Let’s talk about employee appreciation. Did you know that most workers feel unappreciated?
In a recent survey, two-thirds of employees said they feel unappreciated by their boss on a daily basis. One in three workers surveyed also said they’d give up a week’s pay for more recognition from their employer.
This is a problem.
Employee Appreciation Should Be a Priority
Every employee should feel valued in their workplace and treated like a whole person. On a larger scale, consider how these statistics affect turnover rates and overall employee satisfaction in the workplace.
As a Leader, you know you should show appreciation to your Executive Assistant and team.
But, sometimes things get in the way.
- You don’t think you are “good” at showing appreciation
- You don’t know what to say or do
- You forget
- You don’t have time
- You aren’t speaking the same “language” of appreciation as your EA, so your gestures get lost in translation
What is a sufficient way to say thank you? What’s too much, or not enough? How often is enough?
A lot of Leaders default to saying nothing because they grew up in the school of hard knocks. They didn’t get pats on the back for doing their job — so why should their team?
In their mind, no news is good news. No critique or praise is a sign of satisfaction.
How do you feel about showing employee appreciation? Do you make time for it?
If you feel on the fence about it, go back to the research. According to Harvard Business Review, as employer recognition goes up…so does employee engagement and performance.
Employer engagement has also been shown to reduce quiet quitting in the workplace. Team members were most engaged when they felt their employer balanced their expectations for results with genuine care and interest in them as a person.
Related content: My Thoughts On Quiet Quitting
Leaders, we know you move fast. But, you cannot operate with tunnel vision. You have to be willing to slow down, stop, see and appreciate what your EA has done for you and your organization.
You need to be intentional about recognizing the big and little things your assistant does to keep you running.
Related content: Appreciating Your EA in New Ways
Retention is everything right now…
A little can go a long way. A simple “thank you” can help your EA push through a late night, or go the extra mile on a simple project.
Treat Your EA How They Need to Be Treated
As you invest in employee engagement, remember: there is value in learning how to show a teammate appreciation in the way they need to be treated.
The Five Love Languages teach us that everyone expresses and receives love differently. These same “languages” apply to the workplace. Here is an example, adapted from CareerContessa.com.
The Five Workplace Love Languages
- Words of Affirmation = Feedback + Mentorship.
- Quality Time = Workplace Bonding.
- Receiving Gifts = New Opportunities + Challenges.
- Acts of Service = Support.
- Physical Touch = Encouraging Touchpoints.
Be direct with your EA and ask them: what is their workplace love language? How can you encourage them this way?
For example, if “words of affirmation” don’t come naturally to you, but you know a teammate needs them, try sending a handwritten thank you note. Or schedule an encouraging Slack message.
If you know your EA really values small gifts, try to find something creative under $20 to surprise them. (You can use our Ultimate Gift Giving Guide as a reference).
Every employee deserves to feel seen, valued, and appreciated. Leaders, take the time to invest in employee engagement and see how performance improves!
Are you ready to grow your team with full-time or fractional Executive support? if so, schedule a free 30-minute strategy call.
