Appreciate Your Employees, Depreciate Your Turnover

Employees are a vital asset to any business and yet one of the resources that are the easiest to neglect. Without understanding the importance of employees, many businesses would no longer function. Appreciation is a key component of retaining excellent employees and reducing the risk of turnover, however, many are unsure of how or when to express appreciation. Consider these three areas for how to show your employees that you are grateful for their dedication and hard work.

Verbal Recognition

Oftentimes we can get so wrapped up in the work and the busyness of life that we neglect to offer praise and recognition to our colleagues during moments of joy and achievements. When we get so busy that we neglect to make note of the wins, team members can feel unappreciated, bogged down and downright forgotten. When we pass by these positive moments, the work can drag you down, but when we celebrate the wins and offer verbal recognition, we let our colleagues and teams know that we see them and that they are valued. Whether it is noting when someone achieved a goal, public or private shout outs, public praise or appreciative comments, we can highlight our team members so that they know that they are a vital member of the team. If you are unsure what to say and how to show appreciation to employees verbally, there are a few suggestions here to help. By taking the few minutes to praise one another, we can help build a more positive professional culture where folks are excited to come to work.

Opportunities for Growth

Feeling stagnate at work can feel draining and demoralizing, and particularly when you are striving to do your best and achieving a great deal, this can make you feel unappreciated. By offering opportunities for growth, promotions or professional development, we can enrich and engage employees who are feeling unappreciated. For an employee who feels underwhelmed by the work after underappreciated attempts and unrecognized accomplishments, indicating that their hard work has been seen and valued which has resulted in new and exciting opportunities can speak volumes. In addition to praise, new developments in their professional world can feel invigorating and show that the company appreciates its employees and is willing to put their money where their mouth is.

Rewards and Incentives

Sometimes praise does not feel like it is enough and new opportunities may not be possible. Beyond these strategies, there are other ways to show employees that they are valued and appreciated beyond money. If you can, offering food items, such as a delightful dessert or trip out to bond over food can be a wonderful opportunity. By showing that your staff can bond over something other than a meeting in a conference room may indicate to them that they are also human beings who have needs and can step away from the office now and again. Also, there is also nothing like a handwritten note, where you have taken the time to scrawl down your gratitude to show employees that they are seen and add value. For special occasions and depending on your relationship with your employees, gifts that are appropriate and show gratitude are another avenue for expressing your appreciation. By offering a gift that truly speaks to the person, you may indicate that you recognize that they are a person beyond just the employee and you took the time to get them a gift to express that. It is important to appreciate your employees so that they know that they are valued.

Regardless of how you choose to express your appreciation for your employees, it is important to do so and do so in frequent occurrences. While not all of these are options that can be done frequently, different strategies can be disbursed to showcase the gratitude that you and the company have for your invaluable assets and wonderful human beings.