15 gestures leaders can make to show employee appreciation
L-R: Joseph Birkofer, Jennifer Massey, Solomon Thimothy, Christopher Tompkins, Jared Knisley, Michael Akin, Jerry Ramos, Chris Adams, Joanna Swash, Kent Lewis, Quoc Nguyen, Jeffrey Bartel, Shanna Tingom, AJ Ansari, Lane Conner
The Business Journals Leadership Trust
By Business Journals Leadership Trust Expert Panel®
Business Journals Leadership Trust is an invite-only network of influential business leaders, executives and entrepreneurs in your community.
It’s important for leaders to show their employees that they appreciate them and all the hard work they do every day. However, employee appreciation doesn’t need to be a big show.
There are plenty of small gestures leaders can make toward employees to show their appreciation for them. Below, 15 members of Business Journals Leadership Trust discuss their favorites.
1. Treat their time with the same value as clients.
Leaders should treat their employee’s time with the same value as their talent. We all focus on talent but often ignore the value of an employee’s time. The world quickly evolved to allow work from anywhere at any time, so it is important to acknowledge work time as a discreet aspect of an employee’s life. The appreciated result will be successful flex time roles and more family time for our team. – Joseph Birkofer, Legacy Asset Management
2. Learn how employees like to be appreciated.
Learn how an employee likes to be appreciated. It goes deeper than knowing if they like recognition publicly or privately. It means asking them what would be meaningful before there is a need to recognize them. Whatever way a leader recognizes them, it should feel like it is the employee’s moment on the podium and their favorite song is playing — like they are a gold medalist at the Olympics. – Jennifer Massey, Integra HR, LLC
3. Build relationships outside of the workplace.
Build relationships with colleagues outside the workplace because it’s not all about work. Wish them a happy birthday, follow them on social media and leave likes, celebrate their personal achievements whenever they share them publicly or compliment them on a new hairstyle. It’s important to make your office a positive place so that everyone feels appreciated and at ease. The culture starts with you. – Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS
4. Provide unsolicited praise in the moment.
Provide unsolicited praise in the moment rather than waiting until a specific point comes up when they can be rewarded. Reinforce positive behavior in the moment! – Christopher Tompkins, The Go! Agency
5. Write handwritten notes of appreciation.
Take time to write handwritten notes of appreciation. Make it specific to something the employee recently did that you noticed. Efforts spent recognizing someone for something specific have a lasting and meaningful impact. – Jared Knisley, Fizen Technology
6. Give specific feedback on what they do well.
People do far more right than wrong, but wrongs take up a disproportionate amount of airtime. Specific feedback on what a team member has done well is just as important as what needs to be better; we need to lift people up at least as often as we correct them. In many ways, it is even more critical. – Michael Akin, LINK Strategic Partners
7. Express public appreciation amongst peers.
Public appreciation amongst peers and company leadership is a great way to recognize employee accomplishments. This shows the employee the value that is placed on their contributions to the organization. – Jerry Ramos, LJA Program Management, LLC
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8. Give recognition for going above and beyond.
It is important to give verbal recognition when an employee goes above and beyond, and a gift of some type can also be nice. However, the best thing a leader can do, when possible, is providing financial compensation that accurately represents the value that employee brings to the company. To show appreciation, I give my team merit-based pay raises and bonuses as often as possible. – Chris Adams, Red Thread Brands
9. Provide a safe space to be heard and listen.
Like so many things, showing appreciation is not about one big gesture, it is about the hundreds of little things that make it valuable. If I had to say one thing, it would be to listen. Actively listen, provide a safe space for people to be heard and value the diversity of thought that every individual brings to the table. It strengthens trust and relationships, building connection and confidence. – Joanna Swash, Moneypenny
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10. Integrate feedback loops into regular meetings.
Integrating feedback loops into regular meetings and communications is essential. At Anvil/Deksia, we’ve built-in weekly and monthly opportunities for management and co-workers to shout out to employees for living the mission, vision and core values. It’s also important to give employees an opportunity to share their wins and toot their own horns. – Kent Lewis, Deksia
11. Show interest in their lives.
One of the best strategies is to spend time with the employees. Spending time applies not just to the leader-employee relationship but virtually all relationships. A resource that leaders typically lack is time, and employees recognize that. Sharing something so precious is a good way to show appreciation and a deep interest in what is going on in the employees’ lives. – Quoc Nguyen, Arthur Lawrence, LLC.
12. Provide opportunities for peer recognition.
While genuine gratitude and money are essential rewards, providing opportunities for peer recognition is often overlooked. Some employees seek acknowledgment from leaders, but others may be more inclined to respond to appreciation from peers. Therefore, leadership must provide the opportunities and tools necessary to allow employees to nominate co-workers and leaders to reward them for their service. – Jeffrey Bartel, Hamptons Group, LLC
13. Find out what they want and give them more.
We try to meet the team where they are. Do they want job flexibility, more time off, a gift card or a monetary bonus? Find out what they want and then give them more of that. – Shanna Tingom, Heritage Financial Strategies
14. Make time to talk to them.
Make time to talk to your employees. Use this time to ask them questions and listen to what they are asking. Ask them how you can help. Actively listen to what they’re saying and follow up with them on the conversation a few days or a week later. Do the best you can to come through for them. Of course, you cannot always give every employee what they want, but show them that you are listening and care. – AJ Ansari, DSWi
15. Be present and engaged daily.
Being present and engaged with employees greatly develops relationships that lead to a positive culture. So many leaders go into their offices, close their doors, work a full day and never speak to any employees unless it is at a company function. Employees need to feel that a leader sees them as more than a means to an end. – Lane Conner, Fuzse
