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"I appreciate you!"

It takes two seconds to say these words, but the impact this statement has on an employee’s morale and sense of value is incalculable. As we go about our days, it’s easy to overlook the significance of employee appreciation – we’re busy maintaining a positive reputation, delivering high-quality service, adhering to industry standards, and prioritizing financial gains, right?

Right! And you can’t afford to ignore employee appreciation, especially when it comes to your frontline teams – the teams who work directly with customers. Acknowledging the good work your frontline team members perform is crucial for cultivating a positive and supportive work culture. Employee appreciation fosters loyalty among employees, who will build your reputation with positive words about what it’s like to work at your company. This loyalty creates employee retention, which reduces your overhead and fosters stability during tougher economic times; loyalty also creates tight-knit teams, which helps a business to grow.

Not bad for a two-second phrase.

However, employees are different from one another, and they like to be recognized for their efforts and dedication in different ways. It’s worthwhile to invest time in getting to know your employees. Discovering their individual and team motivations will help you figure out their preferred ways of being appreciated.

The “DiSC” model of personality testing helps us to identify the four main personality profiles and learn their core motivators. These personality profiles are:

• Dominance: These people tend to be confident and place an emphasis on accomplishing bottom-line results.
  • Core motivators: Power and authority, competition, winning, success

• Influence: These people tend to be more open and place an emphasis on relationships and influencing or persuading others.
  • Core motivators: Social recognition, group activities, friendly relationships

• Steadiness: People with this profile tend to be dependable and place an emphasis on cooperation and sincerity.
  • Core motivators: Stable environments, sincere appreciation, cooperation, opportunities to help

• Conscientiousness: Those with this personality profile tend to place an emphasis on quality, accuracy, expertise, and competency.
  • Core motivators: Opportunities to use expertise or gain knowledge, attention to quality

Once you’re able to identify each employee’s personality type, it’s easier to figure out in which ways they’d like to be appreciated. Dr. Paul White, author of The Five Languages of Appreciation at Work, offers some ideas:

1. Words of affirmation: Verbal praise can be communicated orally or in writing. This means taking the time to recognize employees for their contributions, rather than only pointing out opportunities for improvement or more work.
2. Quality time: Some people feel valued at work when others spend time with them. This could mean spending individual time with their supervisor or hanging out with their coworkers.
3. Acts of service: Some people prefer appreciation to be shown through actions. Helping employees when they’re behind on a time-sensitive project or working together to complete a task can count as appreciation for this type of person.
4. Tangible gifts: In the context of workplace appreciation, gifts are not related to compensation (raises, bonuses) – they’re small items that demonstrate acknowledgment of one’s teammates. Examples in this category could include an employee’s favorite cup of coffee, a magazine about one of their hobbies, or a snack they would enjoy.
5. Physical touch: Appropriate physical touch in the workplace is a sensitive issue, but the focus in this category is on how people use touch in spontaneous celebration – a high five, a fist bump, or a congratulatory handshake.

Want more ideas? Try:

• Personalized Recognition
  • Celebrate significant milestones in employees' lives, such as anniversaries, birthdays, and other special occasions.
  • Publicly recognize exceptional achievements to celebrate accomplishments and inspire peers to strive for greatness.
  • Offer constructive feedback that is meaningful and helpful for the employee's growth and development. This shows that their efforts are being acknowledged and appreciated.

• Incentives and Rewards
  • Establish a reward system that includes an incentive program for outstanding performance. This program can recognize high achievers with tangible rewards, such as gift cards or extra time off.
  • Invest in employees' professional growth by providing opportunities for professional development. This can include training sessions, workshops, or tuition reimbursement to support their career advancement.

• Work-Life Balance and Employee Health
  • Promote a healthy work-life balance by offering flexible work arrangements. This may include options for flexible scheduling or remote work, allowing employees to prioritize personal obligations without compromising their professional responsibilities.
  • Implement wellness programs that prioritize employee well-being. These initiatives can include providing gym memberships, organizing mental health workshops, or offering stress management programs.

• Team-Building Activities
  • Coordinate outings or team-building activities to foster a sense of camaraderie, trust, and collaboration among team members. This creates a positive work environment where employees feel connected and motivated.
  • Host special employee appreciation events to openly express gratitude and provide opportunities for team members to form stronger bonds with one another.