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A coworker compliments your sweater, remarking that it’s just your color. Do you:
a) Give a bright “Thank you!” and tell them where you got it.
b) Say, “Thanks, it was on sale.” (insinuating it’s not that special).
c) Say thanks, but feel suspicious. Do they mean that? Was there a hint of sarcasm?
d) Murmur thanks, feeling a flush of embarrassment rise in your cheeks.
e) Thank them and immediately change the subject. You don’t want to make a big deal out of it!
Lots of people admit they’re not great at accepting compliments. But we forget that dishing out compliments can feel awkward, too. You meant it, but do they know how much you really mean it? Where do you get off praising these people, anyway?
These fears are common when frequent positivity isn’t completely normalized in a company culture. Get ready to be the change as we share how to give praise at work.
Why is it hard to give sincere praise at work?
Sincere and positive recognition is unknown territory for some leaders. Many didn’t receive personal acknowledgment on their ascent and it feels, well, too personal. Earlier generations are more accustomed to workplace cultures that focus on what’s wrong rather than what’s right. They didn’t build their companies to facilitate supportive praise.
Maybe you’ve experienced that, too. Transitioning to a workplace that understands the value of praise and recognition is a type of very real culture shock. Other common causes for scant praise in a work environment:
- Competitive jobs where people are pitted against one another
- Siloed workers and isolated departments
- Insecurity around wording due to unfamiliarity or a lack of rapport
- Fear of it seeming unprofessional in a more corporate setting
No matter the problem, it’s never too late to learn new ways to give praise at work.
How to give praise at work: Solutions to common recognition mistakes
Older research associates praise at work with hand-holding, dependency, and other childhood education topics. Newer, more comprehensive research finds it’s necessary for higher retention. Younger generations even expect it. The catch is that they expect authenticity and honesty, too.
Instead of offering generic advice, here are some specific strategies that get to the root of the problem.
Praise problem #1: I don’t know how to say “great job” like I really mean it.
Being unsure that you know how to say “good job” or “great work” is an excellent sign, actually. It means you understand the most common problem with professional praise: dry as a desert.
You may even overcorrect and wade into hyperbole, but “That was the greatest job ever!!!” is somehow even less believable.
No worries, this is Professional Praise 101-level stuff.
Solution: Learn how to praise someone professionally without sounding generic.
Honesty can make giving feedback difficult. Unless that feedback happens to be positive! Injecting more honesty is what makes praise seem genuine and special.
Genuine praise that lands is both specific and timely. Instead of telling someone they did a great job, tell them what was great about it in just a few extra words. Their efficiency, attention to detail, good attitude, whatever.
Next, make it timely by praising the behavior or quality ASAP. Timely praise is more believable because it just happened–you didn’t waste time deliberating about whether or not they deserved the praise.
As soon as someone finishes a presentation: “Great job, Emily, the way you explained that data clarified a lot.” Emily is going to believe and receive this much more than “Great job” some hours, days, or weeks down the line. Moreover, she’s going to be inspired and intrinsically motivated to continue doing great work.
Some natural eye contact helps, too. 👀
Praise problem #2: Compliments make me cringe! I feel too awkward.
We don’t need to go too far into the psychology of why praise and compliments feel awkward. But if it helps, a lot of people simply have subconscious fears of rejection or exclusion in the workplace. That can seep into normal interactions, like giving a colleague their rightful praise.
What you do need to know is that it gets easier with practice. You might feel a little vulnerable at first, but that’s just part of a workplace culture where people trust and support one another.
Solution: Learn how to praise someone professionally in writing.
If you’re worried you’ll stumble on your words or say a not-quite-right thing, put it in writing first. Management and leadership will find that handwritten notes are a preferred form of recognition for some employees.
Everyone can practice in the team chat or via email, too. HeyTaco users get into the habit by using Taco Tags. Core values keep it professional, and typing something short and positive is far less awkward or stressful than stammering it out on the fly. Putting it in writing gives you a minute more to confirm that it says precisely what you want it to.
