Appreciation is a basic need of an employee because it encourages him to contribute even more and also makes him loyal to you. Appreciation is an act of showing how valuable you think the person is in your eyes. Even outside of the workplace, appreciation is the basic desire of every human, be it husband, wife, friends, parents, or your children.

Every employer wants to see the best performance from their employees because that's exactly what makes their company successful. Some employers believe that money is the only motivator and the only way to show appreciation, but in fact, it is not.

According to Herzberg's theory, money is not a good motivator. I believe that it's a fact (except for those who are really in need of urgent cash). That means employers can appreciate their employees at zero cost or the least cost. Although it is advisable to offer some monetary bonuses for valuable work. Employers don't necessarily need to give bonuses if they don't want to. They can also use free ways to show their appreciation.

Let's discuss those 3 ways that you can use to show your appreciation as an employer to your employees.

1 - Thank your employees by name in company meetings.

Meetings often take place in companies. If your employee has done some valuable or praiseworthy work, you should mention that in one of your meetings (in front of other employees). If it is suitable, take their name openly and thank them for their valuable work.

Thanking in a meeting will serve two purposes:

• Your employees will be satisfied and feel much happier to see that you are praising them in front of others.
• Other employees will try to improve their performance so that their name could also be mentioned in a similar fashion.

It is not necessary to thank them in a meeting, and doing so in private or by an email will still motivate. However, I believe that it's best to show appreciation in public rather than in private. Though your thanks to him privately will still motivate him, the resulting motivation doesn't compare to that coming from public praise.

2 - Asking your employees their opinions during your decision-making process.

This is one of the most powerful methods to express your appreciation, and show that you value an employee. It is a privilege for most workers to be invited into the decision-making process. When you do so, it will motivate them greatly, and likely create a stronger sense of loyalty.

Furthermore, if it is done publicly (i.e in a meeting) then the results can be even more pronounced. However, don't forget to explain the reason why you gave that individual the privilege to share their opinion in your decision-making process. Otherwise, their coworkers may start thinking negatively about you because it could appear like you don't value their opinions. Explain the employee's valuable work in such a way that could motivate other workers at the same time.

3 - Offer some kind of status to employees

According to Herzberg's theory, money is not a good motivator, but status is. If you can provide them with some kind of special status, which could be used as recognition for his hard work, it's advisable to do so. For example, you can offer an employee a separate room in the office or a nameplate (with a title) outside of his room. This will surely increase his confidence, and his loyalty towards your company will increase.

You can also offer some career opportunities to them, and raise their status from something like Junior to Senior. Employees value promotions and increased status, even if it doesn't always mean a pay raise. That's often one of the main reasons why they put significant effort into the job.

If giving one employee a promotion, be sure to talk with any others who may have felt like they should have been next in line for that job. Ensure that they feel appreciated, so they don't start thinking negatively about you and rid themselves of jealousy toward the promoted employee. According to Pakistan, it is often noticed that people start hating their colleagues just because of said colleague's promotion, so you must proactively manage that jealousy.

If you're an employer, try using these tips to motivate your employees. I think you'll see a significant positive change when you start showing more appreciation toward your team members.

If you're like most of us and not an employer, showing your appreciation towards people in your life is a great way to make friends and feel more appreciated yourself.