The Simple Truth About Employee Recognition: Small Gestures, Big Impact

Most companies run employee-recognition programs, but they often fall flat. They become another box for managers to check, completely disconnected from what employees actually accomplish. Some organizations try to fix this by creating special awards for people who've led major initiatives or embodied company values. But that approach creates its own problem: awards become elite opportunities for a chosen few, leaving the majority of the workforce feeling overlooked.

Here's what's interesting: when managers make employees feel genuinely appreciated, the benefits are significant. Research shows that when people experience gratitude from their manager, they're more productive. Teams perform better when members believe their colleagues respect and appreciate them.

So why do so many managers struggle with this?

The Gap Between Intention and Impact

In recent focus groups and interviews with both managers and employees, we discovered something revealing: there's a notable gap between how much managers appreciate their employees and how appreciated those employees actually feel.

Many managers assume their employees know how they feel about them. They don't. This is what researchers call the "illusion of transparency"—we overestimate how visible our emotions are to others.

Managers also told us that communicating appreciation seemed complicated. They worried about balancing gratitude with developmental feedback, or that their efforts would seem impersonal and meaningless.

But here's the thing: employees don't see this as complicated at all. They quickly and clearly articulated exactly what they need from their managers.

What Employees Actually Want

1. Touch Base Early and Often

Simply saying "Good morning" or "How are you?" matters more than you think. One employee told us that hearing those words from his department manager would have been as meaningful as formal recognition.

Regular check-ins prevent your staff from feeling invisible. When you create routines that allow employees to share what they're working on, you make them feel "known"—and you stay in the loop on what's happening in your organization.

2. Give Balanced Feedback

Employees want to know both what they're doing well and where they can improve. One employee explained that receiving praise from her manager was meaningful, but because she never got improvement-oriented suggestions, she questioned how valid the positive feedback was.

The key? Don't use the sandwich technique. When you stuff negative feedback between two layers of positive feedback, people get confused. High performers remember only the criticism, while those who need developmental feedback hear only the praise.

Clearly separate positive feedback from developmental feedback.

3. Address Growth Opportunities

When managers explicitly discuss growth potential or provide stretch assignments, employees interpret it as evidence that they're valued. When managers neglect development conversations, employees take it as a sign that they're not.

As one employee put it: "My manager is constantly recognizing my work, and I know that she sees that I go over and above. The issue is that she doesn't fight to get me new and greater opportunities."

4. Offer Flexibility

Whether it's the option to work remotely or suggesting someone come in late after working extra hours, employees interpret flexibility as an important signal of trust and appreciation. One employee told us that his flexible work schedule felt like "a huge recognition."

5. Make It a Habit

Taking a few minutes to tell your employee specifically what you value about their contributions can have tremendous impact.

Build it into your regular routines. Spend the first 15 minutes of your week writing a personal thank-you note. Start team meetings with shout-outs acknowledging individual accomplishments. Some managers give food and gift cards; others make it a point to visit with each report daily.

The idea isn't to create an automatic system. It's about giving yourself permission to express appreciation in a way that feels natural to you.

What Not to Do

Employees were equally clear about what doesn't work:

Inauthentic or generic expressions of gratitude. There's a big difference between yelling a thank-you on your way out the door versus sitting down with someone to describe what you value about their work. Meaningful appreciation is timely, relevant, and sincere. Hollow gestures may actually be worse than no thanks at all.

Neglecting standard company procedures. Annual reviews, quarterly check-ins, and award nominations might feel like a waste of time to busy managers, but to employees, they're important milestones. When you skip them, employees often infer that they—not the procedure—are what you don't value.

Letting employees feel isolated. Managers can see how each person's contributions fit with the work of others, but employees often lack that insight. When you highlight how employees use one another's work, appreciation spreads throughout the organization.

Sudden shifts in your appreciation practices. If you haven't been focused on showing appreciation, don't overcompensate. Employees will see it as insincere. Instead, let them know you're working on developing your gratitude skills. Ask how they'd like to be recognized—some enjoy public thanks, while others will bristle at the idea.

Making Appreciation Contagious

The best part? Appreciation is free and doesn't consume much time. Anyone at any level can offer it—to an employee, a colleague, or a boss. But when leaders get involved, a culture of appreciation spreads more quickly.

Consider partnering with one or more peers to exchange ideas and create accountability for your efforts. Discuss gratitude strategies that have worked well (or haven't).

At the end of the day, building a culture of appreciation comes down to common sense practices: Not taking your people for granted. Remembering to say thank-you in a personal and sincere way. Making it clear that you're interested in your employees' growth and in them as individuals.

Start by expressing more gratitude to those around you and see what happens. The little things make a big difference.

Until next time,