With Employee Appreciation Day on March 1 this year, it's time for managers to think about how to recognize their team's hard work and dedication. But how can managers make the most out of Employee Appreciation Day and ensure their team feels valued and recognized? In this article, we'll explore three impactful ways managers can show appreciation and recognition to their teams, fostering a culture of recognition and engagement in the workplace.

Let’s jump right into it: Research shows us there is a strong connection between underappreciation and burnout in the workplace. So the obvious question becomes, how can managers properly while authentically offer appreciation to employees?

Gratitude in the workplace can take many different forms, such as gift-giving or offering recognition, but it all really traces back to one thing: shining the spotlight on team members so that they feel seen, appreciated, and valued. At Leadology, we know that the key to meaningful recognition is to appreciate the things that your employees value most about themselves. 

While this date is a valuable opportunity for recognition, the practice of appreciation should extend beyond a single day. Employee Appreciation Day serves as a reminder to celebrate achievements, but genuine recognition lies in integrating appreciation into daily workplace interactions. With that in mind, here are three impactful ways managers can honor their team's dedication and commitment throughout the year.

Three (New) Ways For Managers Can Show More Gratitude for Their Teams

If you’re thinking, I’ve heard this all before - don’t worry! We’re not going to tell you to give out $5, ‘Coffee’s On Me’ vouchers. Here are three meaningful ways managers can show gratitude to their employees, whether it’s employee appreciation day or any other day of the year.

1. Give positive feedback that sounds like appreciation
   Feedback plays an integral role in the growth of our teams, and recognizing employees for their wins in the workplace can reaffirm positive behaviors and make them feel appreciated for their efforts. When we’re able to reorient this feedback as appreciation, it can ultimately feel more authentic and personal. It can even be as simple as “Thank you for (insert result or outcome). I’ve really come to appreciate your (insert skill or ability).”

2. Celebrate their wins outside of work
   Seeing our employees for the people that they are—not just work contributors—can have a huge impact on their fulfillment and development at your organization. Celebrating life events and personal milestones is just another way to do this. While many of you may have anecdotal evidence of how effective this is, Workhuman has the research to back it up: celebrating life events in the workplace overall leads to a 23% increase in employee’s mental health.

3. Spend time learning together
   Investing in professional and personal development opportunities for your employees is a significant way to recognize them as valuable individual contributors—and bonus points if you empower them to take the steering wheel! Maybe it’s a monthly book club, a segment of your team meeting to watch and discuss a TED Talk, or a workshop led by a subject matter expert on your team. Whatever it manifests as, consistent growth opportunities like these can go a long way.

It’s Important to Practice Gratitude Regularly

As managers, it’s important that your efforts to recognize individual contributors are consistent; but just like any other tool of effective leadership, it must be practiced. We’ve seen how important this is first-hand: twice a year, countless managers from a variety of backgrounds come together through our premier leadership and manager training program, where they engage in purposeful conversations and formative development opportunities to hone these skills.

Help Your Managers Show More Gratitude and Become Better Leaders

Far too many managers are struggling with ineffective communication (including giving and receiving feedback!), and are lacking the skills and knowledge required to improve their team’s performance and enrich their sense of engagement. If your organization is looking for new ways to show appreciation for your teams, schedule a call with us today to learn more about Activate. Our influential program for managers equips leaders with the resources they need to lead with gratitude all year round.