Employees are underappreciated by a lot of employers. That sounds like a ridiculous thing to say, but it’s true. You hear far too many stories of employees who feel overworked and undervalued. The problem is that employers can sometimes be so determined to make their business succeed, that they end up neglecting the people who work for them. 

You can’t afford to do this! 

The true value of an employee that’s happy at work cannot be underestimated. When someone feels valued, they’re more inclined to work hard and try their best for the company. As a result, this can lead to the following benefits: 

• Improved employee retention
• Low turnover rates – saving lots of money!
• Heightened productivity amongst workers
• Improved workplace atmosphere
• Employees that buy into the vision of your company

By contrast, underappreciated employees tend to result in these issues: 

• Employees that give hardly any effort as they don’t feel valued
• High turnover rates
• Lots of money spent trying to hire and train new employees all the time
• Toxic workplace atmosphere
• Decreased productivity and customer service

So, how do you avoid all of that and make your employees feel valued? It’s much easier than you think, and here are a few simple ideas: 

Give them a decent wage

Firstly, nothing tells an employee they’re underappreciated quite like an awful wage. It makes them feel like they’re worth hardly anything to you, and this leads to a whole load of negative feelings. You don’t need to pay all your employees a ridiculous wage, but give them something that reflects how valuable they are to your business.

A fair wage is all it takes to make someone feel valued – so perhaps re-assess how you’re paying your staff. 

Offer performance-based bonuses

Similarly, bonuses are an excellent way to show your appreciation for hard-working employees. It shows them that you will reward people for consistently performing well and doing their bit for your company.

You give your employees a reason to be engaged in the business and work their hardest.

• If they know they’re getting a bonus, then they’ll always aim to be as productive as possible to try and get as big a bonus as possible. Plus, it’s a way of showing your employees that you value their work.

• If they do good stuff, then they get rewarded for it!

Provide some free gifts

Who doesn’t love a free gift or two?

Your employees will definitely have a stronger connection to your company if you give them some free things now and then. It will feel like Christmas, and they love the fact that you’re thinking about them and going the extra mile to show your appreciation.

You don’t have to go out and buy everyone individual presents, but there are some clever gifts you can have made for your team.

• If you browse online, you’ll find a host of custom-branded items that you can create. We’re talking coffee mugs, stationery sets, mousepads, car air fresheners, lanyards, etc.

All of these things will be useful to your employees – they can use them every day. So, they actually receive something useful, but the fact that they’re branded means you can get some added promo in as well. It solidifies a connection to your business too; there’s no downside to this idea. 

Provide continuous feedback

A lot of employees feel undervalued because they do a lot of work and rarely see a response from their employer. If anything, the response only comes when they do something wrong! It makes them wonder why they bother working if nothing ever gets appreciated. To correct this, you can offer continuous feedback.

Let your team know that they’ve done good work, and provide constructive criticism if you feel like they could improve.

The mere fact that you’re taking the time to speak to your employees and talk about their performance will have a significant impact. 

Ask them how they’re feeling

Additionally, you should open a two-way communication street with them. Don’t just provide them with feedback; give them a chance to voice their opinions as well. It’s a smart idea to check up on your employees regularly. Ask them how they’re feeling and how they’re coping at work.

This is an opportunity for them to voice any concerns or problems they might be facing.

You may realize that someone feels very overworked and is suffering from stress. As a result, you can let them have a few days off to recover, then work on redistributing the workload, so it does not unfairly weigh them down.

Or, your employees may provide feedback that helps you improve the way you run your business. After all, they’re the ones that do a lot of the work, so they might learn new and more efficient ways of doing things. By giving them a chance to speak about things like this, it shows them that they’re valued. 

Promote before hiring

Pretty much every employer was once an employee – or could still be someone’s employee if you have people in positions above you. So, think about some of the things that made you feel undervalued as an employee.

For many, being overlooked for new job openings is a massive problem. If you have an opening in your company, and you instantly hire someone new, then what does this say to your existing employees?

It shows you don’t think they’re worthy of even being considered for this job! Instead, you should look to promote before making new hires.

Tell your staff about this job opportunity, and let them know that they get the first shot at it.

This shows them that you clearly value them as you’re willing to give them a promotion. But, it also lets everyone know that there’s the chance to advance their career with your company.

There may be instances where nobody in your business is suitable for the job, but at least you’ve given them a chance to apply for it. 

Cast your mind back to the beginning of this piece and all the benefits that come from employees that feel valued. They will help your business succeed and grow, so never ever neglect them!

© New To HR