Are you and your employees fully engaged in your work? A number of studies suggest much of the Indian workforce is dissatisfied, causing disengagement, driving unwanted turnover, and costing companies billions of dollars. In Disengaged Employees May Be Impeding India’s Growth, Steve Crabtree states that “Nearly one-third of the country's employees are actively disengaged.” According to a 2012 Gallup study quoted in, A Looming Threat to Every Indian Workplace, “32 percent of employed Indians are actively disengaged, and 60 percent are not engaged.” In business journal, Are Your Star Employees Slipping Away?, Jim Harter and Amy Adkins note that “slightly more than half of employees (51 percent) state they are actively looking for a new job or watching for openings, and 35 percent of workers report changing jobs within the past three years”. Even the U.S. Department of Labor states that the number one reason people leave their jobs is because they “do not feel appreciated.” It is worth noting that, while the situation in India has room for improvement, a study has shown that India had a 46 percent engagement rate, putting it ahead of the United States (30 percent) and the world average (34 percent). Valuing employees: The path forward These statistics present a sad commentary about the modern workplace. However, there is hope when it comes to building strong organizational cultures that support and retain productive employees as research shows that when employees feel appreciated and valued, they increase productivity and engagement, loyalty, satisfaction scores from customers, and have better safety records. Studies also show that employee engagement is directly linked to how leaders and managers interact with employees. While Gallup in one of its reports revealed that managers who focus on their employees’ strengths eliminate active disengagement and double the number of workers who are engaged. A worldwide study by Towers Watson concluded that “the single highest determinant for engagement is whether or not employees feel that their manager is genuinely interested in their well-being”. In Bringing Out the Best in People, Aubrey Daniels explains that, “recognition and appreciation are the most powerful motivators of improved performance. Building a successful business means most of all bringing out the best in people — only people-oriented positive reinforcement in the form of appreciation, recognition and gratitude can do that.” In addition to improved work product results, appreciations also lead to positive changes in attitude, relationships and viewpoints, which help build a strong organizational culture. There’s even more good news to share — people who give appreciations benefit as well. There is evidence that sharing positive messages with others promote a feeling of happiness in the person delivering the message. The results are simple and intuitive — there’s a tremendous amount to gain by appreciating those around you in the workplace. We all want to know that we are valued and appreciated. When you actively appreciate and take an interest in the qualities, characteristics, and work of the people around you, you develop a culture where people love to work and are fully engaged, and where your customers and clients enjoy doing business. Steps to develop a culture of appreciation Gain awareness for appreciation If you’re not in the habit of appreciating people openly, begin by watching for behaviors and attitudes that add value to you and/or the company. Notice your employees doing things that add value to the organization. It could be their upbeat, positive attitude or their hard work. It could be the effort and thought they put into a project. It could be their creative thinking or ideas. Acknowledge specifics The most meaningful appreciations are specific and individual. What exactly are you appreciating? You strengthen the message by including specific impacts that the actions or qualities have on you or your organization. Acknowledgments have greater impact when they are delivered specific to an individual contribution than when they are shared to a whole group. Give meaningful appreciations Let individuals know you appreciate who they are and what they do. Keep in mind that different people like to be appreciated differently. (This concept is further explained in Paul White and Gary Chapman’s, The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace). Some like hearing the words of appreciation or seeing them written in a note; some feel valued when you choose to spend time together; others like receiving gifts; some like to be offered help and support; and others like a pat on the back. Calibrate your expression of appreciation to the recipient’s particular style. Sincerity is key. Clarify roles, responsibilities, mission &vision Enroll employees in the mission, vision, and values of the organization. Take the time to clarify job roles and responsibilities. Offer a warm welcome to new employees. Getting new employees off on the right track is important to their success in the organization. Acclimatize them to the culture and provide an understanding of how their role fits into the bigger picture. Follow through on commitments Following through on commitments builds trust. It also communicates that the other person is important. Encourage openness When you listen to others’ opinions, perspectives, and feedback, you communicate that you value their thoughts and insights. Someone whose ideas are considered is more likely to want to continue as an integral part of the team. Show interest Employees bring more than their physical presence to work; they bring their life history and their stories and experiences. Ask them about themselves. Connecting with them will help you gain an understanding of their past and present, and their goals for the future. It will help them know that you care about them. Trust them Give them the freedom to own their projects. It is empowering to feel a sense of pride when we do good work and take personal ownership of results. Help them grow Learn your employees’ strengths and aspirations. When you help your employees grow, you empower them. Make sure you are utilizing each employee’s strengths. It will bring out the best in them and in turn be of benefit to the organization. Take the time to appreciate Meaningful appreciations don’t take a lot of time. Words of appreciation typically can be spoken in less than 30 seconds. However, the value and positive impact of hearing words of appreciation can be long-lasting. Be authentic When those around us are genuine, we tend to be freer to be ourselves. When honesty and authenticity are the norm, we are more creative and open and, as a result, do our best work. Appreciation reinforces positive behavior What you appreciate gets reinforced. By offering appreciation, you are indirectly communicating what behavior you’d like to continue to see in the future. When you appreciate you also are giving validation to the recipient of your message. Others’ confidence in our abilities helps us see those qualities in ourselves and gives us the strength to take risks and grow. When we are valued, we gain confidence, feel good, and eagerly contribute. Create a culture where employees feel valued and are appreciated. The pay-off for you, the organization, and for your employees is huge. References 1 http://www.dalecarnegie.in/how_engaged_are_your_employees/ 2 https://www.glassdoor.com/employers/blog/the-cost-of-a-disengaged-employees