It is important for employees to know that they are valued and respected. However, it is important to be more specific in your praise so that they truly feel valued. A general thank you leaves them wondering if you know what they actually do or how they contribute. Praising correctly can help employees feel more motivated and engaged, and it leads to greater productivity and positive morale.
Praise Should Be Specific and Sincere
As a leader, you need to be specific in your praise of an employee. Cite the contribution that they made and be sincere. If you aren’t sure of the specifics, you can tell them you appreciate their hard work and ask them what is going well with the project and what needs to be improved. Your sincerity will make the employee feel valued and they will be willing to share with you what is working and where changes would improve the project.
Give Praise Without Criticism
In the past, management was taught to start with praise, then bring up criticism, and end with more praise. Today, that process is dated. You can offer praise to an employee on its own. The praise is diminished when you follow it with where the employee can improve, and it may soften the criticism, but it also softens the praise. Today, it is better to have praise and criticism stand on their own so that employees know exactly where they stand.
Know How Employees Differ
Different employees may receive praise differently. Some may enjoy public praise and the spotlight, while others may prefer a private meeting. You need to understand your team members and know what style works best with each one.
Encourage Behavior You Praise
After you offer praise for a task or a job well done, you need to follow up by encouraging the behavior again. When you recognize that an employee is stepping up after receiving praise, be sure to acknowledge it. You can ask the employee to help new team members develop the same skill, which serves as evidence that your praise was sincere. The key is to show employees that your praise is genuine through your follow-up actions.
Encourage Employees to Praise One Another
You can build a strong work culture by encouraging employees to praise one another. In meetings, you can encourage people to recognize a team member who did a great job or create peer-to-peer recognition programs.