Appreciation in Hybrid or Remote Workplace

Disregarding the performance of your people is nearly as awful as shredding their work in front of their eyes. We humans have an underlying psychological desire to be recognized and valued. When people are appreciated & admired, it provides them with an affiliation that they positively contribute to others. Appreciation hence becomes an integral part of professional lives.

Lack of appreciation is one of the less-addressed concerns for remote or hybrid workplaces. Many complain that their work relationship with peers has become more transactional and less social. Three-quarters of remote employees felt that more praise and acknowledgement would likely help their mental health. And seven out of ten said appreciation from a boss or executive mattered the most to them.

Appreciation impacts Engagement & Productivity

There is a link between appreciating people to their enthusiasm and involvement. A recent study by the American Psychological Association discovered that 93% of employees who reported feeling appreciated claimed that they are inspired to achieve their best at work & 88% reported feeling engaged. Only 21% of that group intends to hunt for a new job in the forthcoming year.

Showing that you respect your employees by expressing genuine thanks for their work is one of the simplest and most effective methods to boost engagement and productivity.

Employees who feel valued and appreciated will work harder, act as brand ambassadors, and are more productive.

Appreciation has real financial implications

People don't leave jobs - they leave managers! They quit because they feel undervalued and unappreciated, not because they are underpaid or fatigued.

Undervalued employees not only need more compensation (pay and benefits), but they also cost more when they (inevitably) leave.

The cost of recruiting a new employee is anywhere from 25% to 100% of the annual salary. And that’s just for the initial hiring process — there are additional costs associated with onboarding, training, and offboarding. Moreover, it takes about six months for a new employee to become fully productive at their job, which means that undervalued employees can hurt your bottom line.

Building an Appreciation Culture

Workplace appreciation is not a one-time event but instead an ongoing, involuntary process that occurs naturally. But what might serve as a good beginning point? How do you create a culture of expressing and receiving gratitude without encountering obstacles such as unfamiliarity?

Appreciation Board is a concept that may help you develop the practice of routinely recognizing people in hybrid or remote workplaces. It translates the good old practice of physical “Thank you” cards in the digital world. People can write personalized appreciation notes for individuals, a group, or an entire team who deserve recognition for their work.

A shared board of appreciation notes intensifies the value of appreciation, as people get recognized in front of a bigger audience. It also facilitates social interaction. People can feel the positivity throughout the company.

Employee engagement tools like Revvi can help you launch timely & regular appreciation events within minutes. Acknowledging people has never been so effortless and fun!

A snapshot of a sample Appreciation board, created from Revvi's free engagement tool.

You can also download the board and keep it as a souvenir!

A downloaded image from the sample Appreciation board, created from Revvi's free engagement tool.

The Art of Appreciating others

You might be wondering, is just a “Thank-you” enough? Employee appreciation approaches should, of course, be factor-in work personalities, organizational values, and culture.

How do you do this? Relax, it is not that difficult:

• Determine the precise behaviour, value, or skill to be recognized.

• Associate appreciation with a person's actions or behaviours. Even better, it aligns with company values!

• Be specific in mentioning the details of actions leading to your appreciation.

• Be generous with your compliments. But make sure it is an authentic & honest representation of how you feel.

• Do not include more requests while sharing appreciation. Genuinely thank people instead of wanting more from them.

In summary, substantial research proves the financial and emotional advantages of expressing appreciation at work. Leaders must recognize and prioritize their efforts to consistently express genuine appreciation and gratitude to their people and foster an appreciation culture throughout the organization.

People leaders can conduct timely appreciation events until appreciation is ingrained & come naturally to people. Managers hold an important responsibility here to set the tone right. Rather than asking where you appreciate people enough, the real question is whether people feel appreciated enough.

A workplace where people feel genuinely appreciated is more engaged and productive. It translates to better customer satisfaction, innovation & higher profitability.