With the boss for dinner?

How do employees want to be appreciated?

A manager friend was delighted to have the CEO visit her home. She felt singled out and appreciated as this only happened to a few. The visitor sat comfortably stretched out on the sofa and kept his feet on the bench, which, according to the acquaintance, showed that he was perfectly comfortable in her company. The boss was American, which further heightened the effect.

The results of our survey* show that the opportunity to meet senior managers is quite attractive (mean 5.7; scale 0-10). This is understandable, as contact with someone on whom our future as employees depend, who makes key decisions in the organization, can be a good opportunity to showcase their capabilities, thinking, etc. However, it is likely that we succumb to the illusion that by establishing a relationship with someone in senior management, we will enter into a position of trust and our situation will be better than other employees.

In China, a sense of employee appreciation is associated with the so-called Guanxi. This term denotes a form of relationship between supervisor and employee that spills over into the non-work sphere. This relationship is based on benevolence and social ties. The Chinese practice Guanxi through, for example, family visits, gifts on important occasions, care for health, and solving private problems. The rule of reciprocity applies, but it is the superior who sets the tone for this relationship. Are Poles ready for a private relationship with a superior without using it to gain privileges? Write in the comments.

What form of appreciation do employees desire most?

For Polish employees, of the wide range of forms of appreciation, promotion is the most attractive (8.0). Also considered as appreciative, linked to promotion, is increased influence over the decisions of the team (7) and the company (6.8). Interestingly, participation in leadership training is desired to a lesser extent (6.6).

“The younger ones want to be appreciated all the time. They would most like to be directors after a year”. “Sometimes people who work for less time get promoted. And this is incomprehensible because people who are older often think that promotions should happen because of incumbency in the company, or because of seniority at work. It’s difficult to explain to them that we glorify activity.**.

Employees are more likely to choose a course, or training (7.1) than coaching/mentoring (5.8). Training is appreciated if it is more than just support in performing daily duties or improving the quality of work. Those outside the catalog of standard training, tailored to the employee’s needs and related to the employee’s career direction, work well.

The pattern of results indicates that the image of success (promotion) strongly influences employees, but the path to success, the way to achieve it (training), is less clear or respondents see other ways than competence development for promotion. The strong desire to increase one’s influence on the decisions of the team and the company sets trends in the style of personnel management. This style is close to the idea of empowering employees in the organization (empowerment) and the so-called inclusive leadership.

Is promotion for everyone?

Promotion is proof of an employee’s effectiveness. Is it always the right reward, so desired by Polish employees? Or are there situations in which it is better to reach for other forms of recognition? Leadership positions require, among other things, developed competencies in strategic and operational planning, taking calculated risks, and influencing others. A manager’s temperament, his or her physiological base, should enable him or her to fulfill the tasks of the position without great mental and physical cost. For example, people who react with high arousal to stressful situations, and who tire quickly in a stimulating environment, will incur high energy costs in a position requiring rapid adaptation to change, high work rates, and difficult decision-making. And although it seems rather obvious, practice shows that we often do not know our own capabilities or overestimate them.

The vision of more power, money, and development, overshadows the possible negative consequences of a mismatch between temperament and job requirements. Before deciding to accept a promotion or to offer it to an employee, it is worthwhile to use a psychological diagnosis that will indicate the employee’s strengths as well as his or her limitations in performing managerial functions.

If not promotion, then what?

Nearly half of respondents indicate that their financial situation is worse compared to 2019, which is reflected in their declared net earnings now and last year. Employees most often expect financial rewards from their employer (62%) but only 37% have experienced this type of recognition in the last 6 months. A bonus of 5% of salary, is the second most attractive (after promotion) form of appreciation (7.8). Adequate remuneration for effort and competence is the basis of the contract between employer and employee and no other forms of appreciation are effective if this basic condition is not met.

However, the motivational role of money is limited. Besides, the financial condition of companies varies, especially now (COVID-19), and companies cannot always afford additional financial appreciation for employees (bonuses, prizes, shopping vouchers). A financial reward will not work if the employee earns above the average for the job. In addition, a reward (not only financial) should be followed by concrete feedback. And it is this X-factor that creates a sense of appreciation.

To praise or not to praise?

Managers do not realize how easily they can influence the satisfaction of the employees they directly boss. They often have misconceptions about praise, e.g. they think that under the influence of praise, an employee will become lazy, sit on their laurels, and not look for new, more effective ways of doing things. They also attribute too great a role (sometimes the only role) to remuneration and management’s actions, yet employees clearly articulate that it is recognition from the immediate supervisor that has the strongest effect on whether they are satisfied at work.

In our research, we found that praise primarily improves employee mood and self-esteem but has a weak effect on reducing employee turnover. Keep in mind, however, that lack of recognition is not usually the only reason for employees voluntarily leaving a company, there are usually more important reasons than lack of praise. Seeing good work, expressing satisfaction, and pride in the employee, are indicative of a high-quality organizational culture. The importance of a positive mood cannot be underestimated, as it counteracts the effects of fatigue and helps to renew temporarily depleted, energy resources. What does appreciation look like in practice?

The popular principle “Praise in public, criticize in private” was not supported in our research. Superiors most often praise employees in private (79% of indications at number 1), and employees prefer this way of giving praise (56%).

Employees most often experience informal appreciation during a face-to-face conversation with their boss (36%) or a colleague (25%). Compared to other channels of positive feedback (e.g. email, phone, text message, company newspaper), it is the ‘live’ meetings that are most valuable to employees. Face-to-face communication is the most complete, with the fewest barriers, the form of information exchange. It increases the relevance and credibility of the message, so it is worth investing in this form of communication.

*Quantitative survey among 2,308 working people, conducted in May 2020 by PBS Sp. z o.o. for Thanks Factor. The survey partner is the Nais Polish appreciation app. Report available here (link)

**Example statements from managers participating in the qualitative research conducted by SWPS University as part of a nationwide survey on appreciation, commissioned by Thanks Factor.

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