For Supervisors and Managers: The Art of Saying "Thanks"

One of the issues that shows up again and again in exit interviews is that employees feel under-valued. Many leave unsatisfying jobs because they feel as though the supervisors, management and "powers that be" just do not understand or appreciate the work they do. As supervisors and managers, it is up to us to learn how to show appreciation in a genuine way and to let employees know that we appreciate their work and effort.

Some managers and supervisors forget to say "thank you" while others assume that if it is part of the job description, why say thanks? Still others will wait until they see an employee is obviously overwhelmed and stressed and THEN try to say how much they appreciate the individual. Instead of waiting or forgetting, it is important to make appreciation part of the regular duties of any supervisor or manager.

Consider all the ways you can say "thanks": notice when employees do a good job and handle things well "in the moment" and let them know right away that you appreciate the way things were handled; use an email sent to the department or company to let people know that you appreciate what was done (either by an individual or group of employees); single people out at meetings to share your appreciation for work that they have done. As you can see, it becomes easier to think of WAYS to notice and appreciate employees once you begin to understand the reason it is important.

The once-a-year raise (and for many employees in this current economy, THAT is not even happening) just is not a solid enough way to show appreciation. Employees will feel better about their jobs and have a tendency to work harder and stay with the company if they feel their work is not only noticed, but also appreciated. Be specific and point out the elements of a task well done: "I appreciate the way Bob and Sally dealt immediately with the customer complaint and did not stop until it was resolved. This is exactly the sort of customer service we want to promote."

Say "thank you" often and be sincere and specific and employees will feel appreciated and valued.