Employee Appreciation Day 2024 UK – and around the rest of the globe – falls on March 3rd. Whilst this day comes once a year, truly successful organisations show appreciation for their employees 365 days a year. 

As a leader, you have immense power to shape your employees’ experience. Small gestures to make your team feel valued can evolve your company culture and maximise retention.

Get curious about your employees

You oversee tasks and projects, but how well do you know the human beings behind the work? 

Make an effort to get to know what really motivates each individual. Schedule regular 1-to-1s. Ask thoughtful questions and actively listen. Understanding your employees’ needs, challenges and career aspirations allows you to advocate for them.

Many leaders assume they already know what their employees want, but even if that were true (doubtful), the simple act of asking builds a stronger relationship. 

Tailor your appreciation

A one-size-fits-all approach simply won’t do. 

Gary may appreciate public praise in a team meeting. Leslie would prefer a thoughtful hand-written card. 

Take cues from your conversations and feedback to determine how each employee best feels valued – your team will respect you all the more for it.

Empower employees with more responsibility

Extra responsibility signifies trust in an employee’s abilities. 

Empower your staff by involving them in key decisions that affect their work, providing opportunities to develop new skills and taking their input seriously. Employees who feel entrusted with meaningful responsibilities tend to have higher job satisfaction.

When employees feel disempowered, they tend to feel less valued in the company – and value works both ways. Would you feel loyal to a company that didn’t keep you in the loop?

Measure what you treasure

What gets measured gets improved. Do you currently collect feedback from your employees? 

Anonymous pulse surveys provide critical insights to regularly assess your team’s engagement levels and make timely adjustments. You might assume all is well, all while simmering issues left unaddressed erode your precious culture.

Blind to the realities your employees face daily, your best efforts may completely miss the mark.

Walk the walk every day

Grand gestures on Employee Appreciation Day mean nothing when everyday practice shows a lack of caring. 

Do you micromanage employees’ time off? Forget to celebrate wins both large and small? Fail to defend the team from unreasonable demands? Employees notice these inconsistencies between rhetoric and reality.

Employees have a keen radar for authenticity – when your words and deeds align, they respond with higher performance, loyalty and discretionary effort.

The bottom line? Appreciation is most meaningful when woven into the everyday fabric of leadership. 

The extra effort to show your team they matter delivers valuable returns in performance, retention and job satisfaction. Employees who feel genuinely valued can elevate your business to new heights.