Learning how to make employees feel valued takes more than saying thank you… and it’s one of the most powerful things we can do to amp up engagement at work. 

The 2022 McKinsey and Company Great Attrition Survey found that over 50% of professionals quit their jobs because they didn’t feel valued – or they lacked a sense of belonging.

That’s so depressing…but totally actionable!

Everyone wants to be part of a vibrant, inclusive community at work. And we all want to feel that our work has purpose or meaning. 

What we really crave, though, is appreciation for our efforts. Speaking personally, when I get a note of thanks from one of my coaching clients about the positive impact of one of our sessions, I’m walking on clouds!

There’s nothing like positive feedback when it comes to motivating others. It turbocharges productivity. In this age of frequent job turnover, it also makes employees stick around for the long haul, saving recruitment costs and reducing workplace chaos. 

Before we explore how to better create a thriving workforce, let’s dig deeper into the benefits of making team members feel valued.

Benefits of Employees Feeling Valued at Work

Richard Branson put it this way:

Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.

I’d like to add: If you take care of your people, they will not only take care of clients, but they will also become strong brand ambassadors for the company.

Weaving an ethos of appreciation and recognition into the fabric of corporate culture yields fabulous benefits: 

Challenge-Busting Confidence

Confidence is the driver everyone needs to boost their career. When effort and hard work are lit up by a spotlight of appreciation, confidence soars.

Confident employees tackle challenges with gusto, and they inspire and motivate co-workers. That naturally translates into productivity.

Better Physical and Mental Health

Numerous studies have shown that happy people have lower rates of work absenteeism and are more resilient to stress. When professionals are happy, they are less likely to be dragged down by anxiety or burnout.

Cohesive Teams Built on Trust and Respect

Leaders who show appreciation send unmistakable signals of trust and respect. This creates strong, independent teams that are productive – and more likely to go the extra mile.

Discovering High Potential Employees

An ethos of appreciation and recognition can uncover the hidden potential in team members.

When people feel valued, they instinctively kick into a higher gear of performance. They radiate the kind of energy that tackles problems and stimulates creativity. 

These are tell-tale signs of a high potential employee, one of the greatest assets you can have on a team.

Strengthening Brand Values and Loyalty

A happy professional is more likely to become a strong brand advocate and stay loyal to the organization.

Their own success becomes intrinsically connected to that of the company.

Enhancing Personal Brands

Lighting up your team members with appreciation can be the impetus for them to power up their personal brands. Coupled with tools like BrandBoost, they’re able to take their personal brands to a whole new level.

Employees with strong personal brands authentically demonstrate the strengths they share. They consistently express their unique promise of value to the critical stakeholders in the workplace. 

What Makes Employees Feel Valued?

Everybody loves to feel loved! Let’s break down the how into actionable steps. Here are the basics:

• Recognize work publicly: Public praise is a magical motivator. It not only influences the way that someone feels, but it can also drastically increase their productivity.
• Say ‘thank you’ privately: The smallest ‘thank you’ can make team members feel seen, valued, and appreciated. 
• Add specifics to your praise: When we add specific detail about what exactly we appreciate, we reinforce the behaviors we’d love to see continued and multiplied. It also makes our compliment sound genuine!
• Demonstrate trust: Trust, responsibility, and feeling valued are all entwined. Being clear about where we are granting autonomy is at the core of motivating the human spirit.
• Have their back when things go wrong: Showing appreciation even when things go wrong is going to help team members learn from the experience and move forward toward success.
• Create channels for positive feedback: Team members get an extra lift from hearing feedback about the best attributes from their broader network. Assessment tools like the 360Reach Personal Brand Survey help every employee get the real scoop on their strengths – so they can turn them into superpowers.

But wait, there’s more!

13 Straightforward Ways to Make Employees Feel Valued

There are even more ways to transform a team into a powerhouse of productivity (and happiness!) at work.

