The Need to Praise Workers

phred_52
phred_52 Posts: 189 Member
edited 11:02AM in Chit-Chat
As one who has many awards from My time in Military, which mean Nada to Me...I just don't get this heaping praise on workers. Even the Navy sent message saying it was something needing to be done. Nuts.

As a current Great NFL Coach says: Just do Your Job

If Ya need praise then go see...nevermind :) , I'll be nice.
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Replies

  • PAFC84
    PAFC84 Posts: 1,871 Member
    phred_52 wrote: »
    As one who has many awards from My time in Military, which mean Nada to Me...I just don't get this heaping praise on workers. Even the Navy sent message saying it was something needing to be done. Nuts.

    As a current Great NFL Coach says: Just do Your Job

    If Ya need praise then go see...nevermind :) , I'll be nice.

    I think it is always nice to get praise but ideally you do what you do because you want to do it. There is a difference between someone else praising you though and you needing/wanting and/or actively looking for praise.

  • phred_52
    phred_52 Posts: 189 Member
    TheMrWobbly wrote: »
    Everyone needs validation. If someone does a job well they deserve praise, if they do badly they deserve a rollocking. It is carrot and stick, if it all stick people leave. It doesn't have to be lavish, it is as simple as the word 'thank you' at times. In one job I was there for nearly 4 years and it was said to me once. I, along with the team I brought together, made them over €3Million, cut my departments costs by 20% and took us from the worst division to the best. My team regularly got praise from me, sometimes a small bonus such as a meal for them with their family when they had worked lots of excess hours. Eventually I left as I felt totally unappreciated. In two years since three people tried and quit the job, all bar two of my direct reports have left and they are proposing to close the office and move it elsewhere.

    You have no idea of the power of two syllables "Thank you"!

    I get we are all different, but even my getting "Sailor of the Year" did not mean nothing to Me. Sailor of the quarters numerous times, same thing.

    I always give 110% and do my work as if my own company. Hmm, makes me wonder, do the owners and such praise themselves? Doubt it, but good for them if they do.

    I also firmly believe that need or want it are just "plain" insecure. To each their own. :)
  • TheMrWobbly
    TheMrWobbly Posts: 2,541 Member
    That is the difference of being a leader. Almost everybody has a crutch, be that peer recognition, a partner, your job, religion, alcohol, etc. A few don't and they tend to be leaders - or sociopaths. The ability to recognise the needs of others might be the difference.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I think an attitude of appreciation goes a long way and doesn't have to be verbally expressed every day or every week. But I strongly believe that a worker who knows he/she is appreciated will go the extra mile compared to those who feel unappreciated. It costs very little to say thank you, so why not?

    In my current job, there are certain things said in the office very frequently that make me feel appreciated. It is in the small comments like "I knew you would have the report finished already because you're always on top of things" or "your team rocked that project". That means a lot more to me than a place I worked where they constantly took us out for lavish employee appreciation lunches and sent flowers to the admins and quarterly logo apparel "thank you" gifts and such. Probably because it feels more authentic!

    My direct supervisor is at top level and she's not one to constantly praise. That's fine by me. At my annual review, raise & bonus is the only time she comes out and says appreciative things and that works for me...
  • CoffeeAndContour
    CoffeeAndContour Posts: 1,466 Member
    It is in the best interest of the employer to give kudos where it is due. A successful business has great employees. Great employees are typically motivated to stay where they are happy and appreciated. A high turn over rate and inconsistency isn’t a good model for success.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    i think there is a difference between doing your job (i.e. the supply guys who got NAM's for stocking the soda machine) vs. going above and beyond or performing beyond your grade level - all the sailors i ever submitted for (and who got awards) did more than their job
  • phred_52
    phred_52 Posts: 189 Member
    All great replies. Seems I left out the "thank you's". Quarterly or Annual performance bonuses are good. Which I and others did receive if no blemishes for year while I drove tractor-trailer. Though Me being such an "oddball" kind of guy :) , I just told them to pass on bonus to a charity. I got some eyes on that one. :)

    As a former tractor trailer driver, where on-time delivery was paramount (mostly), the thank-yous etc. baffle me. Some may quit and cause high turnovers, but 50+ annually, I think I'll stay :)
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,371 Member
    The supervisors I think highly of are the ones who made the effort to notice your particular skills and abilities and make positive comments from time to time.

    The ones I (and everyone else) disliked are the ones who spoke to you only when they were pointing out an error.

    It's a lot easier to hear about an area you need to strengthen when you've also heard about your assets.
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member

    Recognition ??

    I've worked with this kind .......


