Figure 1-https://www.theresource.com
An employee's need to be appreciated and it is a basic human need. Thus, employees will feel more connected to their work, their team, and organization as a whole when they feel valued and recognized for their individual contributions (Wickham, N., 2021).
What does it mean to feel appreciated?
Feeling valued and appreciated at work is something we all need in order to do our best.
It is human nature to desire to be loved, cared for, accepted, supported, and included. We want this sense of worth at all times, including during work hours.
Whether we realize it or not, we all need to feel respected and appreciated at work in order to accomplish our best.
Recognition has a big influence, especially among employees, and it may help build a healthy company culture.
Employees appreciate and are motivated when they are openly recognized for a job well done. Employee accomplishments and positive characteristics are highlighted, resulting in a more vibrant, healthier workplace. Praising employees for their accomplishments fosters high performance, which benefits both the individuals and the company.
At work, a sense of accomplishment is uplifting, but when people see your accomplishments, it compounds that feeling of success.
Why is it Critical to recognize deserving employees?
Employees who feel valued put in more effort, are more engaged, and, as a result, are happier.
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, recognition in the workplace motivates 79 percent of employees to perform more.
The distinction between a satisfied employee and one who goes above and beyond can be made by emphasizing good work performance.
Employees who go above and beyond for their coworkers and the company benefit greatly from employee recognition.
Benefits of employee recognition
- Increased productivity and engagement.
- Helps to attract and retain key employees.
- Motivates employees to perform at higher levels.
- Improves business quality and service.
- Decreased employee turnover.
- Greater employee satisfaction and enjoyment of work.
- Improved team culture.
- Higher loyalty and satisfaction scores from customers.
- Increased retention of quality employees.
- Decreased stress and absenteeism.
Appreciating employees in the workplace isn’t just about kind words or thank-you cards . Employers must demonstrate employees’ value with other, less tangible things such as:
- Fair base pay
- Performance pay
- Paid time off
- Benefits
- Work/life balance
- Meaningful work
- Job security
- Career advancement opportunities
If these foundational elements are missing, then face-to-face gratitude or handwritten notes won’t make up the difference. By focusing on the things that employees truly value, the organization sends the clear message that it cares about its people. And that message is at the heart of making employees feel appreciated.
Are Valued Employees more Productive?
Workplace recognition makes employees feel valued and motivated. This ultimately boosts individual engagement, loyalty, and productivity. When we feel supported and cared about, we feel more empowered to put our best foot forward. The workplace is a two-way street—when one side gives, the other side gives back. Starting with these five strategies will ensure you build a solid foundation for organization’s employee experience, so employees will know that they really are valued .
How to Make Employees Feel Valued at Work?
1.Develop a Compensation Strategy
The most obvious indicator of how much an organization values an employee is how much that employee is compensated. Of course, value extends beyond dollar signs alone; however, if your compensation is lagging behind the rest of the market, then your employees will feel undervalued and dissatisfied.
Organization should do the work to understand where you fit within the job market and where employees land on the compensation scale for their positions.
2. Communicate Compensation and Benefits
The benefits of a compensation management strategy only go as far as the company's communication skills. That is, if the employees don’t know they’re paid fairly, they usually won’t make that assumption themselves.
Figure -https://www.bamboohr.com
3.Provide Growth and Learning Opportunities
Another way to help employees feel valued at work is to invest in their development. This investment doesn’t have to be expensive; in fact, some of the best employee development initiatives don’t cost a dime.
- Peer learning groups
- Manager one-on-ones
- Stretch projects
- Dedicated learning time
- Career planning
Encourage managers to step into a coaching role for their employees by setting up regular one-on-one meetings and identifying each employee’s goals. This knowledge will help to tailor learning and development opportunities for each person.
4.Align Employee Performance and Compensation
As employees grow and develop, they will become more efficient, more skilled, more knowledgeable, and better at their job. They won’t be the same people in the organization first hired, and the compensation of the organization offers them should reflect that growth.
5.Provide Meaningful Work
This last strategy for how to make employees feel valued is the least tangible, as it concerns employees’ emotional need for meaningful work. Employees perform better when they see that what they’re doing day in and day out matters. And even more, that it’s appreciated.
What will Happen when Employees don’t Feel Valued?
When employees don’t feel valued at work, it can create a dangerous cycle where little to no recognition leads to tension in the workplace and disengagement which leads to:
- Higher absenteeism
- Workplace accidents
- Errors and defects
Unhappiness and disengagement can bring health consequences as well, such as stress and anxiety. Furthermore, workplace stress can lead to an increase in voluntary turnover.
Conclusion
Employee recognition is a key area which result a productive work environment. Supervisors can help employees make this connection by recognizing great work at every level, especially those positions that are less visible which will create a win-win situation for both employer and the employee.
References
Cloud, H., 2021. 15 Creative Ways To Show Employee Appreciation | HR Cloud. [online] Hrcloud.com. Available at: <https://www.hrcloud.com/blog/15-creative-ways-to-show-employee-appreciation>[ Accessed 20 March 2022]
Harvard Business Review. 2021. The Little Things That Make Employees Feel Appreciated. [online] Available at: <https://hbr.org/2020/01/the-little-things-that-make-employees-feel-appreciated> [Accessed 20 March 2022].
Wickham, N., 2021. The Importance of Employee Recognition: Statistics and Research. [online] Quantumworkplace.com. Available at: <https://www.quantumworkplace.com/future-of-work/importance-of-employee-recognition> [ Accessed 20 March 2022].
