Good compensation is a cornerstone in how to make employees feel valued; after all, few of us want to – or could – work without salary. But if a guaranteed pay cheque at the end of each month were all it took, well-reimbursed positions would seldom be left.
The manager who pays attention to what makes their employees feel valued will be rewarded with greater loyalty, productivity and motivation among their team members. The following strategies, backed up by scientific data, are designed to be incorporated into your daily managerial duties.
1. INSTIL A SENSE OF BELONGING
Some employees work best in large groups, others in partnerships, others when left to their own devices. But research from Stanford suggests that everyone thrives when they’re working towards a common or shared goal. Do pay attention to the working preferences of individuals within your team and bear these in mind when you set tasks, but be clear and explicit too about how each individual’s own unique contribution and skillset plays into the overarching objective of the team, department or wider company.
2. DON’T JUST DELEGATE TASKS; DELEGATE DECISIONS
A famous experiment divided participants into two groups: those who were gifted a random lottery ticket and those able to choose their own numbers. Before the draw, researchers offered to buy back the tickets of both groups. Of those opting to sell, the ones who’d chosen their own numbers negotiated five times the price for their tickets. The lesson? Individuals put greater value on that which they’ve invested in personally.
There’s a lesson here for the delegating manager: employees take greater ownership of opportunities that come their way if they can truly make their mark (as opposed to being your ‘mini me’). So paint a picture of the result without being too descriptive of how your delegate should go about colouring in the lines. At the conclusion of the project, ensure any constructive feedback relates objectively to the success of the task, rather than a difference in working styles.
3. SAY THANK YOU – IN GOOD TIMES AS WELL AS BAD
Genuine appreciation goes a long way. In fact, for millennials in particular, “thank you” is 30% more of a motivating factor than a financial bonus. A common manager’s mistake is to thank employees for sticking with it during tough, stressful times, forgetting to notice all the efforts that go into business as usual. Of course employees want to be acknowledged for weathering the storm; but when all is fine, the wise manager will notice the absence of problems and spot the efforts that have been made to ensure smooth running. Research has in fact found, that when employees are thanked for their everyday work, they’re more likely to go the extra mile during stressful periods.
4. MAKE PRAISE PERSONAL
“I can live for two months on a good compliment.”
Mark Twain, Author
Dial up your observational skills as a manager, paying attention to the nuances of individuals’ behaviours and their outcomes. In doing so, you’ll be able to turn a “great job today” thumbs-up into a much more meaningful remark that bolsters confidence and can singlehandedly reinvigorate a demotivated employee. Notice the small things: did they send a wonderfully worded email to clear up a sticking point? Did their positive presence in a team meeting make all the difference to ideas generated? Did their quick thinking prevent a near disaster? Be as specific as possible in your “thank you” and see how much further the compliment goes. Switch up your delivery too – if you approach employees with a kind word at 5.30pm each Friday, even well-chosen compliments can feel hackneyed. Notice and reward great behaviour in the moment, incorporate praise into 1-2-1s, emails formal and informal, and post-its left on desks.
5. MAKE PRAISE PUBLIC
The impact on an individual’s sense of being valued can be magnified when a private “thank you” becomes public edification. Recognise significant contributions both in your team meetings and higher up the chain. In doing so you become an effective sponsor of someone’s ambitions, propelling them forward by showcasing their strengths and talents to decision makers they may not yet have direct access to.
6. KNOW WHAT MAKES SOMEONE TICK
The psychologist Frederick Maslow theorised that once an individual’s most basic needs are met, they begin to strive for more. At the very top of this ‘hierarchy of needs’ sits self-actualisation – the fulfilment of one’s talents or potential. Do you know what this looks like for each of the individuals who report into you?
In our workbook Managing upward with success we advise direct reports that they and they alone are responsible for ensuring that bosses are aware of their career aspirations. But the fact remains that fewer than half of everywomanNetwork members have ever initiated such a conversation with their line managers.
Taking an interest in your employees’ quest for self-actualisation isn’t simply about plugging this gap; it’s also a way to arm yourself with the information you need to become the best possible sponsor of your delegates in their onwards trajectories. If you know someone is interested in a particular area of the business, stay attuned to potential stretch assignments in that direction. If you know their greatest satisfaction comes from flexing creative muscle; channel their innovation at every opportunity.
7. NORMALISE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK IN THE DAY-TO-DAY
Nearly two thirds (65%) of employees desire more feedback, recognising that it’s essential to their onward growth. In fact, one of the biggest bugbears they have with the annual performance review is that it only takes into account the last couple of months – something psychologists call ‘the recency effect’. Regular, on-going and constructive feedback is the key, and yet one half of managers on the everywomanNetwork shy from doing just that, with 15% admitting their find the prospect daunting.
If you’ve never given feedback beyond what’s required through the appraisal system, let your team know about your new intention. Taking the time to first understand their goals and ambitions first will help you frame all that future feedback in ways that they’ll find all the more valuable.
