Friday, March 6th is National Employee Appreciation Day.  First celebrated in 1995 this official or unofficial day, (its status varies depending on who you ask) gives honor to employees at all levels. So, why is employee appreciation essential?    

  • Because most employees agree that a workplace built on appreciation motivates their loyalty and drives them toward consistently positive results.
  • Because a whopping 96% of employees believe appreciation is essential in the workplace.
  • Because when it isn’t spurred by an obligatory official or unofficial holiday, when it’s not expected, expressions of appreciation mean more.

Can you guess the top reason stated by 20,000 U.S. workers who were asked by the Boston Consulting Group why they enjoyed coming to work?  “Feeling appreciated” garnered the most votes.

“Humans have an inherent need to get appreciated from their work. Even a small gesture like a “thank you” goes a long way to boost productivity, increase performance and improve morale among the workforce,” states Barasha Medhi, content writer, and marketer at Vantage Circle.

Snappy’s employee happiness survey revealed 95 percent of employees agree that recognition in the workplace leads to stronger workplace culture. Other studies note 66 percent of employees who quit their jobs cite ‘lack of appreciation’ as the main reason. Appreciation spurs engagement, which contributes significantly to company growth.

Dia Vavruska couldn’t agree more. “When someone feels appreciated and valued, it affirms the commitment they‘ve made to a relationship or group and incentivizes them to continue contributing and excelling.“

Vavruska suggests business owners and management teams ask themselves, “How effective and consistent are we in expressing appreciation to our team?” Her ultimate suggestion? Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day all year-round.

In case you need more incentive to up the appreciation demonstrations within your company, consider this insight from Hani Goldstein, CEO & Co-founder, Snappy. “Given it is still a candidate’s market, businesses are finding the fight to attract and retain top talent is greater than ever. To reduce turnover, employers must get honest about the status of their team’s morale, and creative with benefits, to show employees they’re invested in their growth as well.”  

People want and need to feel appreciated and valued. It is at the core of who we are as humans. As noted by William James, American psychologist and philosopher, “The deepest principle of human nature is a craving to be appreciated.”  

Ignite a fire of appreciation and gratitude within your company. Rally your management team around the idea and then introduce a plan of action for making expressions of appreciation the norm throughout the year.

At Action Staffing Group, when we say action, we mean it! We are thrilled for the opportunity we have every day to help people better themselves through the employment connections we facilitate. Our mission, our purpose, our reason for being is to provide people with the opportunity to earn a living and feel good about themselves. Sometimes we turn lives around, giving people a new opportunity to reset their career. And WE LIKE THAT! Get in contact with our team today to see what Action Staffing Group can do for you.