Want to build a culture of appreciation, increase productivity, and enhance well-being? Make others feel Important, appreciated and that their contributions matter. Our research demonstrates that employees want to be,
- Trusted and to Trust Managers & Co-workers
- Valued and Know That Their Contributions Are Appreciated and Matter
- Respected
- Cared About
- And To Be Working In An Environment That Is:
- Collaborative
- Positive
- Compassionate
Well-Being soars when these characteristics are perceived. When these characteristics are lacking, not only does well-being tank, but health promoting behaviors suffer and so does the amount and quality of work. For example, employees discussed withhold information, being un-engaged, distracted, and not productive.
Letting employees know that they are appreciated and that all efforts contribute to organizational success leads to,
- Enhanced Well-Being
- Increased Discretionary Effort
- High Performing Teams
- More Collaboration, Innovation, and Creativity
- Greater Loyalty
- Higher Retention and Talent Attraction
It’s important to find your own way to communicate appreciation. Appreciating others must be authentic and heartfelt. If not, it is better to say nothing at all. Be specific regarding what the person did, why you appreciate it, or what you observed. It’s okay to begin your conversation by saying that you don’t express your appreciation often enough, or even that you aren’t good at letting others know how much they are appreciated. It may take practice and so our advice is to start slowly, perhaps begin by just observing and taking notes.
It will become easier and will ripple throughout the organization, creating a culture of appreciation and gratitude!