Employees love to feel appreciated. It helps them recognize their value to your business and reaffirms their commitment to helping your business reach its goals better and faster. Statistics show that business productivity increases by 31% when employees are happy at work. As a leader, it is important to understand the benefits of having loyal employees. Therefore, failing to connect personally with your employees and build reliable work relations is a grave mistake. One of the best ways of maintaining healthy and positive relationships with your employees is by recognizing their efforts and appreciating them for their work. So, how can you show your employees you care and appreciate them? Here are five ways to turn that around and make them feel valued.
Lend them your ear
You might not know it, but effectively listening to your employees can be one of the best ways to help them feel valued in your business. You can start by setting up casual individual meetings with them, but don’t use that to discuss work or performance matters. Instead, talk to them about their career aspirations and goals, and try to find an avenue where you can help them.
You can also use these opportunities to glean insight into how they progress with their tasks, identify problem areas, and develop solutions to make work easier or more manageable. Your employees’’ feedback is extremely important to the growth of your business, so give them a chance to voice their suggestions. When you spend time with your employees in a more relaxed setting, they will feel more comfortable approaching you and know that you also have their best interests at heart.
Build a trustworthy relationship
The biggest compliment you can ever give your employees is demonstrating that you trust them. That means their performance is at the highest standard, and you don’t need to micromanage to get work done. Finding the best way to show your trust can be tricky, but you can start by allowing them to lead projects and other activities. However, you must be careful when delegating work. A good leader will know when their employees already have too much on their plates. Giving them major tasks without talking about them can leave them feeling the opposite of unappreciated and used.
Give them unique gifts
This point might seem obvious, but you might be surprised to learn how little employees are rewarded with gifts. It doesn’t have to be over-the-top or extravagant. You could surprise your workers with morning coffee, take them out to lunch, or get a happy hour with your employees.
You can also give them unique gifts. Food vouchers are very popular options. You can get them a customized turkey voucher, which they will love. Plus, they can claim it for those holiday dinners or parties. Alternatively, treating them to a holiday or gym membership is also a great way to show your appreciation for all the hard work they put in.
Be fair and transparent
Employees appreciate an honest employer. Sometimes, it can be tempting to fudge the truth to keep everyone happy. But it’s always better, to be honest. They know and understand how uncomfortable it is to share bad news, and they would feel like you value them enough to open up to them.
When giving them feedback, you must be as transparent as possible. It might be hard, especially if you have good relationships with them, but it will earn you respect and increase their desire to perform better. Similarly, you must be ready to share any good news and provide your workers with positive feedback when they excel at a task. If you choose to be biased or choose to practice favoritism, it can lead to animosity and create a negative work environment.
Thank them
It’s that simple. Sometimes, you must say “thanks” to keep your employees engaged and motivated. Even though it might seem brief, it does have huge positive repercussions. A simple “thank you” can show that you are paying attention to their efforts and what they are doing, and it helps them feel like they have played an important role in the development of your company. You cannot go wrong with “thank you.”
If you want your business to succeed, you have to start appreciating your employees and making them feel valued. When you make them feel like you are invested in their well-being, they will be more committed to working harder and meeting your business’s goals.
What do you think?