Your workplace recognition program starts with training managers in employee appreciation

Training managers in employee appreciation gives your company a competitive advantage. (Photo via Kevin Dooley, Flickr)

Training managers in employee appreciation ensures the success of your workplace recognition efforts and protects your business. It also solves a common organizational problem: employees who don’t understand manager directives.
“Simply put, almost two-thirds of all employees are 33 percent as productive as they can be because they don’t understand what they are now asked to do,” according to a survey of 50,000 employees.
Understanding and appreciation are codependent.
“Training and educating employees in company values and objectives in a way that makes sense to them — through their daily work — is a mission-critical goal for organizations today,” Derek Irvine writes for Training Industry.
“Strategic employee recognition is the most effective method for achieving that goal,” he adds.
And it goes beyond simply thanking employees at the annual office party. Truly effective employee appreciation is not always self-explanatory or obvious. It’s a learned skill.
The best appreciation combines clear, mission-driven communication, smart analytics, year-round development and strategic gifts and praise.
Training managers in this level of employee appreciation isn’t just good for employees and productivity. It’s good for managers. It shows the company is willing to invest in their development.

7 Reasons for Training Managers in Employee Appreciation

Leaders set the tone for workplace culture. Unite all leaders with a common objective and the tools they need to pursue it. Include all leaders, from shift supervisors on up to the CEO!
Training managers in employee appreciation is vital to the success of your recognition programs and your workplace culture.
1. It Teaches People Skills
“Not all employees respond to the same type of recognition and praise,” Dr. Sherlene McHenry writes for Nursery Management. Some prefer gifts or words of affirmation, while others respond better to quality time or a friendly fist bump. Managers need to learn to decipher each employee’s “love language.”
2. It Brings Everyone Up-to-Date on Best Practices
The workplace is changing. Leading others in this “new world of work” looks “profoundly different” from the past, according to the Bersin by Deloitte report “Enabling Change with a Culture of Leadership and Learning.” Appreciation and engagement are not just “nice to have” elements in the workplace. They matter to the bottom line, so it’s important to bring your entire staff up-to-date.
3. It Promotes Flexibility
Effective leaders now are learning to manage up, down and sideways, reports McKinsey Quarterly. Help your managers learn the flexible performance management skills that will put them at the forefront of this trend!
4. It Positions Your Company Ahead of the Competition
Most companies are still struggling to adopt strategic HR functions. According to HR Dive, only 35 percent of organizations use a high-performing HR system. In addition, only 17 percent of organizations “plan to change the models they currently use.” By training managers in employee appreciation that links HR to C-suite strategy, you’re already putting your company ahead.
5. It Improves Team Dynamics
“Poor team dynamics” is one of the top five predictors of employee turnover, according to Quantum Workplace. Specifically, “dislike of immediate supervisor makes employees head for the door.” Your managers have a big impact on whether employees leave, Quantum Workplace’s research found: “Only 65.2 percent of employees who left said they liked working for their immediate supervisor, compared to 77.6 percent of employees who remained at the organization.”
6. It Helps Keep Burnout at Bay
Employee burnout is a problem in today’s workplace, and it’s a complex one. But one thing is clear, according to Harvard Business Review: burnout is a problem with the company, not the person. Training managers in employee appreciation arms them with the skills and resources they need to shift the culture to one of resilience, not burnout.
7. It Builds a Culture of Gratitude
Gratitude is like a muscle: the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Having managers who know when and how to show appreciation builds a culture of gratitude that attracts and retains employees. And because gratitude naturally spreads, training managers in gratitude is one of the most sustainable investments you can make.

Free Resource: Your Day-to-Day Employee Engagement Calendar

Building a vibrant culture of appreciation takes real work. We all need inspiration at times to spread daily workplace gratitude. Download our Day-to-Day Employee Celebration Calendar and gain tools and inspiration to build your culture of appreciation every day of the year. Be inspired; download yours today, absolutely free.

“In life, one has a choice to take one of two paths: to wait for some special day — or to celebrate each special day.” – Rasheed Ogunlaru, coach and author

Model what you expect from managers and you’ll find they’ll find it easier to share appreciation with their reports. It’s an everyday commitment. Why not start today?

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