Better than Money
by Miki Saxon
From two different authors.
“I haven’t worked this hard in years and have never felt so valued” —a former colleague who had changed jobs
“To the brain, receiving a compliment is as much a social reward as being rewarded money.” — Professor Norihiro Sadato, the study lead and professor at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences in Japan
Taken together they should drive home the value of telling your people outright how much you value them or how good something they did was,
I’m not talking about compliments for compliments sake—those are hollow and only extend the bad habits learned in school, such as when kids are complimented just for showing up on time.
I’m also not referring to ‘stars’; those almost mythical employees who some managers seem to value more highly than their entire team. (Guess which is more easily replaced the one star or the entire team.)
I do mean the heartfelt appreciation for a task well done or for being a good team member.
So in the stress and pressure of achieving deadlines don’t lose site of the two most successful motivation and retention factors yet found:
- the chance to make a difference; and
- being appreciated.
And just think—they don’t cost a dime.
Flickr image credit: dinny
