Appreciation is something that everyone wants to feel, especially in their work. Being recognized and appreciated makes people feel valued, encouraged, and acknowledged. And when employees are not appreciated, their performance and engagement suffers, which affects the workplace as a whole.
Employee appreciation is more than a once-in-awhile celebration or award that gets handed out. It’s showing your employees that they matter on a daily basis. This blog will discuss why employee appreciation is so important in company culture and give you some tips for incorporating more appreciation into your workplace.
Recognition Builds Loyalty
High employee turnover can be a big problem for companies. Not only does it interfere with workflow and productivity, but it can be a red flag and deterrent for potential new employees. How do employers combat this? Loyalty starts with how employers treat their employees. Showing that you value and appreciate your employees positively impacts their daily experience. It encourages them and creates a natural incentive for them to stay in an environment that makes them feel cared for and seen.
Appreciation Increases Motivation
Employees who are recognized for their contributions want to continue putting their best foot forward in their work. If an employer doesn’t care about an employee’s efforts, it’s easy for the employee to slip into doing the bare minimum—or even subpar work. However, when employees see that their hard work pays off and that they’re appreciated for their efforts, they will be motivated to continue doing good work.
Gratitude Creates Positive Connections
Showing appreciation and thanks to your employees helps cultivate positive relationships in the workplace. This strengthens team dynamics and builds trust, leading to more “wins” and successful projects. When colleagues are collaborating, working together, and showing that they can rely on each other, they can exceed goals and take your company to new heights.
Employee Recognition Strengthens Company Reputation
Because employee appreciation leads to increased loyalty, motivation, and positive dynamics, it helps to strengthen a company’s brand and reputation as a whole. It positions the company as being trustworthy, legitimate and top quality. It also helps the company attract and retain high-level talent.
Ways to Incorporate Employee Appreciation
These are a few practical ways to start incorporating employee appreciation into your workplace on a regular basis.
- Find an ongoing time to express to employees that they matter. Whether it’s privately during weekly one-on-one meetings or publicly during monthly team meetings, it’s important to make this a regular practice and show your appreciation in a variety of ways.
- Employee appreciation should be about sharing, but it should also be about listening. Create a safe space and regular times for your employees to share their ideas, thoughts, and concerns with you and the team as a whole. Make sure they know they are being listened to and understood.
- Encourage your team to celebrate each other’s wins. Practice calling attention to someone who did something noteworthy and model affirming each other for jobs well done. This could be done in person, over email, or even in a social media post.
- While awards shouldn’t be the only way to show appreciation, they can be a fun way to help employees know that they’re seen and valued. At Viking Client Services, we have Distinguished Employee of Excellence Awards that we give to those who do outstanding work and show impeccable character.
If you’re finding that employee appreciation is lacking in your work culture, it may take a bit of time to naturally incorporate it as a regular practice. However, taking even a few small steps to start building an encouraging and positive work environment will create ripple effects throughout your company. By sticking with it and letting employees know the value they hold, you’re setting yourself and your team up for lasting success.
