This Friday, March 5 is National Employee Appreciation Day. Companies and individuals don’t have to do something over-the-top or expensive to let employees know they are important.
Small, genuine acts of appreciation are highly valued by most individuals, especially if they are communicated in a person’s preferred Language of Appreciation.
It’s a fact that people feel appreciated in different ways. The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace are Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Acts of Service, Tangible Gifts, and Appropriate Physical Touch.
The first step in expressing authentic appreciation is identifying what it is you appreciate. Is it something related to their behavior, their character, their personality or an achievement?
The value of an employee goes beyond their work performance. It’s important to recognize and thank employees for other things, such as exhibiting the organization’s core values, having a sense of humor, or volunteering in the community.
Here is a list of 102 Reasons to Appreciate Someone you work with.
1. For exhibiting the organization’s core values
2. For consistently meeting deadlines
3. For having a strong work ethic
4. For going above and beyond the call of duty
5. For helping out a team member
6. For showing kindness to others
7. For fixing a problem
8. For taking time to appreciate others
9. For staying late
10. For representing the organization positively
11. For creating a better process or system
12. For acting in a professional manner
13. For completing extra work
14. For providing excellent customer service
15. For offering solutions
16. For having a positive attitude
17. For overcoming an obstacle
18. For not giving up
19. For improving their skills
20. For being reliable and dependable
21. For having integrity
22. For completing something quickly
23. For having pride in their work
24. For their loyalty
25. For being understanding
26. For trying even if they didn’t succeed
27. For leading by example
28. For catching a mistake
29. For handling pressure well
30. For having perseverance
31. For providing fresh ideas
32. For giving constructive feedback
33. For asking thoughful questions
34. For volunteering in the community
35. For achievements in their personal life
36. For having emotional intelligence
37. For doing something without being told
38. For following safety rules
39. For being a good listener
40. For fixing a mistake
41. For learning from their mistake
42. For being a leader
43. For having good time management skills
44. For successful completion of a training
45. For mentoring others
46. For taking time to train someone
47. For filling in for someone
48. For obtaining a certification
49. For treating others with respect
50. For being organized
51. For being detail-oriented
52. For being self-motivated
53. For having high standards
54. For doing the right thing
55. For being responsible
56. For going back to school
57. For earning a degree
58. For being creative
59. For being committed
60. For having a sense of humor
61. For having years of experience
62. For improving a weakness
63. For sharing resources
64. For valuing people
65. For making work fun
66. For being well-spoken
67. For thinking outside the box
68. For being flexible
69. For being humble
70. For being transparent
71. For being a team player
72. For being passionate
73. For being trustworthy
74. For good communication skills
75. For collaborating with another department
76. For openly sharing information with others
77. For cleaning up
78. For being punctual
79. For being prepared
80. For being thoughtful
81. For being inclusive
82. For bringing food or treats to share
83. For being patient
84. For motivating others
85. For sharing credit
86. For having a professional appearance
87. For having awareness
88. For good decision making
89. For going under budget
90. For being proactive
91. For being innovative
92. For taking ownership
93. For being results-oriented
94. For training a new employee
95. For being tech-savvy
96. For getting along well with others
97. For being team-oriented
98. For having empathy
99. For inspiring others
100. For trying something new
101. For empowering others
102. For using resources wisely
There are many different ways people bring value to the workplace and to their teams. Don’t miss an opportunity like National Employee Appreciation Day to celebrate the people who make it possible to achieve your mission every day.
With that said, employee appreciation is most effective when it is shown consistently.
Just as you wouldn’t limit expressing love only on Valentine’s Day, it would be foolish to only show employee appreciation on holidays.
Former chairman of the Ford Motor Company, Donald Peterson, said this, “The most important ten minutes of your day are those you spend doing something to boost the people you work with.”
Can you spare 10 minutes today?
