INTRODUCTION
Let's say you're a recent graduate. Initially, you were offered an office job, you were
eager and extremely devoted to the company. But as time passes, you are stressed
because of repeatedly boring job, low salary, bad relationship with colleagues, no
growth opportunities, and even no recognition by the manager. Those are common
sentiments that employees are encountering in any organization.
The world seems to become "flat” (Grant & Parker, 2009); but whatever happens
there is a trade-off; through companies' increasingly high demand, their employees are
under more and more pressure. Almost 10 years ago, 1 out of 7 Dutch employees
publicly admitted suffering from burnout (CBS & TNO, 2015). In 2005, 1051
company doctors complained of feeling exhausted; 10 years later, this number
increased to 1989; an increase of 89% (Hooftman et al., 2016). These numbers
demonstrate that companies in general and the manager/leader in particular need to
pay more attention to the importance of motivating employees in particular and
managing people in general.
In this report, we will partly analyze the aspect of employee motivation by bringing up
the little things you can do and avoid, making employees feel appreciated,
summarized from an article about Managing People by Harvard Business Review.
SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS
After thoroughly studying the article, we delved deeper into understanding why the
suggested strategies are effective. Our in-depth research revealed intriguing insights.
In this section, we'll summarize the small actions to take and the common mistakes to
avoid when aiming to make employees feel appreciated as a manager, providing
additional analysis for clarity.
I. THINGS-TO-DO
1. Touch base early and often
In today's competitive job market, individuals prioritize workplaces where they feel
valued. While some may question the need for direct manager-employee interaction,
research by Oksana Zanozovska (2017) emphasizes its significance. Small gestures
like daily greetings from managers hold great meaning, fostering a sense of
contribution and appreciation among employees. Additionally, nurturing relationships
through internal communication, as highlighted by Gavin and Mayer (2005), builds
trust, crucial for boosting morale and productivity. Trusted employees tend to work
more effectively and feel comfortable expressing their thoughts. Additionally,
managers should allocate time each day for direct contact with their employees to
strengthen relationships and enhance employee well-being and productivity
(Zanozovska, 2017).
.
2. Give balanced feedback
Feedback plays a vital role in influencing employees' work efforts, offering insights
into their performance and shaping tailored training programs (Ellis, 2005). While
feedback can be positive or negative, research by Su, Lin, and Ding (2019) indicates
that positive feedback indirectly motivates employees to innovate, whereas negative
feedback may lead to demotivation and disengagement. However, supervisors should
aim to strike a balance between both types of feedback to foster continual
improvement. Sensitivity to feedback varies among employees, so managers should
exercise tact and balance, alternating between praise and constructive criticism.
Regular feedback communicates value and care from managers, reinforcing
employees' belief in their manager's desire for their self-improvement.
3. Address growth opportunities
Promotion opportunities serve as strong motivators for employees, as they provide
clarity about their career progression and recognition of their abilities. When
managers openly discuss growth prospects and offer advancement opportunities,
employees feel valued and motivated to enhance their performance to achieve career
goals. Promotions not only provide immediate satisfaction but also offer long-term
fulfillment by elevating employees to higher positions with increased responsibilities,
reflecting their efforts, behavior, and tenure within the organization. Investing in
training, mentorship programs, and career advancement pathways further
demonstrates a commitment to employees' professional development and cultivates a
culture of ongoing learning and growth.
4. Offer flexibility
In the modern era, characterized by rapid technological advancements and
unpredictable business landscapes, the demand for employee work flexibility has
escalated. This flexibility, which encompasses various forms such as remote work,
flexible hours, and job sharing, enables employees to effectively manage both their
professional responsibilities and personal lives. It facilitates innovative problem-
solving and swift adaptation to changing circumstances, fostering a healthier work-life
balance. Flexible work arrangements not only provide convenience and reduce stress
but also promote mental and physical well-being; or in other words, employees will
feel like “a huge recognition”, leading to increased efficiency, determination, and
coordination among employees (Abid & Barech, 2017; Omondi & Obonyo, 2018).
