Kasee Hamilton
Contributing Writer
American Residential Services
Leaders, when you think about what motivates you and your employees at work, what comes to mind? Is it money? Job Security? Promotion or growth opportunities? Sure, these things are often on the list of what we are looking for in our careers. But what if I told you that for most employees, the number one item on the list is “feeling appreciated for work done.” Would you agree that this is important and critical to job satisfaction?
When we look at the statistics, it is easy to see that appreciation matters. A 2021 McKinsey study found that the number one reason why employees quit their jobs isn’t due to pay, work life balance, or health like many managers believed.
So, what was it? Over 50% of employees stated that they quit because they didn’t feel valued at work.
This doesn’t surprise me.
As a leader or manager, you might be thinking, “well I thank my team all the time, so this can’t be true!”
But let’s dig into this further so I can explain why your employees might still feel unappreciated.
In graduate school I had to select a topic for my thesis, and I came across a book called, “The 5 Languages of Appreciation,” by Gary Chapman and Dr. Paul White. Immediately, I realized that showing appreciation at work is something so simple to do for organizational success, yet so often is not done. Or more importantly, it is not done correctly.
For appreciation to come across as authentic and genuine, leaders need to speak the language of appreciation their employee values the most. While I won’t go in depth about each language, these include acts of service, quality time, words of affirmation, tangible gifts, and appropriate physical touch. I encourage you to buy the book to learn more about these!
But, simply put, meaningful appreciation must be individualized so that it feels personal and authentic. Blanket statements or generic team gifts just don’t cut it anymore. You need to find out how your team members feel appreciated the most and do that for them. (Hint- Gary Chapman and Paul White have an assessment you can do with your team to find out who values which language. Or you can just ask each person individually during a one-on-one conversation, too.)
For example, does Olivia feel embarrassed with public praise but loves to sit down and chat (quality time) over a cup of coffee? Or does Benjamin not really care if you get him a gift card (tangible gifts) to a restaurant but would be thrilled to see a handwritten thank you card (words of affirmation) at his desk?
It really does matter that you are speaking the right language of appreciation. So why not take the time to learn more about them and give it a try? Let me tell you what I’ve experienced at various jobs in my career so far.
As I ventured into the “real world” and started working in corporate offices, I couldn’t believe how much of what I had studied was unfortunately true. I saw companies “try” their hand at appreciation by throwing a company picnic or giving everyone the same water bottle. I personally left a job due to feeling unappreciated. I heard numerous complaints about company culture and how no one felt as if they mattered in the bigger picture. I saw colleagues leave for lesser pay in hopes to find a better company culture where they felt valued and respected by colleagues and leaders.
I knew I needed to do something for these people I cared about and the companies I worked for. I had to share what I knew would be a simple, effective, and inexpensive fix- teaching people about the value of appreciation. In a previous role, I hosted lunch and learns on the 5 languages and why appreciation matters. I’ve shared my thesis with managers and leaders. Most recently, a coworker of mine led a large webinar based on the workshop I hosted for them, and the idea is taking off like wildfire throughout our company. Managers are buying the book, doing the surveys with their team members, and questions about appreciation were included in the company-wide employee experience survey.
I tell you this because you might think that you don’t have the power to change the turnover rate, the happiness of your employees, or the culture of a company, but you do. It just starts with learning how to give authentic appreciation to your team members and maybe telling your fellow leaders about the concept too.
Lastly, if you aren’t sold on this concept yet, did you know that employees who feel appreciated are happier and increasingly more productive at work? Gallup’s study “Transforming Workplaces Through Recognition” showed that recognized employees are four times more engaged in their work and are 44% more satisfied with their jobs.
Showing appreciation at work is a simple yet powerful concept. Learning more about appreciation and providing it authentically to your employees on a consistent basis will make you stand out as an effective and influential leader.
Here are some additional resources if you are interested in learning more:
https://www.gallup.com/analytics/472658/workplace-recognition-research.aspx
And really, who wouldn’t want less turnover, along with happier and more productive employees, too? I know I do.