Have you ever been cut off in traffic? Tensions are high, everyone is in a hurry and suddenly, a car violently cuts in front of you and squeezes in to merge with traffic. You slam on your brakes and you can feel all of your self-development go out the window as you go for the horn.
But then you see the ‘thank you’ wave.
Immediately, the anger leaves your body. All is forgiven. You feel appreciated.
I live in Manhattan where I no longer drive but have experienced the same phenomenon in holding doors open when people’s hands are full. A simple and effortless act that when met with gratitude makes me feel like a very good person. When met with silence? The urge to loudly and sarcastically say “You’re welcome!” is substituted with an eye roll.
We are simple creatures. We crave acknowledgement of our actions. We want to be seen. We want to feel connected. We have all experienced versions of the examples above and we all know how great it feels to be appreciated and how upsetting it is to have your efforts ignored. Why is it then, that when it comes to acknowledging and appreciating employees, many times, we come up short?
I get it. There’s a lingering old school mentality of “your paycheck is your thank you”. The logic missing from that way of thinking however, is that all jobs have paychecks. Getting paid is not a differentiator. As many companies have witnessed over The Great Resignation, we have entered an employee centric era where employees need more than a task and a paycheck to stay with a company. The power of acknowledgement and appreciation is real and best of all, it is free. Don’t know where to start? Here’s four easy ways to let employees know they are appreciated:
Start meetings with appreciation. Make the first item on your meeting agenda going around the room (or call) and have each employee, host included, give kudos to another employee in the meeting. Promoting a culture of gratitude starts with prioritizing giving thanks.
Schedule one-on-one time to say thank you. Giving praise in a group setting is one thing, but specifically making time to talk with an employee about everything they are doing right with no other agenda can brighten anyone’s day. Be specific about what you’re thankful about and how they helped you and the organization.
Write thank-you cards. Go old school and make someone’s day by picking up a pen and a card and hand-writing a message of gratitude. Working remotely? Pick up some stamps and send the card via mail.
Offer opportunities for career development. When employees have mastered their day to day, it’s easy to get into a rut. Acknowledging that they are ready for the next level and investing in their professional development is the biggest compliment.
Need more ideas to let your team know you appreciate them? Let’s get in touch.