Creating an environment where your employees feel appreciated is more important than you may think. We all know that it feels good to be recognized for our work or acknowledged when we’ve gone above and beyond. But did you know that employees who feel their work is valued are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to do their best at work and that highly engaged teams result in 21% higher profitability?
Here are our top five tips for empowering and celebrating your team.
- Get to know them Think about all of the unique perspectives that a group of people can offer and think about how their personalities and life experiences are valuable. When you get to know your staff on a personal level they will feel more inclined to put more energy into their work.
- Provide opportunities for employees to contribute throughout the decision making processes This is especially important. An employee’s day-to-day is typically defined by systems set into place by management. So what better resource does a company have to evaluate those systems than the employees themselves? This also goes a long way in helping employees feel that they are useful while instilling a sense of ownership in the work.
- Offer employee recognition Take a minute to stop and think about what your team has done that you’ve appreciated. Did your colleague help to lighten your load last week? Did your manager catch a could-be embarrassing typo before you sent out an email blast to potential clients? Maybe your officemate laughs at all your corny jokes. Whatever reason you may be thanking your lucky stars to have great coworkers around you, be sure you let them know!
- Set an example of positive energy If you aren’t glad to see your employees each day, those workers won’t feel appreciated by you. Make it a point to smile and keep an upbeat vibe. Leadership trainer Shari Bench tells managers, “Do not wait for others to create the positive, rewarding, motivating environment that you have had the power to create all along.”
- Trust This final point is more of a cautionary tale of what-not-to-do. Far too often, employers try to keep a strong hold on too many areas of business even after experts have been hired. Neglecting to trust that your employees have the company’s best interest at heart will only diminish your focus on the bigger picture while insulting your employee’s intelligence. Trusting that other people are doing a good job by not micromanaging is one of the best things an employer can do to ensure happy employees.
Following these steps can help you create a positive work environment where your team feels recognized and celebrated — and are all the more motivated to do great work.