Check these qualities off before hitting send:
- Specific
- Concise
- Positive
- Error-free
Keep it up. It won’t be long before you’re practically known for praise. Saying it out loud will be a natural next step you’ll hardly hesitate to take.
Praise problem #3: I’m way behind on recognition and don’t know where to start.
Just starting to recognize the value of praise in the workplace? Are you right at the beginning of a recognition program? Or did you drop the ball on positive acknowledgement?
This can lead to worries that it’ll seem forced or “out of nowhere” when you do start pointing out awesome contributions. You also don’t want to come in with the appearance of favoritism.
Solution: Learning how to praise a team for good work.
First, if the company is shifting strategy or starting a recognition program, make all employees aware.
Settle into giving praise by celebrating a whole group. Whether they’re in a particular department or collaborating on a project, team praise is a great way to acknowledge specific efforts without raising any “suspicions.”
Some ideas/examples:
- “I’ve been a little distracted lately, but you guys have been doing great work. Coffee’s on me today.”
- “You guys pushed hard through that last milestone. I don’t want you to get burned out. Let’s take the rest of the afternoon, and I’ll let you pick some team-building activities.”
- “This group has been great at delegating tasks. How about you guys decide who handles which part of this project?”
Praise problem #4: Am I even qualified to give praise?
Whoa, imposter syndrome. Some people doubt that praise even means anything coming from them. This isn’t something we need to unpack–everyone is as worthy of giving praise as they are receiving it. Everyone.
It’s critical to a culture that understands the value of positive recognition. Free-flowing, genuine appreciation. Not top-down-sanctioned, compulsory, by-authorization-only recognition.
Solution: Get familiar with peer recognition.
When peer-to-peer recognition is part of the company culture, no one ever wonders if they’re important enough to offer praise. Here’s how HeyTaco does it:
Every person has five virtual tacos 🌮 to give out in the team chat every single day. Tacos are tracked and displayed on two optionally visible public leaderboards: tacos given and received. It’s a fun, low-stakes practice that helps people build a habit of public praise and positive acknowledgement.
There are plenty of ways to nail peer recognition. But gamifying it and offering rewards support strong participation and gradual, natural connection.
Crash course! More tips for giving praise in a work environment
Hopefully, we’ve addressed whatever it is that’s held you back from praising employees or colleagues. But if you need more ideas for workplace positivity and acknowledgement, there’s much more to explore:
- Don’t forget Employee Appreciation Day! It’s the perfect opportunity to offer specific praise in a message or during a team activity.
- Break the ice with interesting questions and praise the most creative or funny responses.
- Get dozens more ideas for personalized thank-you notes, public shout-outs, and appreciation walls.
- Don’t let praise pile up. Explore monetary and non-monetary reward ideas to reinforce engagement and motivation.
Let HeyTaco show you how to appreciate someone for good work.
Don’t let hangups over professional praise hold you back from workplace happiness. If you want to implement a system that’s simple, fun, and doesn’t feel awkward, we’ve got you!
Take HeyTaco for a spin risk-free and let us know how much easier workplace praise becomes.
How to give sincere praise at work FAQ
How do I give praise without sounding patronizing or condescending?
Praise feels condescending when we use uncharacteristically flowery language or a syrupy tone of voice. Simple, accessible language sounds more believable. Adding objectively true detail also helps.
What is false praise?
Offering praise with a hidden agenda is the most common example of false praise. For instance, heaping praise on an employee in the days or hours before you ask them to take on extra work.
What are some good appreciation messages at work?
Being specific, honest, and on time is the best way to write a message. But if you’d like it to be occasion-specific and more meaningful, here are many tips and examples of professional thank-you messages.
What is breadcrumbing at work?
Breadcrumbing uses unfulfilled promises to try to engage employees. Praising someone with statements like, “I see you making big upward moves,” or “I’m going to suggest a raise during your next performance review,” without actually doing so is breadcrumbing.
