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Feb 24, 2023
Michele Markey, CEO of SkillPath
When I first started working, the concept of employee appreciation was much different. Getting to keep your job was how company leaders showed their gratitude toward employees. Most of the time, colleagues showed you appreciation rather than managers, and you depended on your co-workers to let you know that they valued your help or expertise.
Times have changed. Now, almost all the responsibility for employee appreciation falls on the employer. This isn’t a bad thing; employee expectations have changed, and employers need to evolve along with those expectations.
I think employer expectations have grown too, so it makes sense that employees want more acknowledgement for the extra work they’re doing.
Post-pandemic, it’s been difficult to show employees that they’re appreciated. Working a hybrid schedule or completely remote, while good and necessary, makes it harder to get to know employees. Regardless of a company’s situation, employers can do more to show how much they value their employees.
It takes hard work, but the effort is worth it if it improves employee retention, happiness and loyalty. If you want to earn your employees’ trust, make them feel like you value their contributions to the company in more aspects than just their work.
There are the automatic things that come with any job; meeting expectations, being on time, getting along with coworkers. But I think the best thing an employee can do to earn appreciation is to be coachable.
I’ve talked a lot about how employers can be approachable and offer appreciation, but it doesn't all flow from the top-down. Managers offer constructive criticism and honest feedback because they want to see their employees reach their full potential.
I’m happy to see the changes that have been made when it comes to employee appreciation. But to fully understand how to appreciate their employees, company leaders should often ask themselves, “What’s the best way to work together? How do we appreciate one another?”
There may be an annual Employee Appreciation Day, but the sentiment needs to be broader than just one day so employees can feel seen and heard for their hard work.
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Michele Markey
CEO of SkillPath
Michele Markey is the CEO of SkillPath. A leader in the learning and development industry since 1989, SkillPath delivers more than 16,000 training sessions each year and has enriched the professional and personal lives of more than 10 million individuals worldwide.
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