Have you ever received a thank you card that contained a printed message but no personal handwritten message? How did you feel? Were you insulted? When we express appreciation, first and foremost, it must be sincere.
Employee engagement and satisfaction suffers when individuals feel under-appreciated or worse, when they feel unappreciated. This happens more than we may think. A study by “Dr. Gerald Graham, the RP Clinton Distinguished Professor of Management at Wichita State University” referenced in the
Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness blog showed that amongst of a sample of 1,500 employees;
“58% seldom if ever received praise from their manager,”
“76% seldom if ever received written thanks from their manager,”
“78% seldom if ever got a promotion based on performance,” and
“81% seldom if ever received public praise.”
The words “I appreciate” can make a difference. The Towers Perrin report
Turbocharging Employee Engagement: The Power of Recognition from Managers Part 1-The Engagement Engine says “we found that manager-delivered recognition of employee performance boosts engagement the way a turbocharger cranks up a sports car’s horsepower.” Furthermore, this survey of over 10,000 workers showed that “effective recognition from managers encompasses three basic requirements: inclusiveness, communication and trust,” with inclusiveness being the area that needs the most improvement. In other words, recognition needs to be fair and fairly distributed.
How many times during a day do you neglect to express appreciation when it is warranted? When a colleague delivers the expected level or service or support, how often do you take the time to thank them for it?
Make a point of saying “I appreciate” whenever it is appropriate.
• I appreciate your effort.
• I appreciate you thinking of me.
• I appreciate your help.
• I appreciate your honest opinion.
• I appreciate the extra effort you put into this.
• I appreciate your time.
In the absence of feedback or a positive expression of thanks, employees may assume the worse; that their work is not up to standard.
According to Britto, effective praise is genuine, it comes from the heart and it is immediate, specific, and public.
The last thing you want to find out is that a valuable employee left an organization because he or she felt unappreciated. It happens – watch this
Simple Truths video.
References:
Britto, Charlotte. “5 Ways To Give Praise: Small Efforts With A Huge Return.”
Leadership in Action Blog [www.cmoe.com]. April 1, 2009.
Glanz, Barbara A.
The Simple Truths of Appreciation. Simple Truths LLC [www.simpletruths.com]. Obtained May 15, 2009.
Towers Perrin.
Turbocharging Employee Engagement: The Power of Recognition from Managers Part 1-The Engagement Engine. Towers Perrin, April, 2009.
Towers Perrin.
Turbocharging Employee Engagement: The Power of Recognition from Managers Part 2- The Circle of Recognition. Towers Perrin, May, 2009.
