The Workplace Wellness Collective: Workplace Leadership Hour Episode 7
Signing off an email, receiving the check from a waiter at a restaurant, exiting a store (even without making a purchase), or letting a car merge in front of you in traffic – you hear the same phrase ‘Thanks.’ Now how do you tell your employee how impactful their work is, and that you appreciate the effort they have put in? There are so many ways to make people feel valued and encouraged other than a simple and overused phrase. Showing gratitude can be fun, easy, and rewarding for everyone when you understand what the best methods are for your team. Co-hosts Sumana Jeddy, Felipe Cofiño, and Michele Thomson uncovered what truly motivates your team. Recognition is not just a one-time event but an ongoing process that can significantly enhance employee engagement and performance.
Founder and CEO, Jeddy Wellness
Meaningful recognition is a powerful workplace resource AND a buffer against burnout!
Sumana’s Science:
What does meaningful recognition do in a workplace?
Recognition serves as a social resource that reinforces employees’ emotional ties to the organization. It fosters a positive work environment by creating a sense of belonging and purpose among employees, which in turn enhances productivity and job satisfaction. It signals that their work is meaningful, which can lead to higher levels of engagement and commitment.
How does meaningful recognition buffer against burnout?
Balancing effort and reward in the workplace reduces stress and protects employees from emotional exhaustion. The Effort-reward Imbalance (ERI) is a research model that explores the relationship between the effort employees invest in their work and the rewards they receive in return. When there is a mismatch between these two, employees may experience stress, leading to negative outcomes such as burnout, job dissatisfaction, and health issues.
- Effort: This is the energy—physical, emotional, and mental—that employees put into their work. High effort can be seen in long hours, tough tasks, or pressure to meet deadlines.
Example: An employee who frequently stays late to finish projects and misses personal time.
- Rewards: Rewards are what employees get in return for their hard work. According to the ERI model, rewards can be divided into three types:
- Esteem: Feeling appreciated and recognized by managers and coworkers.
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- Job Security: Having a stable job without the fear of being laid off.
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- Promotion Prospects: Opportunities for getting a better position or advancing in the company.
Example: An employee who gets praise from their boss in meetings (esteem) but worries about potential layoffs and has not been promoted despite their efforts (job security and promotion prospects).
Ref: Siegrist, J. (1996). Adverse health effects of high-effort/low-reward conditions. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 1(1), 27–41. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-8998.1.1.27
Ongoing and Frequent recognitions for workplace wellness
Although these suggestions are simple, they do take some time and effort. There are also ways to build a supportive environment without it becoming a separate task.
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- Peer-to-Peer – Encouraging peer recognitions through verbal, written, or nomination style outlets enhances cohesion and fosters a supportive work environment. You may not always be aware of everything each employee is handling, but someone else may be.
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- Performance Evaluations – Making recognition an integral part of performance evaluations helps formalize appreciation practices and ensures that employees consistently receive acknowledgment for their contributions. This approach can also align recognition with career development opportunities.
Leadership and Workplace Culture Specialist
Michele’s Strategies:
Recognizing employees effectively involves making small, meaningful adjustments in how you acknowledge their contributions. Here are some strategies to consider:
Personalize the Recognition – by tailoring your acknowledgment to the individual’s contributions, strengths, and preferences.
Example: “I appreciate the way you approached (specific task/project), using your strengths in (specific skill) to (specific outcome). Your effort doesn’t go unnoticed, and it’s inspiring to see how you prioritize both the team’s success and your own well-being.”
Acknowledge Effort and Well-being Balance – by highlighting when you notice the individual being productive but also prioritizing what they need for themself.
Example: “Your dedication to (project/outcome) while ensuring you took care of your own well-being sets an excellent example. It’s important to see how you’re modeling that for others, showing that we can do great work without sacrificing our mental or emotional health.”
Provide Psychological Safety in Feedback – by creating an open and transparent space for individuals to share their thoughts.
Example: “I’m grateful for the thoughtfulness you bring to your work, and I also want you to know that this is a space where your input matters. If there’s anything that could make your role more fulfilling or manageable, I’d love to hear your thoughts.”
You can also reward behaviors that contribute to that type of environment.
