Do your staff members do a good job? If so, do you tell them?
No? Why not? Are you of the belief that good work is to be expected and therefore it’s not necessary to reward an employee with a heartfelt “Thank you,” or “Atta boy!”?
If so, get ready for some bad news: Feeling appreciated at work is highly important to employees. We’ll say it again: Highly important. More important, in the end, than their pay rate. So important, that your under-appreciated employees could well have two words for you: “I quit.”
In other words, the little things matter. Say thank you. Tell an employee when he or she has done a good job (a short, handwritten thank you note can go a long way). Praise a job well done in front of others.
Do you ask your workers how they’re doing? Does a certain employee seem sad or down in the dumps? When was the last time you asked “How are you doing?” You don’t have to ask this question of just employees who look sad. You also can ask this of any employee: “How are things going? Is there anything I can do that will help you in your job?”
And don’t just ask the question; really listen to the answer because truly listening to someone is a sign of respect.
Has an employee lost weight, changed his or her hair style? If so, a comment that says “I see you’ve….” [fill in the appropriate comment such as “lost weight,” “changed your hair style,” etc.] shows that you notice your employees as individuals.
Did someone work extra hard on project? In addition to saying thank you or praising the person in front of others, consider providing a tangible reward such as movie tickets, gift certificates to a favorite restaurant or coffee shop, etc. Such rewards can go a long way to helping an employee feel that he or she is appreciated.
In fact, surprising employees with such tokens of your appreciation actually has more power to motivate them than a reward they might expect (such as a promotion or salary increase; although such rewards – when fully deserved – are appropriate).
Going to make some changes in your department or company? Get employee input! Rarely should you make an announcement that a change is taking place without first giving your workers the chance to – at the very least – offer their opinion about the change. Better yet is giving them the opportunity to actually have a real say in how/when/where, etc. a change will take place.
If your Redlands or Ontario company looking for top candidates and help with your employment strategy – contact the recruiters at Arrow Staffing. We look forward to hearing from you.