As you look back over the last week, who do you appreciate?

Showing appreciation is such a simple, small act yet it has huge benefits.

According to Glassdoor’s Employee Appreciation Survey, over half (53%) of employees indicated they would remain longer at their organization if they felt more appreciated by their boss. Additionally, 81% of workers reported feeling motivated to work harder when their manager expressed appreciation for their efforts.

Incorporating small acts of appreciation can make a significant difference.

Here are three effective ways to show appreciation:

• Sending a Sincere Thank You Note – I love old-school, handwritten notes.
• Copying into an Email Praising Their Performance – This is especially powerful from an external stakeholder or customer.
• Highlighting Their Actions in a Weekly Staff Meeting – Wouldn’t it be awesome if you built a culture where PDA (Public Displays of Appreciation) were the norm?

One last point, Carol Dweck’s work emphasises praising effort, not talent.

Talent implies a fixed, predetermined quality.

Effort is expansive. With effort comes growth. Look for and recognise persistence, resilience and the strategies employed.

“Managers who earn the most trust and dedication from their people do so with many simple but powerful actions.”

Gostick & Elton, The Carrot Principle