How to Show Employee Appreciation and Make Your Team Feel Valued

In recent years, American employees have been voluntarily resigning from their jobs in such record numbers that the trend became known as The Great Resignation. Also known as the Big Quit, the name is somewhat of a misnomer. The alternate name, The Great Reshuffle, may be a more accurate description, as resigning employees tended to swap their old jobs for new ones rather than resign fully from the workforce. Toxic work environments and long-lasting job dissatisfaction were some of the major reasons given for resigning, with 57% of surveyed employees who quit in 2021 indicating that they did so because they felt disrespected at work.

As a business owner, you know that employee turnover is costly in various ways. It not only costs your business financially due to direct hits like hiring and recruiting expenses, training costs and lost productivity, but it can cost your business a great deal in terms of lost time, lost connections or customers, and lowered employee morale, which all ultimately affect the bottom line. A high turnover rate can be so costly that it has the potential to be the final nail in the coffin of a struggling small business. But there are proven ways to keep your employees satisfied in their employment and ensure your small business is a place your employees feel proud to show up to give their best for day after day.

So what can you do to make sure your team feels valued and your small business is not buried in high turnover rates? One of the primary means within your control to decrease turnover rates is to create a culture of appreciation in your workplace, ensuring your employees feel seen and valued for the work they do. Showing employee appreciation does more than just lower your employee turnover rate by improving job satisfaction – it is also a great way to inspire loyalty, promote team cohesion, increase motivation, and encourage higher performance. If you know how to show employee appreciation and make your team feel valued, you can build a positive work environment and foster a culture of appreciation in your workplace that can take your company to new levels of success.

Showing employee appreciation is not a novel component of effective workplace management, but with increasing competition for top talent among organizations, it is more important than ever for small businesses to show their employees that they recognize and value the work they are doing. There are a variety of different ways to go about this, from small ways to show appreciation that can be integrated into daily and weekly practices like thank you messages for employees, to creating a full recognition program or having a staff appreciation day, week or month. If money is an issue, there are budget-friendly ideas that can go a long way. Whichever methods you choose, creating a workplace culture of appreciation is sure to have a positive impact on the success of your business now and into the future.

Employee appreciation is an important part of maintaining a productive and positive work environment where employees want to keep coming back. Recognizing and appreciating employees for their hard work and dedication can have a lasting impact on the success of your business in the following ways:

Great Place To Work did a study that analyzed 1.7 million employee survey responses comparing the overall experience of employees who received workplace recognition to those who do not receive workplace recognition. They found that those who feel recognized at work are 2.2 times more likely to drive innovation and bring new ideas forward.

In the same survey, when asked what makes their workplace “great,” employees who responded that they had received workplace recognition were more likely to report being satisfied with their jobs, with many saying that they are “incredibly lucky” and that the company has an “uplifting environment.”

Studies have shown that recognizing and empowering employees can increase motivation throughout the organization, not only among those that are recognized. Witnessing a coworker receive praise could motivate other employees to improve their own performance – a bit of friendly competition can be a powerful builder of motivation.

Employee appreciation can also help companies attract and retain top talent. Candidates want to work for organizations that show their employees appreciation, and when employees feel appreciated, they are more likely to recommend their company to others.

Recognizing employees can also help build a positive team dynamic, helping employees feel a sense of connection and loyalty to their coworkers and their workplace and creating an atmosphere of trust and respect. When employees feel their efforts are appreciated, they are more likely to be honest and open in their communication, and more willing to take risks and suggest new ideas.

Recognizing employees can raise the level of confidence, enthusiasm and self-esteem that your employees feel in the workplace, and this can quickly spread from the individual to the entire team. When team morale is up, productivity and job satisfaction increase.

Overall, showing employee appreciation is a key element of a successful organization. Investing in employee appreciation can have a lasting positive impact on the workplace.

