How to Make Employees Feel Appreciated and Why It Matters

Do the workers on your team know they matter?

Sure, you celebrate their wins. Every company does. An employee reaches a goal, completes a big project — they accomplish something. And you recognize them for it. And that’s a great start. People certainly love money, awards and pats on the back.

But what about recognizing the individual for who they are?

What about noticing the effort?

What about those jobs where consistency matters and there is no end in sight?

This is important: We all want to know we matter. And it can’t just be at that moment where we succeed.

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According to psychologist William James, “The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”

If you’re a boss, team leader, manager or in a position to make a difference to an employee, this is a call to action. It’s easy to assume that workers somehow “know” that you value them. But research spotlights a disconnect between how much managers appreciated employees and how appreciated employees actually felt.

And unfortunately, sometimes the lack of appreciation is rationalized:  An executive-level individual I once worked with often admitted he was not good at saying “thank you” to people on his team. His reasoning was that if an employee is simply doing their job, acknowledgement is not necessary. He wore this justification as a badge —“not-a-thanker” kind of mentality — rather than something he was trying to get better at.

And maybe we’re all sometimes guilty of this type of thinking …. A spouse or loved one does a household chore and points it out to you. Rather than thanking them, you feel annoyed that they’re finally pitching in and want to be acknowledged for what you believe should have been happening all along.

While this may be typical behavior. There’s no reason for the stinginess. We must become more self-aware and practice intentionally showing appreciation.

 

9 Mistakes in showing appreciation to workers and how to correct them

1. We don’t check in regularly with our workers. “Good morning, Mike. How was Jessica’s first day of pre-school?” Most employees enjoy speaking with their boss on a personal level. What are your employees’ interests and challenges? Show workers they’re important enough for you to remember the things that are important to them.
2. We give workers projects without explaining why we chose them. “I chose you for this project because you’re good at _____.” Saying something like this tells the employee what specifically  they add to the company.
3. We expect their flexibility without reminding them they matter. “We’re shifting our focus and want you to redo everything you’ve just spent months working on. I want to remind you of how much we appreciate your work on this. You are so incredibly valuable to this team.” We all want a team who can pivot quickly, but there’s no reason to ignore the effort this actually takes. It’s respectful to tell employees you see them and realize the impact of what you’re asking.
4. We ignore their budding interests. “Hannah, I noticed that you really seemed enthusiastic when you had a chance to work on ­­­­____. Would you like me to keep you in mind for other projects like that?” Challenging workers, investing in them and helping them grow all show them you’re paying attention and they’re valued.
5. We disregard their expertise and make decisions without them. “Jeremy, we’re going to be making some territory shifts and since you’ve been a big part of this program for the past five years, I wanted to get your input.” Showing employees you trust their opinions and knowledge goes a long way toward showing employees you value them.
6. We don’t give them feedback on their ideas. “Millie, I wanted to get back with you on the idea you shared with me last week. I brought it up to the team, and there is interest. I’d like to talk with you about how you can be involved in filling in the details.” When a worker comes to you with a suggestion, write it down if you need to. But don’t just let it fall by the wayside. If you don’t see the merit in the suggestion, ask questions until you fully understand.
7. We don’t tell others about our employees’ good work. “Jim is doing amazing things …” Complimenting your workers to your boss or the CEO helps these individuals feel valued. If someone in another department takes notice of someone on your team, it tells employees that they are being noticed and discussed at a higher level.
8. We aren’t paying attention and complimenting effort. “I noticed how much more work this project ended up being that we first discussed. Thank you for your leadership in keeping the momentum going.” Whether in-person, email or texts, let people know that you see and appreciate their effort.
9. We assume they’re happy with their pay even when it’s below industry averages. Don’t force people to complain. Do your research. Know what’s a good wage for the work performed and pay it.

Employees and employers are equally responsible for engagement and productivity. Showing an employee you value them for who they are and the effort they give helps keep them engaged and loyal.

 

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