The Two Most Important Words: Thank You
Thank you for stopping by and not just scrolling past this article. I’d like to say that you are more valuable and important than you realise. I hope you are appreciated by your fellow colleagues and bosses!
Why is Appreciation Important?
Appreciation has become a lost art of communication; the world has become so busy and a lot of things become taken for granted. When objects get old, we throw them out and replace them. When people stop performing as well as their competitors; they are replaced. People have become fleeting occurrences that live in the moment if they are relevant. Appreciate your employees for what they have done and what they are doing.
Appreciation brings out the best in all people. It can build confidence and self-esteem in the task they are accomplishing. If they are unsure what they are doing is right or wrong, their creativity and knowledge will be unable to flow through their work.
Appreciation motivates people to do better. People like to hear positive comments more than negative comments. They will seek to perform better and better so they are praised instead of being criticized. It is also a way of showing they are on the right track in fulfilling their responsibilities.
Appreciation brings out happiness in people. According to Professor Oswald, happy employees are found to be 12% more productive. Well…what are you waiting for! Appreciate your employees and they will be more readily and happily productive.
What are some ways to Appreciate?
There are many ways that you can go about it, some are more appropriate for your work culture and some are not.
After a particular task that has been done well by the employee, you can tell them they did a “good job”. Specificity and sincerity go hand in hand, the comment will sound more convincing and believable if you can identify what they did well in!
Include employees in meetings and decisions can help to show your appreciation of both their ability and ideas.
Spending some time with employees can go a long way in revealing the boss is not an emotionless working machine. Taking individuals out for a chat over coffee/lunch will take way too long and just isn’t practical. It can still be possible for the interaction to be sincere in a team setting where you acknowledge certain individuals while appreciating the team’s effort as well.
Striking up conversation with your fellow employees is another way of showing your appreciation. Take the time from your busy schedule to have a genuine interaction to understand what they like to do and possibly what they did over the weekend. The interaction shouldn’t be a passing by conversation.
If you can remember the interests and likes/dislikes of an employee, a personalized gift will be a way of showing your appreciation.
Take Home Message:
Appreciation of others and their contribution is an important and crucial part of being successful. Appreciated employees tend to be happier and subsequently work more productively, with lower attrition and sick leave. The ultimate method of appreciation is not the action but the meaning behind the action.
Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels
