Top 10 Tips for... Managers to Show Employees their Appreciation
All too often employees only hear from their manager when they have done something wrong or it’s time for the annual performance appraisal. It’s a common mistake, but it could be costly.
Research shows that employees find personal recognition more motivating than money. They appreciate the personal touch. Employees who feel valued and appreciated by their managers are far more likely to go the extra mile for the company and hold themselves accountable for their part of a project. More importantly, they will be happier in their jobs.
If as a manager you disregard or underestimate the value of connecting with your people, you will lose the benefit of a dedicated, loyal team.
Here are 10 ways that you can show your employees that you value them:
1. Make time for them
Have regular conversations with your employees and don’t always focus on work. Get to know them as people – that will increase their sense of self-worth and help you build a rapport.
2. Reward them creatively
Find ways to reward your people that stand out. Being creative with employee benefits can have real impact. It doesn’t need to be expensive, but just demonstrates you’ve thought about ways of making their personal or professional lives a little better.
3. Make work challenging
According to a recent survey by Virgin Pulse, 58% of employees love their job when it’s challenging. Don’t keep all the interesting projects for yourself. Delegate. If you give your people stretch assignments they will appreciate it, feel valued that you trust them to take on the challenge and will work hard to deliver.
4. Give them credit
Acknowledge an employee’s good idea at a public meeting with other team members. This public recognition will make them feel valued amongst their peers. It will also encourage others to generate ideas and suggestions in the hope of receiving their own share of the limelight in due course.
5. Encourage new experiences
Pay attention when an employee shows an interest in other areas of the business. Find ways to encourage and accommodate that. They will gain valuable additional experience and it will increase their motivation as they feel valued in their wider contribution to the company.
6. Keep them involved
People love to feel trusted and that their contribution matters to the company’s overall success. If you adopt a culture of openness and let your employees know what’s going strategically they will respect you and be motivated to work harder to achieve those objectives. If you involve your people in planning meetings and incorporate their ideas into decision making you will increase their loyalty and engagement.
7. Say thank you
It’s simple, doesn’t cost much (or anything) but it has a huge impact if you take the time to thank your employees for what they do. Whether you do this verbally, through a personal handwritten note or even by email it’s just important to make sure you do it. Use a variety of methods and do it regularly. It will have a huge impact, as people often feel undervalued if their efforts go unacknowledged.
8. Give them food
60% of employees say that food in the office makes them feel valued. It’s also a good way of creating community and team spirit as people socialise and share food together. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or cost much, but the occasional cake run or team lunch can have a great impact on morale.
9. Show them flexibility
Some employees thrive on structure and like to keep to the 9 to 5. Many more value more flexible working hours. Working from home twice a week? Leaving early on a Wednesday to attend an evening class? If you can be flexible and accommodate these requests, people will really appreciate it and love working for you. When employees feel empowered to take care of life and work, they have much more positive feelings toward their manager.
10. Give great references
If you had a great employee who used to work for you, make sure you tell their future employers how great they were. Why does that help you? The way you treat former employees tells your current team what to expect. If they see that you respect people who have left the company, they know that you respect and appreciate them as well.
Share This Post
Posted In
cHRysos HR Solutions are a UK wide HR training and consultancy company offering CIPD accredited qualifications, Apprenticeships, Training and HR Services to SMEs. For more information about how cHRysos HR can help you or your teams successfully achieve further qualifications, contact us on info@chrysos.org.uk or call 03300 562443.