1. Offer Fair and Balanced Feedback

While everyone loves positive feedback, ambitious employees also want authentic advice on how to grow professionally. Balanced feedback is a powerful career booster,

Balance praise with helpful feedback. Applaud work-related strengths, but don’t ignore a weakness that may get in the way of an individual’s performance or goals. 

2. Help Them Grow Professionally

Fire up ambitious professionals with the prospect of intrinsic motivators, like professional growth, along with extrinsic motivators, like promotion and salary hikes.

 A leader’s support – including the offer of formal training, mentorship, coaching, cross-training opportunity, and stretch assignments – are key to advancing careers with both confidence and responsibility.

3. Make Gratitude a Timely Habit

Make it a habit to express appreciation in a timely way. When you see something nice, say something nice. (I think it is fair to say that most of us can increase the gratitude we express daily!)

4. Encourage Their Contribution

Asking for someone’s input or advice is a deeply validating gesture. It’s also flattering.

At the same time we expand our own perspective, we pump up someone else’s self-esteem. Allowing someone to help solve our own challenges loudly proclaims that their contributions matter.

5. Acknowledge Hard Work and Effort

In addition to a paycheck, there’s another currency that’s incredibly motivating – acknowledgment of effort. The best part? It’s free!

Sometimes there are no measurable results to call out – or at least, not yet. But there is often effort that can be acknowledged. Giving a shout-out to hard work creates a shortcut to progress and hardcore results.

6. Reward Appropriately

Appreciation is often shown verbally – with public and private words of praise. But there are many more ways to reward with both meaning and muscle. 

Rewards can take the form of gifts, opportunities for collaboration, or simply… time spent kicking back together. See #7!

7. Connect With Them

We all crave connection, especially in this Covid (hopefully soon, post-Covid!) world.

Let’s pump up the connection – having coffees, drinks, and meals together, or just chatting and sharing personal stories. Taking the time to connect meaningfully is one of the most sincere ways to express appreciation.

8. Provide Meaningful Work

Boredom leads to diminished effort. Lack of challenge makes any praise ring hollow. Good leaders provide opportunities for meaningful work and even a push outside of the comfort zone.

If work feels more meaningful, team members feel more driven. They work harder, achieve more, and feel naturally more fulfilled. 

9. Celebrate Special Occasions

Celebrations are an integral part of recognizing and appreciating others. From work anniversaries to birthdays to project milestones, there’s no shortage of reasons to celebrate in your organization.

10. Champion Diversity and Inclusion

Achieving diversity and facilitating inclusion is the task of every leader. Encouraging team members to bring their whole selves to work and creating psychological safety for them is not only what makes the workplace productive, but also what makes the world a better place.

11. Value Their Personal Brand

Building a personal brand has become one of the most important career-blasting strategies for every ambitious professional.

Leaders who allow their team members to show up authentically (and work their quirks!) stand out. 

12. Offer Flexible Working Conditions

Most of us have experienced the highs and lows of remote work over the past couple of years. Some love it, some hate it. Research reveals that what we all appreciate most is flexibility.

Offering flexible work arrangements is a gesture of trust. It empowers professionals to choose the locations and schedules that fit their lives – and helps them do their best work. 

13. Make Remote Workers Feel Included

It’s easy to feel forgotten and invisible sitting alone at home while the rest of the team interacts in the office. To recognize and value virtual employees, we have to kick attention and intention into high gear. 

From being mindful of inclusion on video calls to making sure there are periodic in-person events, it’s more than possible to make everyone feel recognized and valued.

How Much Do You Value Your Employees?

When team members feel genuinely valued, they thrive. This is a universal call to amp up positive feedback, recognition, and appreciation at work. It’s what easily supercharges every one of us in the human race.

360Reach Personal Brand Survey is a great place to start. Check it out!

Shine the light on your people, because everyone has unique strengths. And get ready to witness some powerful career blasts!