Bosses can make all kinds of gestures to show employees that they care: from offering raises and in-office childcare to providing free gym memberships or branded merchandise, like hoodies and water bottles.
But a show of appreciation doesn’t have to be big, expensive or extravagant to have a meaningful effect, says leadership consultant and resilience expert Paula Davis. There are small things bosses can do to make the workplace feel comfortable and inviting, which can lead to higher productivity and lower turnover rates, research shows.
Davis calls these actions “tiny noticeable things,” or “TNTs.” A highly underrated TNT that too many bosses overlook is what Davis dubs a “thank you, plus.”
“A lot of leaders struggle with recognition, and they struggle to just remember to say ‘thank you,'” says Davis, founder and CEO of the Stress and Resilience Institute, a workplace training and consulting firm. “The ‘plus’ piece is to add the specific behavior or strengths that you saw that led to the good outcome.”
‘Thank you, plus’
A simple “thank you” can go a long way. Seventy-five percent of U.S. employees agree that real-time recognition of good work boosts motivation and morale in the workplace, according to a survey of 1,500 workers conducted by Reward Gateway, an employee engagement platform.
Employees who received thorough recognition in 2022 were 45% less likely to have left their job by 2024, according to research from Workhuman and Gallup, which tracked the career paths of more than 3,400 employees over that period.
Being specific in calling out an employee’s accomplishments and in praising their strengths is an extra step that some bosses overlook, however.
“If I went to a leader and I said, ‘Why are you thanking that person or recognizing them? Or why do you appreciate them?’ That would be the [plus],” Davis says.
For example, instead of offering a vague, “Good job on those report summaries,” Davis suggests saying something like: “Thank you so much for summarizing these reports. The way that you summarize them helps me see the key issues clearly, and I was able to have a much more effective conversation with our CEO because of your organization.”
It ‘builds up so much motivation’
This “thank you, plus” takes just a few seconds. But, by going beyond a generic “good work,” it can have a more powerful impact on an employee’s sense of self-worth. It also makes employees even more eager to do a good job, Davis adds.
Workers who receive specific recognition tell Davis they’re more likely to go above and beyond at work. The result is a “‘You want me to come in late or do some extra work? I’m happy to'” attitude, Davis says. “It’s such a subtle thing that builds up so much motivation and engagement.”
Everyone can benefit from this advice, Davis adds, not just bosses. We often don’t take the time to give others in our lives recognition, she says. With all of the responsibilities and tasks we deal with on a daily basis, we simply forget to say things like “thank you,” “great job,” and “I’m grateful for you.”
Going that extra step to be thoughtful and specific, Davis said on the “How To Be Awesome At Your Job” podcast last month, means really “showing people their impact and blooming that fundamental human need to matter.”
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