5. Make it a habit
The primary goal of the four aforementioned strategies is to indirectly impact the
morale and mindset of employees. Instead of solely relying on them to "feel"
appreciated, it's crucial to ensure they "know" they are being acknowledged through
compliments or gifts. Timely compliments serve as potent morale boosters, especially
when given in recognition of achievements in meetings or presentations. Public
acknowledgment not only motivates the recipient but also positions them as role
models for colleagues. Consistency is key; caring for employees should be a habitual
practice, not merely a sporadic hobby. Regular implementation of these gestures not
only fosters a positive work environment but also instills good discipline in managers'
lives.
II. MISTAKES-TO-AVOID
1. Expressions of gratitude and appreciation practices
Managers should offer praise that resonates with an employee's pride, extending
beyond mere gratitude or encouragement. According to Bob B. Nelson (2005),
effective praise should be prompt, genuine, personalized, positive, and proactive. This
approach ensures that appreciation feels fresh and motivating. Furthermore, leaders
must be mindful of how compliments are distributed, as overly critical judgments can
evoke negative emotions such as jealousy or feeling undervalued. Additionally,
recognizing individual contributions appropriately is vital, as team success may not
always result from equal efforts. Understanding employees' preferences for
recognition and rewards is also crucial for effective leadership.
2. Standard company procedures.
Many managers find standard company procedures such as yearly evaluations and
quarterly assessments burdensome, considering them unproductive. However, these
processes hold significant value for employees, serving as markers of their growth and
contributions. Adhering to these procedures ensures professionalism and reliability,
aligning employees with the company's vision (Rahareng, 2021). A company with
robust standard procedures fosters a sense of value and cohesion among its workforce.
Neglecting these procedures may lead employees to feel undervalued. Open
communication regarding deviations from standard protocols is crucial to prevent
misunderstandings. Ultimately, following company rules and conducting annual
assessments contributes to employees feeling appreciated by the company.
3. Employee isolation.
Workplace isolation can result from physical distance from coworkers or the feeling
of emotional disconnection from others (Bartel, 2012) (Marshall, 2007). This isolation
is described as a psychological concept with dimensions related to how employees
perceive their separation from colleagues and the company (Marshall, 2007). Isolated
employees often experience feelings of disconnection, loneliness, undervaluation, or
exclusion, leading to stress, decreased motivation, and a lack of support or
collaboration. Managers play a crucial role in fostering confidence and cohesion
among their staff, as they have a clearer understanding of individual contributions and
their alignment with others'. Promoting appreciation in the organization can help
alleviate feelings of isolation among employees.
CRITICAL EVALUATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
"The Little Things That Make Employees Feel Appreciated" by Kerry Roberts
Gibson, Kate O’Leary & Joseph R. Weintraub offers valuable insights for future
managers. Honestly, at first, we might not prioritize employee appreciation, but the
article provides a comprehensive perspective, emphasizing the importance of
recognizing employees. It highlights the significance of employee management,
particularly in situations where employees feel undervalued due to lack of attention.
However, we do partly disagree and have some deep questions about things the article
has given, which can really be problems in case you applied these all above methods
to your organizations but didn’t manage them well.
1. How can managers touch base often, make it a habit, give feedback or offer
growth opportunities to all of your employees?
Research from Harvard Business Review indicates that managers frequently
experience elevated levels of stress and workload compared to individual contributors
(Jim Harter, 2019). Contrary to popular belief, being a manager is not always a
positive experience. Many assume it involves merely overseeing and directing, but in
reality, managers spend a significant amount of time fulfilling managerial
responsibilities such as decision-making, team coordination, performance evaluation,
and strategic planning. These tasks demand considerable time and effort, contributing
to the challenges managers face.
For a busy manager overseeing a department with over 100 employees, maintaining
personal interactions like saying "Good morning," asking "How are you?" or
providing feedback, and writing thank-you notes to each individual can be
challenging, especially if we don't see them regularly.
Additionally, promotion opportunities are highly coveted but are typically limited to a
few outstanding employees, usually one or two at most. As managers, we can
motivate our team members by openly discussing their growth potential and outlining
the future prospects for their careers. However, when employees repeatedly inquire
about promotions, we often delay or make promises without concrete actions. It's
crucial to recognize that employees cannot wait indefinitely for these opportunities,
and consistent follow-through is essential to maintain their trust and engagement.
