So, where do you start? Here are my five principles for appreciating your employees:

Live your company values. Leaders need to continually reflect their company values in the way they conduct themselves and model behavior; it's the fastest mechanism to cascading those behaviors throughout the rest of the organization.
Amplify others. To foster a culture of employee appreciation, the most important thing a person can do is show gratitude for someone else's work as well as how they elevate others to reach the desired goal.
Celebrate effort and intention, not just outcomes. An idea that bears fruit should be rightly celebrated, but so should failures if the motivations and intent were on target. This requires managers to take a "long view" of their talent teams, to engender open and collaborative relationships where they can encourage innovation and experimentation.
Offer rewards that are meaningful and inclusive. It's no good giving basketball tickets to someone with no interest in the game. Likewise, taking the team out for drinks after work can exclude people who avoid alcohol. A thoughtful leader takes the time to get to know members of their team and reward them in ways that will be personally meaningful. In most instances, what employees really want is an acknowledgment of their efforts.
Listen and take action. This is the game changer. Collecting feedback and creating the space for meaningful dialogue about it is the No. 1 way managers can show they value their teams. If employees feel heard and can participate in the conversation, a continuous cultural improvement cycle can be established.

Employee appreciation will look different in every workplace because each work culture is different. But let's not forget, human beings are human beings. Everyone I've ever met has wanted to be seen, heard and appreciated for who they are. Scaling appreciation in a complex organization can be challenging, but it can also be quite simple. Simply saying "thank you"–genuinely–is a good start.

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Here are the 5 Steps to Creating a Culture of Appreciation

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