Your Employees Feel Underappreciated — Here’s What You Can Do to Fix It

How to make employees feel appreciated

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to recognizing staff and empowering employees. Sometimes it’s as simple as saying “thank you” for a job well done, and other times it involves implementing a structured recognition program. Many successful companies use a mix of everyday gestures and formal initiatives to show employees they’re valued. 

Here are 10 practical ways to help your team feel genuinely appreciated.

1. Set up a formal employee recognition program.

A structured recognition program helps ensure appreciation is consistent and fair across departments. For example, Norton Healthcare’s “N Recognition of You” program, highlighted in an O.C. Tanner case study, gives all 14,000 employees the opportunity to recognize one another with both monetary and non-monetary awards. The result? Norton’s employee engagement scores jumped from the 55th percentile to the 83rd.

Recognition programs can take many forms. Some companies add a gamification element, where employees earn points for specific accomplishments and redeem them for company swag, activities or other prizes. Others focus on public recognition, such as awards or verbal acknowledgments.

The payoff is significant. According to the O.C. Tanner report cited above, organizations with integrated recognition programs have a major advantage: Their employees are seven times more likely to feel inspired to try new things at work.

2. Conduct weekly check-ins.

Recognition and performance discussions shouldn’t be limited to annual reviews because frequent, meaningful conversations build trust and keep employees engaged. The recent Workhuman/Gallup Human-Centered Workplace report found that employees who received meaningful feedback in the past week were five times more likely to be engaged, 57 percent less likely to feel burned out, and 48 percent less likely to be job-hunting.

Weekly check-ins give managers a chance to recognize excellent work, address performance concerns, set employee performance goals and discuss professional development in real time. When recognition and feedback are part of everyday interactions, employees feel supported, valued and more motivated to grow.

3. Encourage positive informal feedback.

Not all recognition needs to come from formal programs or annual reviews. In fact, some of the most meaningful recognition can happen in quick, everyday moments — a manager praising good work or a teammate thanking a colleague for stepping in to help. These small, informal gestures send a clear message: I see you and I value what you’re doing.

Gallup research shows how powerful this can be: Employees who receive both weekly feedback and weekly recognition from their manager are 61 percent engaged, compared with just 38 percent engagement for those who only get weekly feedback but less recognition. And according to the Gallup/Workhuman report cited earlier, employees who strongly agree they get valuable feedback from their coworkers are 57 percent less likely to feel burned out and 48 percent less likely to be job hunting.

Even simple acts can make a big difference. For example, as noted in another O.C. Tanner case study, CIBC welcomes new hires with branded gear and personalized notes to create a sense of belonging from day one. When informal feedback and peer-to-peer recognition are part of daily interactions, appreciation feels natural and ongoing, not something saved only for special occasions.

4. Offer promotions, raises and bonuses.

Money isn’t the only way to make people feel valued, but it certainly does count. One of the best ways to recognize hard work is by promoting from within, offering a raise, or surprising someone with an employee bonus. These rewards go beyond words to show your team that you believe in them, appreciate their effort and want them to grow with the company.

The Gallup/Workhuman research found that employees who receive high-quality recognition, such as financial rewards, are 45 percent less likely to leave their jobs within three years. And the O.C. Tanner report reinforces that recognition is most impactful when it’s personalized and sincere, which makes career rewards like promotions and raises even more powerful as tools for driving engagement and employee retention.

By combining everyday gestures of appreciation with tangible rewards, organizations show employees they’re valued now and in the future — a balance that strengthens loyalty and boosts performance.

5. Offer competitive compensation packages.

Beyond raises and employee bonuses, your compensation management strategy — including base pay and total compensation — sends a powerful message about how much you value your team. From the start, benchmark each role against industry standards and keep pay fair between new and current employees. SHRM’s guidance notes that transparent, fair pay practices build trust and strengthen recognition efforts.

This is especially important given today’s workforce concerns. According to isolved’s 2024 HR Trends survey, nearly two-thirds of employees are dissatisfied with their salary. Even worse, iHire’s 2024 Talent Retention Report reported that over one-third of workers who quit pointed to pay as the top reason.

The goal is simple: When people feel they’re compensated fairly, they’re more likely to stay engaged, motivated and loyal to the company.

