From sending appreciation emails to company-wide awards, there are innumerable ways to show your team how much you appreciate their contributions. But the most important way to showcase employee appreciation is not through grand gestures, it is by being an understanding manager and dedicated mentor.

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Everybody loves to be appreciated for the work they are doing. In a competitive labor market, the distinguishing feature between jobs
is often the culture of the workplace. Strong support and consistent recognition are crucial components in creating an environment
where your team will feel comfortable and rewarded for their hard work.
Here are five ways to show your employees some appreciation:
1. Don't Just Hear Them Out, Listen to What They’re Saying: The number one mantra is to truly take the time to find out what is
important to your team and how you can deliver what they need. If they need Alaskan huskies delivering pizza to the office in the
summer, feel free to ignore this request. But if they are displaying genuine needs, perhaps asking for more time on a certain project or
more flexible work hours- consider what they have to say and try to accommodate them to show them you truly value the work they do
for you.
2. Humans First, Employees Second: Always remember that your employees are human and you must be understanding of their
personal issues. Take time out to talk to them and get a feel of who they are as a person. Understanding what motivates an employee
at work can give you great insight on what you can do, as a manager, to help them succeed. Making your employees feel valued is
one of the best ways to show them your appreciation and it goes a longer way than a coffee shop gift card or cupcakes.
3. Be a Serious Mentor: Employees want to feel like someone is looking out for them at work. Take being a mentor seriously and
engage with your employees in ways that they will find helpful. Help them achieve their career goals and not just the goals you have
set out for them.
4. Recognize Successes Publicly, and Failures Privately: Everyone makes mistakes, but no one likes to be corrected in public.
You can yell and scream at the person in public and come off as a total jerk or you can take them aside and speak to them privately at
what is going wrong and how one can fix it. Mistakes are always an opportunity to learn and grow and a good employee will
appreciate you batting for him and affording him an opportunity to fix the problem at hand. Also, when disputes arise, be fair - giving
ample opportunity for both sides to be heard and explain your conclusion/decision in a calm, rational manner.
5. Everyday Should Be Employee Appreciation Day: March 6th is Employee Appreciation Day, but why should you limit your
celebration to just one day? Show your team some love by doing random acts of appreciation throughout the year! Find out what
makes them tick and give it to them. It could be donuts, gift cards, incentives, bonuses, thank you emails from the boss, unicorns…the
list is endless!
How does your office show appreciation to its employees? Drop us a line here!
Five Tips to Show Employee Appreciation
by
Mat Martin
Managing Partner - Legal