A person who feels appreciated always do more than what is expected

Recognition is a fundamental human need. At the most basic level, it makes us feel valued, which is what inspires us to stay all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at work. Out of all the things that matter in the workplace, helping employees feel appreciated is the most important one.

Gladly, this isn’t something that I have learned the hard way. I have always believed that people flourish when they are praised. The people I have here at ProofHub are constantly recognised for excellence (individually and as a team), encouraged to excel, and helped to discover their own wisdom.

But I can see that isn’t the case for every organisation. In many organisations, recognition is highly de-emphasised - unless it’s specifically related to promotions, appraisals or delegation of the next assignment. The need of the employee to be appreciated for their efforts often goes unseen and unheard in such cases. As a result, self-doubt starts to creep in, and it makes employees feel as though they don’t belong.

For me, employee recognition has no calendar. It’s not limited to Employee Appreciation Day or any other day of the year. It’s an important part of ProofHub’s culture all year long and probably always will be. Here are three reasons why that’s so.

1. Recognized employees are happy employees

Let’s put it this way: when you start appreciating people for their work, you spread good vibes in the office which further translates into a happier and more productive work environment. Show your employees that you see their efforts — tell them how much of an impact they’re having on your organisation and its goals.

2. When employees feel happy, they stick around

Happy employees tend to stay longer in an organisation and perform better. That means if you have some high-performing, talented members in your team, make sure that their efforts are not overlooked. Doing this will not just help you increase employee retention - it will also save on time and money from having to train new hires every time a potential employee leaves your organisation.

3. It fosters an atmosphere of trust and teamwork

Honestly, I was surprised (and you’d be too) by the degree to which a simple thanking your employees fosters an atmosphere of trust and teamwork. Knowing that your efforts are being recognised and appreciated by people higher up the management chain really helps to feel deeper workplace connections - and that's another reason why recognition is important and it should be practised year-round.

Author Bio:

Vartika Kashyap is the Marketing Manager at ProofHub and has been one of the LinkedIn Top Voices in 2017 and 2018.