6. Host company events.

Celebrating or enjoying time together is a powerful form of recognition for teams. Company, department or team events give people the chance to connect, relax and feel appreciated outside of their day-to-day work. Norton Healthcare, for example, pairs its formal awards with group celebrations, creating a balance that recognizes achievement while building community.

Whether it’s a casual lunch, a team outing or a companywide celebration, shared experiences help foster a strong company culture and improve employee-manager relationships. However, note that it’s essential to make these events inclusive and fun, not something employees dread and feel obligated to attend. 

7. Acknowledge important dates.

Tracking and celebrating key dates, from birthdays to work anniversaries, is a simple but powerful way to show employees they matter. The Gallup/Workhuman research cited earlier found that while only 37 percent of employees say their workplace commonly recognizes non-work milestones, those who do are 67 percent more likely to be engaged and 74 percent more likely to feel connected to their company’s culture.

Companies that make these celebrations a habit see real results. As O.C. Tanner noted, at Zions Bancorporation, leaders get reminders about upcoming employee anniversaries and are encouraged to send personal notes. That simple step led to 30 percent more anniversary messages being shared and many more moments where employees felt noticed and appreciated.

8. Develop employee connections.

Strong connections at work don’t just happen magically — they’re built through shared values and a clear sense of purpose. When employees understand the company’s mission and how their role contributes to it, they feel more connected to the organization and each other.

The Gallup/Workhuman research shows that recognition tied to company purpose makes employees more likely to see their work as meaningful. By regularly communicating values and showing how day-to-day tasks support broader goals, leaders help teams stay engaged, productive and aligned.

Simple gestures make a big difference. You might celebrate how a project supports the company’s mission, encourage team collaboration, or share real examples of employees showing the organization’s values in action.

9. Give specific recognition.

A pat on the back is great, but it doesn’t always stick. Recognition is most powerful when it’s about something specific, such as what the employee did and why it mattered. For example, instead of saying “thanks for your hard work,” a manager might say, “Your clear presentation helped the client understand our solution and made the meeting a success.”

By naming the achievement and its impact, managers show genuine appreciation and encourage the same positive behaviors in the future.

10. Personalize employee recognition based on employee needs.

According to the O.C. Tanner report, recognition has the biggest impact when it’s personal, genuine and tied to a clear contribution. For this reason, take time to learn how your team members prefer to be recognized; some may appreciate public praise, while others value a private thank-you or a thoughtful note. 

The report found that when recognition feels personal and genuine, employees are 14 times more likely to find it inspiring. That kind of impact helps people stay motivated, feel connected to their work, and want to keep growing with the company.

The benefits of employee recognition

Recognizing your employees isn’t just good for people, it’s good for the business. Done well, recognition lifts engagement, strengthens culture, and improves retention. Here are the biggest gains:

• Recognition boosts engagement and sparks new ideas. O.C. Tanner’s report showed that recognition motivates most employees: 73 percent feel inspired when they’re recognized, and 65 percent feel inspired even when they hear about others being recognized. Additionally, organizations with integrated recognition see employees seven times more likely to feel inspired to try new things. Note that recognition has the strongest impact in the days and weeks after it happens, underscoring the value of frequent moments, not once-a-year awards. 
• Specific, meaningful recognition improves performance. Gallup/Workhuman found that when feedback and recognition are specific, productive and meaningful, employee experiences improve and productivity increases.
• Recognition builds trust and well-being. The Gallup/Workhuman report also found that employees who say recognition is a real part of their culture are 4.2 times more likely to believe their organization cares about their overall well-being — a core trust signal between employees and leaders. 
• Recognition reduces turnover and strengthens commitment. The Gallup/Workhuman report revealed that employees who feel well-recognized were 45 percent less likely to leave over two years. When recognition feels inspiring, they’re four times more likely to want to stay at least another year and six times more likely to feel fulfilled at work.
• Recognition reinforces purpose and culture. According to the Gallup/Workhuman report, employees who receive high-quality recognition are nine times more likely to be engaged and 12.2 times more likely to feel connected to the organization’s culture. Recognition also helps employees see how their work creates value and purpose.
• Recognition supports employee mental health. According to the O.S. Tanner report, in supportive workplaces, employees have 47 percent lower odds of depression, 44 percent lower odds of anxiety and 88 percent lower odds of employee burnout. For employers, that means less workplace absenteeism, better focus and a team with the energy to do great work.