2. How can managers publicly recognize an individual without causing conflict
in that individual's relationship with colleagues?
After a very long time observing and evaluating personnel; you finally can point out
the most deserving individual for recognition. You know that person is more hard-
working, productive than anyone else in the team; and then you thank him/her
publicly because you know he/she may enjoy that experience.
While recognizing outstanding contributions is essential, maintaining fairness is
paramount. Despite one individual's deserving recognition, colleagues who feel they
contribute less may experience jealousy or resentment. In extreme cases, the
recognized individual may face ostracism. As a manager, while solving the problem of
one employee feeling unappreciated, you risk disrupting harmonious relationships
among others. Research indicates that employees with supportive relationships tend to
have higher job satisfaction (Bella & K. Majini, 2023), highlighting the importance of
balancing recognition with maintaining a positive team dynamic.
And to solve these arise problems, we do give some recommendations:
- Empower employees
Many managers face the challenge of managing too many employees, which leads to
overload. Delegation, where managers assign tasks to others under supervision, is a
solution. By empowering employees to take on responsibilities and manage specific
departments, managers can lighten their workload. Group leaders gather information
and report back to the manager, streamlining communication and facilitating better
understanding between managers and employees (Baker, Edward L. MD, MPH;
Murphy, Susan A, 2022).
- Scheduled Check-Ins
When you are a busy manager, you are often away from the company due to business
trips for instance, so you cannot meet employees regularly; so the solution scheduled
Check-Ins might be a good choice. Set aside specific times each week or month for
one-on-one check-ins with a small team of your department. Even short meetings can
provide opportunities for feedback and discussion about growth.
- A basis standard for recognition
Employees are more inclined to appreciate public recognition when they grasp the
reasons behind it (R. Saunderson, 2016). When the criteria for recognition are
transparent, employees perceive it as fair and merit-based, leading to increased
motivation. Establishing clear performance evaluation frameworks helps align
employee efforts with organizational goals, enhances commitment, and provides
constructive feedback for growth and development (Vuong & Loi, 2022). This
understanding not only promotes individual progress but also contributes to the
overall improvement and success of the organization.
EXAMPLE OF REAL-LIFE COMPANY
And to give an example of businesses that have done a great job in terms of caring
about employees, we'll give a typical name: Google. Here are some small and
attentive things that Google has done for its employees.
First, Google demonstrates its commitment to employee well-being by providing
workforce flexibility. Recognizing that each employee may have unique
circumstances impacting their performance (Tomas, 2019), Google offers flexible
schedules to accommodate individual needs. This approach allows employees to work
productively and creatively without distractions from personal obligations or other
factors.
Second, Google provides their workers with exclusive perks. Nowadays, employees
have a higher request for jobs, they want a job in a firm that offers them more things
than just the salary. To meet that demand, Google brings for the staff a lot of different
perks such as: Free dental and health checkups, gyms, swimming pool, breakfast;
lunch; dinner, car subsidies,.. so that employees feel they are always cared for.
Last but not least, at Google, the relationship between managers and workers has to be
set up based on trust, such as open communication, empowerment and autonomy,
feedback culture, and clear expectations and goals. The study on the effectiveness of
trust showed that it can lead to the positive attitude, behaviors, and performance of
employees (Matzler & Renzl, 2006). Therefore, Google catches that key of
management, they believe in their workers and support, encouraging them to think
creatively and innovatively. That is why employees feel more valuable and happier
when they work for Google.
In conclusion, to us, Google is one of the first enterprises which has successfully done
several little things for their employees, so that the people always feel recognized and
appreciated.
CONCLUSION
In the essay above, we have discussed the little things that make employees feel
appreciated. Implementing those small things will greatly contribute to helping
employees become more comfortable and open, but those things still contain many
controversial issues, making it difficult to implement them perfectly. So we also tried
to come up with solutions that we thought were appropriate. In the foreseeable future,
we, as successful managers, want to find the most effective and easy-to-apply
solutions for companies so that employees can always feel respected!
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