Effective Ways to Make Employees Feel Appreciated

No job should be entirely thankless. However, according to HR Magazine, a new survey by recruitment site Monster found that more than half of workers feel unappreciated in the workplace and, as a result, another 41 percent don’t feel motivated. This is especially concerning considering a Mood Tracker Survey from Globoforce revealed that a whopping 81 percent of employees feel recognition makes them more satisfied in their position, and 55 percent of respondents would leave their jobs for a company that more obviously recognized employees’ efforts. Furthermore, 51 percent of staff members who have experienced inadequate recognition plan to search for a new opportunity elsewhere, as opposed to 23 percent of those who did.

Clearly, appreciation is crucial for reducing employee churn, boosting overall morale in the workplace and therefore, ensuring long-term success.

A simple thank you can certainly go a long way, but making staff feel genuinely appreciated requires a little more than that. Here are some strategies that any company can utilize.

Conduct a survey
First, it’s crucial to get an idea of how effective their current efforts are in making their workers feel valued. That’s why on her blog, small business consultant Jacqueline Wolven advised conducting a satisfaction survey. While these are typically done online or over the phone, she recommended taking a more personal approach by having the HR director meet with employees one-on-one. This enables a deeper discussion about their satisfaction, and could bring up some important points that might not have otherwise been raised. Some of the questions she proposed include what the staff member enjoys most about his or her job, what his or her main challenges and professional goals are, how a manager could be more helpful and what might drive he or she to leave the company.

Source external feedback
It goes without saying that management should show appreciation, but Forbes pointed out that it can sometimes be more meaningful coming from other co-workers or clients. The source suggested being super attentive to any positive feedback about a particular employee. Depending on the situation and the staff member, a manager can choose to share the feedback in a private email, or they could make it known during a team meeting or on an online company message board. Either way, the staff member in question will be able to see the impact that he or she is having on the organization.

Take advantage of individuality
Oftentimes, managers don’t truly get to know the unique strengths of their staff members – and therefore, they may feel their skills are underutilized. The Houston Chronicle recommended scheduling a conversation with each employee about his or her career path and opportunities for advancement. The news outlet noted that it can be helpful to offer them the option of delving into projects outside of their typical responsibilities to keep them engaged. Management can even create online courses or suggest classes that could help them in their professional development. Overall, the source stressed that the objective is to make employees feel like there is room for growth, and furthermore, that the organization will go to great lengths to make the most of their individual capabilities. That way, each staff member feels like they’re important to the functionality and success of the business.

Reward regularly
To ensure that recognition doesn’t fall by the wayside, consider establishing a weekly or monthly award. Ragan Communications explained that an employee-of-the-month program, for example, can be incredibly effective for keeping staff members motivated and furthermore, making them feel appreciated. The firm suggested that large companies might award a staff member in each department, and offer managers a reminder so they keep up with choosing their star employees.