4 Ways Companies Make Their Employees Feel Appreciated

Only 21% of employees feel strongly valued at work, according to our Engagement Report. This means a whole 79% of all employees are feeling marginally valued or extremely undervalued. So what can managers do to improve sentiment in the workplace? Check out what these leaders are doing to improve employee recognition:

Listen to Them

Employees don’t want to be drowned out in the workplace. And this rings true especially for millennials. Our research found that 54% of millennials wish they had an effective way to give suggestions for how to improve their workplace.

Michelle Ruiz of insitecreative told us, “One of the best things that makes employees feel appreciated is letting them have a voice. We have a very collaborative work environment, where everyone has opinions that will be heard, regardless of company hierarchy.

"We also have weekly brainstorming sessions for everyone to bring fresh ideas to the table. Acknowledging the good ideas that come from employees makes them feel valued.”

Frequency Is Key

Our research has also found that nearly 30% of all employees haven’t received recognition in the past two weeks from their boss. We asked Amanda Blanck of Deviate what her organization is doing to improve recognition, and this is what she said:

“We show our employees our appreciation through consistent, specific, and frequent acknowledgment. A general 'good job!' does not highlight what uniqueness they bring to the table. We show our love for our employees in a variety of ways, between handwritten cards, one-on-one time. or surprise and delightful gifts. I want to stay away from structured award systems so it remains authentic, thoughtful, and organic.”

Winning Celebration

Accomplishments are a win for any company or individual. And they deserve to be celebrated. ZinePak’s cofounder, Kim Kaupe, says:

“At ZinePak, we try to make our employees feel valued by celebrating their wins and appreciating their effort. Whether it is a handwritten note on National Employee Appreciation Day or a half-day Friday after a particularly busy week, we try to physically show our appreciation instead of just saying it. For some people, actions speak louder than words, so while we can say 'Great job!' or 'You nailed that!' it sometimes means even more to say, 'I recognize you are working hard, so why don't you take the rest of the afternoon off and do something fun for yourself?' Celebrating good work both in voice and in action is important to keep your team engaged, excited, and ready to face the next challenge.”

Employees put in a lot of time and effort into producing great work. Show them the recognition they deserve, and you’ll gain a motivated and engaged workforce.

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