Stop Emailing Your Employees to Say "Thank You"

A new study performed by AttaCoin has found that 47 percent of employees say that they do not feel appreciated by their employer. And only 41 percent of employees felt that their managers effectively reward staff members who do a stellar job.

Feeling unappreciated might sound like a minor complaint, but in fact, research shows that when employee efforts are not acknowledged, workers become disengaged and easily go off task. They also require more compensation for the same work, as they seek financial appreciation when emotional appreciation is unavailable.”

So how can employers keep their staff engaged?

The AttaCoin study showed that a simple ‘thank you’ from their supervisor was very important to employees, and it also showed that a private, one-on-one conversation meant much more to workers than a big, public thank you. This is because employees really want to feel a human connection with their boss, especially in a world where nearly everything happens over e-mail, Skype, social media, etc. While emailing your employee a “Good job” can suffice, if you really want to get the most of the interaction, make sure it happens in person.

When giving a thank-you, remember eye contact and body language. You need to be sure you aren’t just looking at your employee. You should be seeing them, whole-heartedly validating their efforts and their unique gifts. It is going to take some practice, as positive feedback doesn’t come naturally to most employers, but it is a key leadership skill to learn.

Managers can also benefit from old-fashioned forms of communication, like hand-written thank you notes. It’s such an easy, simple gesture, but it holds a great deal of weight. I know some people who have saved thank-you notes from their bosses for years. It’s something that is very meaningful, and it costs much less than handing out a raise to keep employees invested.

Here's a suggestion: Keep a small package of blank cards in your desk, and make it a goal to see that package empty by the end of the business year. Don’t think you have to wait until an employee does something super-human before you write a small thank-you note. It can be as simple as doing a fine job on a project or staying late to help complete a deadline. Thank you’s are free, so don’t hoard them…spread them around and let them fertilize your workplace with gratitude, motivation and creativity.