How to Make Employees Feel Valued: Proven Strategies for Appreciation

“Don’t confuse being needed with being valued.” This quote is great life advice, but do you know who is least likely to confuse the two? Employees. 

Perhaps you’ve struggled to differentiate between those who rely on you and those who genuinely appreciate you. When this occurs in the workplace, it can linger under the surface, taking a back seat to our responsibilities. 

However, it won’t stay there long. The difference will tug at our brains when someone with fewer responsibilities is given the praise we want. It’ll pop out when we don’t get enough credit for our contributions to a project. And it gets too loud to ignore when we’re asked to do more.

Let’s dive deeper into how to make employees feel valued. We’ll look at the five languages of appreciation in the workplace with examples and ideas for personalizing gratitude. 

The importance of making employees feel valued

Employees who don’t feel valued can still fulfill role requirements. The trouble is that they aren’t motivated to progress and aren’t especially loyal to their employer. They don’t feel meaningful to their job, so their job doesn’t feel as meaningful to them. 

This is a problem when studies show us that an overwhelming majority of employees claim they’d accept less money if they could do more meaningful work.

On the plus side, pretty much any employer can make work more meaningful. (We can’t exactly recommend paying them less, though.😬) Making employees feel valued is a positive yet very sensible practice with wide-ranging benefits for everyone. 

The five languages of appreciation in the workplace

With the why satisfied, let’s start looking at how to make employees feel valued, starting with the five languages of appreciation. 

Each individual in an organization will have preferences among these, with the methods they prefer having a bigger impact on how valued they feel.

Oh, and as a bonus, we’ve included tips on how HeyTaco users can learn to speak all five languages!

1. Words of affirmation

Verbal praise is one of the most popular forms of appreciation. Words of affirmation are positive, specific statements that show gratitude for someone’s behavior. 

Give an employee a shoutout during a meeting, or catch up with them to say, “I see how hard you worked to meet that deadline and really appreciate the effort.”

Most importantly, make it consistent. Employees with higher job satisfaction scores report that they receive some form of recognition (doesn’t have to be verbal/written) every week.

🌮 Tip: Ritualize shoutouts! Companies like Liven have Taco Love sessions where everyone can share praise for individual contributions and team efforts. 

2. Acts of service

Great coworkers perform acts of service all the time. They see someone with a heavy load and offer to help in some way. 

For companies, acts of service that make employees feel valued can involve some kind of flexibility or time off. Let someone who did exceptional work leave early on Friday, give someone their birthday off, or let them compress their work week.

Acts of service can also include providing resources that support their job role. Consider updating equipment or offering some continuing education or training.

🌮 Tip: HeyTaco’s meaningful custom reward ideas include a Fun Day (day off) as well as actual services some employees go wild for, like a spa treatment.

3. Appropriate physical touch

Above all else, appropriate physical touch in the workplace means being aware of others’ personal space and boundaries. 

Still, if you notice an employee who’s fond of sharing handshakes, fist bumps, or high-fives, appropriate physical touch likely is one of their fave appreciation languages. Offer them one! It’ll hit home and build camaraderie. 

🌮 Tip: Getting a high-five from the CEO is a simple yet very effective reward for a great idea or good attitude. 

4. Tangible gifts

Employee gifts don’t have to be large or expensive, they just have to be relevant. A gift card to a restaurant they’ve been raving about, or something pertaining to a hobby or interest they have is very meaningful. 

Since gifts are big crowd-pleasers, it’s also a good way to make whole teams feel valued. Games, a catered lunch, or company swag can be a pleasant surprise after a challenging week.

🌮 Tip: Get tons more ideas with our guide to inexpensive employee gifts. We also share tips on how and when to give them.

5. Quality time

This appreciation language is typically free, yet one of the hardest to come by. Spending time with employees, exchanging feedback, and getting to know them better is one of the most clear-cut ways to make them feel like they matter. 

If regular one-on-ones are a big ask, there are a few other ways management and leadership can offer employees more quality time. Open door “office hours” make them available to employees who need to talk. 

Being present in common areas, such as during lunch or in break rooms, is also a good opportunity to engage. Of course management has other things they can be doing, but choosing to be available to their team makes the team feel higher on the list of priorities.

🌮 Tip: Put a 30-minute 1:1 meeting on the reward menu. Employees who pick this prize can enjoy open communication with leadership on work/career/industry topics of their choosing.

What makes you feel appreciated at work? Examples and ideas to make others feel valued

Looking for more inspiration? The words “Thank you so much” feeling a little worn out? Here are more specific ways and examples to express appreciation and make employees feel seen and important. 

Mixing methods helps appreciation feel more like a natural feature of the work environment, so try a few and see what resonates most.

• A handwritten note: “Thank you for your hard work on this campaign. Your positivity and creative thinking are a huge part of what made it a success.”
• Work anniversary celebration: “Dave’s been with us for a whole 10 years. Here comes the taco truck!”
• Recognizing strengths: “No one on this team excels at time management the way you do.”
• Offering mentorship: “I’m going to introduce you to a senior lead who can guide you as we explore expanding your role.”
• Random check-in: “Let’s catch up on Wednesday to talk about ways we can better support you on this project.”
• Team outing: “It’s time we relax and have fun. Let’s organize a team dinner at a local restaurant.”
• Constructive feedback: “This report shows a lot of promise. Let me share something that could help you improve this one little area.”
• Non-monetary reward: “We’re only working a half-day next Monday since everyone pushed so hard to make last week great.”
• Career growth opportunity: “I’d like you to represent the company at a conference next month. Report back with any trends you pick up on.”

How do you like to be recognized? Questions for personalizing appreciation

Figuring out which of the five languages hits an employee in the feels doesn’t have to involve a ton of guesswork. Slip a few of these questions into 1:1 meetings or regular employee surveys to personalize their recognition and appreciation. 

Depending on what questions you ask, the results can reveal if they like praise to be public or private, what gifts would have more meaning, and what they value most.

• What motivates you to do your best work?
• Do you have any hobbies?
• Do you appreciate handwritten notes?
• Do you enjoy team-building activities?
• How important are flexible work arrangements to you?
• How often should people feel recognized or appreciated?
• Are professional development opportunities important to you?
• Are there specific ways to be recognized that you feel you’re missing?
• How do you feel about receiving regular feedback on your performance?
• Would you consider yourself more introverted or extroverted?
• What made you feel appreciated in previous roles?
• Do you like surprises?
• What is your favorite way to relax?
• How often do you think to recognize or praise your coworkers?

Incorporate some of these into a lineup of check-in questions, and employees will begin to feel valued before the real recognition has even begun. 

Leverage all five languages of appreciation with HeyTaco

Are you inspired to appreciate your employees in new ways that fit seamlessly with your culture and industry? HeyTaco is a fun, flexible partner in peer recognition. Management and leadership can join in, creating rituals and customizing rewards that make people feel like they matter.

Learn how HeyTaco works and try it for free.