By Steven Parker
Cultivating a culture of continuous feedback is something we hear about daily, and just about every manager on the planet claims to have an “open door” policy. But, are we really following through on this promise?
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With a paltry 13% of workers claiming to be actively engaged and over 64% noting lack of recognition and feedback as a primary reason for quitting, companies, managers, and HR departments have their work cut out for them. Many of us recognize the severity of the situation, and are scrambling to triage workplace relationships with the one thing all our mothers taught us: Always say “thank you.”
While saying thank you is a perfectly acceptable gesture—one we should all make a habit of—it isn’t always enough. And therein lies the problem.
Here’s how to motivate your employees by saying thank you the right way.
Don’t Let It Lose Its Meaning
Have you ever heard a word so many times, it starts to sound foreign? As Inigo Montoya from the Princess Bride would say, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” The same thing can happen with a thank you, and the impact of those two words can be lost. Let’s say you have an employee who’s showing great potential, and you’re eager to get them up the curve. You pat them on the back every chance you get, and thank them for a job well done. After just a few of these seemingly benevolent acts, your A-Player will begin to wonder if you have anything else to say besides “thanks.”
How to Do it Right: Make Your Thank Yous Specific, Timely, and Meaningful
When you recognize an employee on the spot for a job well done, it can be incredibly powerful. That timely, specific, and meaningful feedback reinforces the idea that the certain behavior should be repeated, creating a culture of greatness. Be specific in your thank you—recognize what your employee did that inspired the praise, how those actions are helping the team and the company, and, most importantly, what you as manager will do to help further develop an employee’s skills and expertise. You’ll begin to see that if the same behavior is repeated and doesn’t receive timely recognition or an instant and detailed thank you, it’s likely that the initiative will fall flat. So, what are you waiting for? Start thanking with specifics!
Don’t Make Your Thank Yous Invisible
We’re all guilty of that trademark “thank you” e-mail. You respond to a colleague with those two words faster than you even realize what you’re thanking them for. As a result, the recognition for that accomplishment stops in their inbox. Your fellow employees, and the company as a whole, will never learn about the amazing things your employees do for you, good behaviors will never be repeated, and colleagues can’t share in the celebration.
How to Do It Right: Make It Public
Can you recall the last “thank you” e-mail that you received? How about the last time your manager congratulated you in front of the entire team during your weekly meeting? Chances are, the latter public recognition made you feel much more appreciated and celebrated than a two-word e-mail. Make celebrating success publicly a top priority—don’t let milestones, achievements, and personal accomplishments slip by the rest of the company unnoticed. Thank yous and recognition are most valuable when they’re consistent and visible and they have a powerful impact on employee behavior. Public recognition provides critical insight for managers and executives into the day-to-day success of their staff.
The bonus of visible recognition? It becomes a powerful behavior engine for change, allowing employees across the company to align with common values and goals, witness their fellow colleagues’ accomplishments, and aspire to drive the same level of results. Recognition is free and has infinite ROI, so next time you’re in that weekly meeting, say thank you—out loud.
Gratitude is always in style, and recognizing employees and colleagues for great work is essential to cultivating a healthy, productive, and engaging work environment. Just remember, meaningful recognition can start with “thank you”—it just shouldn’t end there.
About Steven Parker:
Steven Parker is a former HR practitioner and the head of business transformation at Achievers, the only true cloud Employee Success Platform™ that enables companies to drive higher levels of employee engagement and align them with business objectives and company values while creating an environment of in-the-moment recognition—every day.
Counterintuitive–but very interesting. I’ve noticed that the phrase “I’m sorry” loses its meaning when overused to the point of just seeming reflexive. Makes sense that the same applies to “generic” thank-yous.
I agree! Most managers know the importance of recognition and saying thank you, but few know how to execute it in a way that impacts an organization positively. They think the passing of thank yous and emails are enough, when they should really be acknowledging accomplishments publicly, so all team members know what performance goals to aim for. I have a few other ideas for helping increase engagement because recognition cannot do it alone. There are other management strategies it must be paired with, to see the greatest success.