Every employee wants to feel they are valued, to see themselves in a positive light. This is a fundamental human motivation proven by research, as discussed in the article, “The little things that make employees appreciated,” published in 2020 in the Harvard Business Review. And so people are prepared to contribute more if they feel they are achieving something worthwhile. Read about the 8 magic comments that workers love to hear, and which show you support them.
The following phrases are music to our ears! You don’t have to be a manager or supervisor to say them; you can show leadership as a colleague. (Some people say employers exploit this type of motivation to extract more from their staff for no extra cost. If the employer is doing this, it is extremely unethical and will rebound on the employer sooner or later.)
Make a note of these comments and use them when you feel it is appropriate. They are all 8 magic comments that workers love to hear.
Several of these points amount to employee recognition, praise, acknowledgment, approval, compliments etc. I believe these are extremely important motivators to every person, and I have written an ebook published in this website, which explain how to do it well – Employee Recognition: The secret to great team performance, which you can use as a detailed guide.
(Above comments adapted from an article by David Mielach of Business News Daily.)
You can actively listen to others, you can thank people for their work at a personal level, you can recognize their work at an organizational level, you can be polite to others, and you can model good behavior as an example to others.
Feeling grateful to others and appreciating them has several beneficial effects on us individually: gratitude enables us to savor positive experiences, cope with stressful circumstances, be resilient in the face of challenges, and strengthen our social relationships.
Leaders and internal communication professionals play an important role in creating an environment where employees feel valued for who they are—and not just what they do. This 2021 article by Andrea Greenhous in PR Daily, “5 ways to nurture a culture of gratitude in the workplace,” provides some valuable advice on the topic
Feeling grateful to others and appreciating them has several beneficial effects on us individually: gratitude enables us to savor positive experiences, cope with stressful circumstances, be resilient in the face of challenges, and strengthen our social relationships.
Researcher Prof. Francesca Gino wrote an article, “Be grateful more often,” in the Harvard Business Review in 2013, which discussed her previous research with Prof. Adam Grant of the Wharton Business School that found even simple expressions of gratitude can have powerful and long-lasting effects on those who receive them. This reinforced the conclusion that gratitude wins trust and respect from others.
My article, “A useful ratio for giving praise,” discusses several research results on giving praise and recognition to others.
On the other hand, the impact of negative emotions, and especially the feeling of being devalued, is extremely toxic. People want to hear that they matter – it may be the most precious thing in the world to them. According to international research conducted by Willis Towers Watson, the single most important factor in engagement is employees feeling their managers are genuinely interested in their wellbeing. Less than 40% of workers felt so engaged.
Much more beneficial is to remember to use these 8 magic phrases that workers love to hear.
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