    First Place in Sales is a new Cadillac; second place is a set of steak knives:

    always-be-closing-gif-8.gif

    https://i.gifer.com/embedded/download/1bv8.gif

    giphy.gif
  • Danw586
    Danw586 Posts: 237 Member
    Praising workers is important. I definitely do this to my direct reports as a form of motivation. I praise their efforts publicly and deal with issues privately.

    This is good leadership 101.

    I also take responsibility for any errors of the team and make sure to give credit for success to the team who helped me. This motivates people to go above and beyond in their job and retains "talent" over the long term.

  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member

    I take all the credit for my employees' and constituents accomplishments and directly blame them for my own mistakes.


    Some might call this 'terrible'.


    ...... I call it a perk of becoming a US Senator.
  • forestfreek
    forestfreek Posts: 5,770 Member
    FeelinFooFoo wrote: »
    I work in mental health and during supervision or appraisals my manager will praise me for work well done, it's not like a 'thank you for showing up and doing what your paid for' but it's more like positive feedback and I think that's the difference. People need to know that they are performing well as it can and does improve peoples confidence and let's them know they are meeting standards. I am equally prepared to listen to constructive criticism as I don't need or want praise, but I can see the benefit of it. If your gona tell someone what they are doing wrong, telling them what they are doing right provides a bit of balance. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and they shouldn't be ignored in the workplace.

    I don't look for it or necessarily need it but the best feedback I get is from the people who use the service. I can then see, in real time, that my job does actually make a difference to peoples lives and a bit of appreciation is nice to receive. I also think it's quite natural for someone to thank you for a well delivered service, be it in social care or any other line of work.

    ❤️❤️❤️
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  • Susan3758
    Susan3758 Posts: 77 Member
    phred_52 wrote: »
    As one who has many awards from My time in Military, which mean Nada to Me...I just don't get this heaping praise on workers. Even the Navy sent message saying it was something needing to be done. Nuts.

    As a current Great NFL Coach says: Just do Your Job

    If Ya need praise then go see...nevermind :) , I'll be nice.

    I praise you for your input. Oops sorry I mean I don't praise you🤔
  • PAFC84
    PAFC84 Posts: 1,871 Member
    Back4Aminute wrote: »
    phred_52 wrote: »
    As one who has many awards from My time in Military, which mean Nada to Me...I just don't get this heaping praise on workers. Even the Navy sent message saying it was something needing to be done. Nuts.

    As a current Great NFL Coach says: Just do Your Job

    If Ya need praise then go see...nevermind :) , I'll be nice.

    I think the idea is positive reinforcement kinda thing.

    He was in the navy so for him that probably means when the other ships back him up??

  • poisonesse
    poisonesse Posts: 573 Member
    @Danw586 I'd work for you any time! You sound like a good boss. @FeelinFooFoo ... you said exactly what I was thinking, positive feedback is priceless!
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  • lg013
    lg013 Posts: 215 Member
    I teach and have students who crave recognition all the time...but it means nothing if I’m praising them for doing what they were supposed to do, like homework. I reserve it for extremely limited times when they go above and beyond or work hard for dramatic improvement on a big test. It means a lot more this way as they know I’m extremely limited on praises.
  • Danw586
    Danw586 Posts: 237 Member
    lg013 wrote: »
    I teach and have students who crave recognition all the time...but it means nothing if I’m praising them for doing what they were supposed to do, like homework. I reserve it for extremely limited times when they go above and beyond or work hard for dramatic improvement on a big test. It means a lot more this way as they know I’m extremely limited on praises.

    You bring up a good point. There is a threshold where one can offer too much praise for the validation seeking millennials. Better to be a little more selective with praise so that it is better appreciated.
  • BasedGawd412
    BasedGawd412 Posts: 346 Member
    nooshi713 wrote: »
    Recognizing a hard working employee’s efforts and showing appreciation will make them want to continue to do a good job. A person shouldn’t need constant praise to do their job but occasionally it is nice.

    In my field, I deal with sick people and people in pain or dying. It is usually a thankless job full of complaints. I can be running around like crazy, haven’t eaten in 9 hours, no formal break, no bathroom break because I’m trying to save a life and someone will complain they have been waiting a whole 3 hours for something trivial.

    But those one out of 20 people who are thankful and express gratitude makes it all worth it.

    qgtus0n5pkue.gif

    You are so dreamy 😊
  • your_future_ex_wife
    your_future_ex_wife Posts: 4,278 Member
    I like money. And to be left alone most of the time.

    But if most employees like praise it seems like it would be a lot cheaper for the employer to use a little codified backpatting than giving raises.
  • Danw586
    Danw586 Posts: 237 Member
    your_future_ex_wife wrote: »
    I like money. And to be left alone most of the time.

    But if most employees like praise it seems like it would be a lot cheaper for the employer to use a little codified backpatting than giving raises.

    Bingo
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