Showing employee appreciation doesn’t have to be a big gesture that takes a lot of time or money. In fact, sometimes the small things can have the biggest impact. One study, conducted by the Harvard Business Review in conjunction with the non-profit What Works for Children’s Social Care, looked at the impact of something as simple as sending personalized letters of recognition to the home addresses of social workers.

The researchers found that the social workers who received one of the letters reported that they felt significantly more valued and more recognized for their work, as well as more supported by their organization than those who did not receive a letter. Other positive impacts were measured, such as increase in subjective well being and feelings of belonging, increased intrinsic motivation, and lowered sickness absence rates for social workers who received letters.

Here are some simple ways to show appreciation to your team members:

On a side note, sending thank you notes to customers and clients is also a great way to boost customer retention and encourage positive engagement between your business and the public.

For bigger shows of appreciation, consider planning a whole day, week, or month dedicated to recognizing your team members. This is a great way to show your team that their hard work and dedication is appreciated. It can be done on a small or large scale, depending on the size of your team and the budget available. Here are some tips on how to plan and execute a successful staff appreciation event:

First, decide what your goal is. Do you want to acknowledge several employees at once, or a few shining stars? Do you want to support trust and team building, or encourage increased performance through friendly competition? Having your ultimate goal in mind from the beginning will help you decide on the type of event and plan a successful staff appreciation day, week or month.

Next you’ll need to think about what type of event you want to plan for your staff. Are you looking for something low-key, such as a lunch or end of day meet and greet, or a more elaborate event such as a party or team building activity? Do you want to spread it out over an entire employee appreciation week or month, or focus it all on one day? Once you have decided on the type of event, let your team know what you are planning.

When planning a staff appreciation event, budget is important. Make sure you set aside enough money to cover the cost of food, entertainment, and any other expenses for the particular event you have planned.

Choose a date that works for everyone and give your team plenty of time to plan. You could aim for an off-day or weekend if possible, so that everyone can participate without missing out on work, or you could find a time when you can shut down the office for a bit so no one has to give up their personal time to attend.

Depending on the type of event you are planning, decide on a few activities that your team can participate in. This could be anything from a team building exercise to a competitive game of trivia.

Be sure to communicate with your staff about the event so everyone is aware of the details. Send out reminders leading up to the event and make sure everyone knows what to expect and whether their attendance is required or optional.

Here are some ideas to make your staff appreciation day extra special:

Showing appreciation doesn’t have to be limited to special occasions, and should really be an essential part of your company culture and management approach. But employee recognition is not one size fits all and there are many different approaches to consider. Depending on your particular staff or workplace, you may need to think outside the box or work on incorporating recognition into regular perks and best practices. For example, a subtle but powerful way to recognize excellence in the workplace is to give your employees more autonomy or allow them to take on new challenges or projects. You could also offer training and other development opportunities to employees who go above and beyond.

You may want to consider celebrating team accomplishments as well as individual accomplishments. Taking an employee out for a one-on-one lunch or dinner can provide a huge morale boost on the individual level, and celebrating a team accomplishment with a field trip or group dinner is an incredible boost to team morale.

If you are an entrepreneur managing remote teams or a business owner hiring freelancers to fill various roles, it’s just as essential to show appreciation to remote employees and freelancers as it is to show appreciation and say thank you to your employees in the office. Showing appreciation for freelancers and remote employees can keep them feeling connected and engaged and build a sense of loyalty and trust. This does not need to be complicated or costly, keeping in mind that simple gestures of appreciation and recognition can go a long way in making and having a lasting impact in making people feel valued, inspired and satisfied in their employment.

Here are some ideas for showing appreciation to remote workers and freelancers:

Showing staff recognition is important for building a positive work environment and fostering a culture of appreciation that makes staff feel satisfied with their workplace. Calling out the hard work and dedication of your employees is a key factor in retaining your top performers and improving your bottom line. By recognizing and rewarding employees for their hard work and achievements, employers can make their staff feel valued and promote internal cohesion, building happy, cohesive teams that take their businesses to new levels of success.

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