Faster than a speeding bullet (or a high speed internet connection).
More powerful than a locomotive (or intense market competition).
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound (or manage complex projects on a tight deadline)
It’s a bird! It’s a plane!
It’s your company superhero!
We recently had the honor and pleasure of working with a community of superheroes surging with productive energy as they fearlessly tackled daring goals.
Griffin School is in a league of its own with its dedicated and passionate faculty, staff and board members. Having worked with them over a period of time, we have watched them bravely channel their unique super powers in ways that make positive impacts on students, staff, and the community.
In our recent meeting with them, one of the most satisfying things was to hear them report on their heroic feats over the last year. Each report was deservedly followed by resounding cheers and applause.
It was a great reminder of how important recognition and appreciation are to company culture.
As a society, our default mode is to keep our noses to the grindstone, soldiering on to accomplish goal after goal. It’s easy to be so focused on the work that we forget to stop and appreciate what we have accomplished and how our co-workers have contributed to our success.
When this is neglected, however, the organization suffers because appreciation is key to keeping companies robust. Research bears this out. Here is a sampling of results from numerous studies that looked at the impact of employee recognition and appreciation.
46% of US workers chose to leave their position because they felt under appreciated. Bonusly
When employees anticipate that management will recognize their performance, they are 2.7 times more likely to be highly engaged. Quantum Workplace
37% said more appreciation would inspire them to work more and better. O.C Tanner
87% of HR professionals said that employee recognition improves interpersonal relationships in the workplace. (SHRM)
When employee appreciation and recognition are endemic to a company’s culture, it fosters:
High morale among employees.
Motivation for employees to improve their skills.
Lower absenteeism.
A sense of pride in one’s contributions to the company.
Enhanced collaboration and camaraderie.
A sense of belonging and commitment to the company, thus reducing turnover.
While recognition and appreciation can include things like bonuses, raises, and time off, a tight budget shouldn’t keep you from expressing appreciation. There are many free or inexpensive ways that you can show employees that they are valued.
There’s a good chance your workplace is full of superheroes. And you probably do value them. A lot. Intuitively, you know that your company’s success depends on their dedication and unique contributions.
But when was the last time you told them so?
Next week, we’ll discuss some concrete ways you can elevate recognition and appreciation into your company culture.