Oftentimes in the business world, an idea is hammered into us that business life and its relations should exist completely separate from personal life and relations. Further, we are often told that the workplace should be strictly professional––buttoned up shirts, zero emotion, and never are home issues to be brought along with you once you clock in. What this idea and lesson creates, in reality, is a stuffy, congested workplace where employees feel uncomfortable, unheard, and uncared for. The data is clear, appreciating your employees is crucial to keeping your employees.
According to Forbes, “Managers often view ‘appreciation’ as one of those soft HR concepts that in the hard business world doesn’t matter much. That is, until you see research stats showing that approximately two out of three employees would quit if they don’t get enough of it. This is a key finding of a new study from Office Team examining the impact of appreciation, or lack thereof, in the workplace.”
The same study went on to reveal that, “66% of employees say they would “likely leave their job if they didn’t feel appreciated.” This is up significantly from 51% of employees who felt this way in 2012. Among millennials, the number of employees who’d leave if unappreciated jumps to 76%. This helps account for the overall increase from the 51% figure in 2012, as millennials are becoming the dominant generation in the workforce.”
So what does that mean exactly? Well, appreciating your employees absolutely matters. It is the key to gaining employee loyalty and to creating a business that functions efficiently. The longevity of your organization relies heavily on your ability to train, support, and keep your employees.
I learned this very lesson on my own career journey. It is through the simple daily actions of this handful of leaders, combined with my painful journey of exclusion, that my style of leadership was born. I set out over the years to make sure those that I led felt worthy, like they mattered in a big way, that I was invested in their future and that they were important not for what they did for me, but in and of themselves. As a result, I experienced deep loyalty from those who were on my teams. They knew I cared for them and they would go over and above to ensure the success of our team’s initiatives and goals. We achieved much together; they delighted customers and met timelines. Even after I was no longer their manager, we held a close bond that was undeniable. I now share this experience in hopes that other leaders will adopt a caring leadership style that truly makes employees feel appreciated. It does matter.
If you would like to learn more about caring leadership, contact us at Employee Fanatix today!
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