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How Hard is it to Say “Thank You”?

How Hard is it to Say “Thank You”?

Employee recognition is a hot topic!

So, seriously – how hard is it to say “thank you”?

I know we’re British and all that and we must maintain a stiff upper lip at all times but is it really such a hard thing to say?

Apparently it is! When asked, over half of employees felt that their bosses could do more to show their appreciation; most of those employees went even further to say they’d leave a company if they didn’t receive recognition for their good work.

Two thirds of employees stated that morale and motivation in the business would improve if their managers thanked them more. Yes! That’s two thirds!!

So why, when our work force are telling us that recognition for a job-well-done is more important to them than a high salary – why on earth aren’t we thanking them?

Why is it that businesses are continually ploughing huge amounts of money into reward programmes, long service award schemes and all manner of crappy insurance / health schemes when what most employees really want is a simple “thank you” and some recognition for that extra time they spent at work the evening before last to make sure a deadline was hit.

It’s not rocket science is it? So what exactly is stopping us?

Is it perhaps easier to throw money at reward schemes than dip into the scary world of emotions and compliments?

Is it that psychologically we’re all sat behind our desks dying to be thanked for our hard work but when in reality our manager comes over to say, “thanks” we blush and want the ground to open up and swallow us? Maybe it’s just not British to be able to accept a compliment even though we really, really want one?

Whatever it is that’s holding us back, we MUST break through the barrier and encourage a culture of employee recognition and “thanks” between peers and from managers. If you can’t bring yourself you say it directly, how about popping a nice message in an email or e-card, even better in a handwritten note?

By the way, before you consider starting an ‘’employee of the month’ scheme … those fell out of fashion in the 90s. None of us need to see a revival of that. It’s about recognising an individual for work well done, at the time they did it – not the month after with some gimmicky cheesy photo at reception.

Just say a “thanks”, maybe give a card, perhaps stretch to flowers, chocolates or some sort of small gift such as a personalised voucher but all the research is saying that a simple, genuine “thank you” or “well done” goes a long way.

Thank you!!