, this can create healthy competition and push everyone to achieve their best, ultimately driving productivity and profits within the company. The universal fulfilment this can bring can also drive employees to be more creative and innovative, contributing new ideas to the business.
How can you show it?
Just like any other system within business, ensure appreciation is implemented as regular recognition in order for it to be efficient. It can be as simple as a verbal ‘thank you’, or a more physical recognition, such as a reward or bonus. The smaller verbal recognition, however, is vital because it can further build a reciprocal relationship of trust between management and employees. Celebrating the people that keep the wheels of your business turning must be a constant process, and is not to be overlooked.
For more structured support with your business, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Tom at ActionCOACH Brighton at tomhosking@actioncoach.co.uk .
