In the hustle and bustle of busy days and ever-increasing work demands, we often neglect to stop and tell our peers how much we appreciate them. This one is a fan favorite! It just doesn’t get any better than taking the time to look someone in the eye, call them by their name and genuinely say, “Thank you, Jade!” “I believe in you, Mary!” “Mikhael, I’m so proud of you!” or “Really great job with the way you handled that situation, Lisa!” Use this play often to let your teammates know that they matter.
Did you know that, according to research conducted by Globoforce, 86 percent of employees who were recognized at work felt more motivated in their jobs and 80 percent of those who felt appreciated wanted to stay at the company, as opposed to 60 percent who did not feel appreciated and were job searching? The value of showing appreciation in the workplace can not be underrated!
“Sven really did an awesome job running our quarterly meeting. Everything went so smoothly and stayed on track. We even finished 15 minutes early, which is great because now I can catch up on some calls.” How many times have you thought something like that about one of your coworkers, but ended up keeping it to yourself for whatever reason? When we don’t verbalize our appreciation for even the most basic things those that we work with do, it is such a missed opportunity to spread Cheer Leadership™ throughout the organization!
Most people know that Employee Appreciation Day falls on the first Friday of March each year. How can you spread appreciation in your workplace more than just this one day a year? Simple - speak up! Next time Ricardo in Marketing produces a stellar piece of collateral, tell him! When Nicolette from Operations discovers a way to save thousands of dollars by switching to a different vendor, let her know how great that is! It can even be something as basic as saying “Thank you, Ming” when you notice that she is restocking items in the breakroom, even though it is far from her job to do so. It’s so simple, yet so impactful!
This week, I challenge you to be intentional and look for opportunities to applaud your team members and coworkers for the good work they do, for things both big and small. This will help create a culture of encouragement and let them know that they matter and are seen and valued. Remember, behavior is contagious! There is no such thing as too much appreciation in the workplace!
FUN FACT - In the words of Mary Kay Ash, American businesswoman and founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc., “Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it a secret.”