(Editor’s Note: Today’s post is brought to you by Kronos, the global leader in delivering workforce management solutions in the cloud. Tens of thousands of organizations in more than 100 countries use Kronos to improve workforce productivity. The Workforce Institute is a Kronos-sponsored think thank that focuses on issues that impact the workforce. Enjoy the post!)
Today is National Employee Appreciation Day. In fact, it’s the twentieth anniversary of the holiday. Celebrated on the first Friday in March, the day reminds us how important it is to support, thank and reward our employees.
Now some might argue that every day should be employee appreciation day. I totally agree. We should recognize and thank people for the good work they do all the time. But that doesn’t mean we can’t also have a holiday to celebrate in a big way.
Our friends at The Workforce Institute recently commissioned a survey conducted by Harris Poll to find out more about happiness in the workplace. You can check out the entire survey results here. It’s a good read to share with your management team. The results are very interesting.
- Over 50% of employees said receiving a “thank you” from their direct supervisor gave them a high sense of satisfaction.
- Nearly the same amount say that positive feedback or a “thank you” from their co-workers gives them satisfaction as positive feedback or a “thank you” from their direct supervisor.
- The majority also indicated that private, one-on-one communication was preferred over group recognition, even when it was conducted via email.
Not only is how we thank employees important, but the rewards are equally important. I couldn’t help but smile at this week’s Time Well Spent honoring Employee Appreciation Day. Check out what these employees consider a reward – LOL!
Employees need to know their work is appreciated. I’ve always said, “No news is good news” isn’t a management philosophy. Appreciation goes a long way in creating a culture of engagement.
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