Example: “I want to thank you not only for your work but for the way you create a safe and supportive space for others. Your openness to listen, your encouragement for others to speak up, and your respect for diverse opinions build a strong foundation for our team’s well-being.”
Celebrate Team Contributions – and not just outcomes by emphasizing the collective effort and the well-being focus of the team as a whole.
Example: “I’m proud of how everyone has worked together on this project. It’s clear that supporting each other’s wellness, and checking in regularly has made a real difference in our outcomes. Thank you for being part of that.“
HR Executive| Top HR Voice Linkedin
Get to know what your team likes. Is it Dunkin or Starbucks? Something so small and easy could have a huge impact on your employees day if you brought them something specific they like. For me, it’s not Dunkin!
Ideas for Leaders (FelipesFive):
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New Opportunities: Offer new opportunities such as a specific task, project, or event that shows you see how capable they are and trust them to excel in a new role.
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Public Recognition: Recognize them publicly in front of peers in creative and tasteful ways. This could be in a meeting where they are given credit for such wonderful work, in the break room or hallway where the conversation is personal but available to others, or in an office email. This also encourages peer-recognition.
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Surprise Time Off: Unanticipated time off is a great way to give sincere recognition because it takes hard work and meets it with an opportunity for personal wellness. Little breaks such as a longer lunch or an early end to the work day show that time is valuable, but your employees’ time is too. Longer breaks such as a day off after a conference or project ending, or a Friday after a stressful week, will give time to rejuvenate and leave everyone feeling grateful and supported, and organically encourage the same effort with the next large task.
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Personalized Gifts: Everyone knows gifts mean so much more when they are thoughtful! Take time to notice preferences, ask questions, or reflect on what you know about your people.
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Mentorship and Growth: Invest in the future of your employees beyond the present operational needs. Help them to see big-picture, offer mentorship and training experiences, and provide resources to guide them.
Ready to Transform Your Leadership Approach?
Recognition in the workplace goes beyond a simple “thank you” — it plays a vital role in enhancing employee engagement, motivation, and overall well-being. Here’s what you can do:
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Reflect on Your Leadership Style:
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How well do you know the people that report to you?
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How well do your other leaders in your workplace know their team?
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In what ways would you prefer to be recognized for your effort?
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How can you facilitate space for open dialogue feedback and performance reviews throughout the year?
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Key Leadership Insights: An environment of acknowledging the strengths of one another’s work, from leadership or peers, helps employees to feel supported and leaves a healthy space for direction and critique. Marcia Lee, Health and Wellbeing Amplifier shared that she loves to show value to the often overlooked employees first, such as security guards, maintenance, and any behind the scenes professionals in her workspace. A genuine and personal thank you for showing up and caring for the rest of the staff every day will help boost morale for the whole team. According to Vinay Raman, CEO of CAARMO Inc., one effective way to streamline this (recognition) process is by leveraging AI tools. Leaders can utilize the voice dictation option on most AI platforms to simplify the recognition process while keeping the conversation anonymous.
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Start the Conversation: You can prompt the AI by saying something like:
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“I want to recognize my employee, and here are some ideas: A, B, C. What do I need to know, and how can I make them feel appreciated?”
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Tailor Your Message: Building on ideas from colleagues like Felipe or Michele, you could ask:
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“I want to write an email to show appreciation for [specific behavior or achievement] to a person on my team who did [specific task or action]. I’d like to send [an email, public recognition, certificate, gift card, etc.]. Please suggest the [text, planning, questions I should ask, etc.] in order to do this.”
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Join Our Next Episode: Don’t miss out on further insights! Tune in on October 16 at 10 am MST / 12 pm EST for actionable tips to enhance your leadership skills.
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Stay Connected: Follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to our newsletter for ongoing support and resources tailored to leaders like you.
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Call to Action: Make a point to gauge how well you know your employees. The key to meaningful recognition is being both generous and specific. Make recognition an ongoing workplace resource in your workplace, and reward your teams individually and personally based on what was accomplished and the method of recognition they would respond best to. Catch up on the live and post event comments.
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Written by Hannah Nease. Reviewed by Sumana Jeddy
Stay connected with The Workplace Wellness Collective for more resources and discussions on creating a healthier, more inclusive workplace.