I recently received a hand-written thank you note from a colleague - in the mail of all places! I really appreciated it, especially as try I make an effort to give notes of recognition and appreciation to my team and co-workers.
Unfortunately, it’s been a habit I lost working remotely, and one that I am bound to restore. Getting that note reminded me that going an extra step to mail something is worth it and can have a big impact – in fact it gave me an energy boost to be recognized in such a personal way.
Turns out, I am not alone. Research backs up that morale boost I felt when I got recognition. A recent article in Harvard Business Review reported on new research that demonstrates that small, free recognition such as thank you notes, public recognition, and certificates can increase employee morale. Did you catch that? Free or very low-cost methods yield a great impact!
At FZ, we exist to have a positive impact on the lives of people. We do that through the relationships we have with our employees, our customers, and our community. In every aspect of what we do, simple acts of recognition and appreciation can go a long way to making someone feel valued.
From an employee perspective, appreciation can strengthen engagement, leading to better business results. The survey gurus, Gallup, ask a key question in their Q12 Engagement Survey around this topic, “In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.”
Gallup’s research demonstrates that recognition needs to be frequent and authentic, and that it helps build engagement that leads to stronger teams and organizations. Recognition isn’t just from a manager to an employee, but rather a culture where everyone offers recognition and appreciation freely.
So, how can you say “thank you” more often? Here are few ways to start.
- See if your organization has a recognition platform and use it.
- If you don’t have a recognition platform, send an email to the person and cc: their leader and peer(s).
- Send a handwritten note to say thank you.
- Don’t like writing notes? Try a text thank you/recognition.
- Give someone a virtual high five in your next Zoom or Teams meeting.
- Working back in the office? Thank the person, in-person – socially distanced of course!
Whatever your method, I encourage you to thank someone today.
