Gratitude, something that separates good bosses from the others

No business succeeds on the might of just one man. Sure, it can be an individual’s vision but there are many others who put it together and give it shape.

A good boss is someone who is an aggregator and retainer of talent. While a great boss is someone who is genuine, honest and very importantly, grateful to those who share his vision and bring it to life. Gratitude is a very important aspect of business. It is what made the old mom ‘n’ pop stores last as long as they did in the past. Their owners treated their staff as family, engaging in their troubles as if they were their own, celebrating their joys and thanking them for being good and honest in their work. Such recognition has been one of the key factors in maintaining a high happiness index among employees for ages.

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Moving to the present, where we are in an exploitative culture where big corporate entities hardly respect their employees – almost treat them like savage beasts. I bet you my bottom dollar that this era will soon see a rapid decline. The employers of today need to treat their employees with respect and recognition, more than just meaningless cogs in the machinery.

If you are a willing employer, but unsure of how to convey your vote of thanks or that long-pending pat on the back of your employers, here are a few ways to show your appreciation for those who help sustain your business.

A simple “Thank you” goes a long way

According to an insightful article on inc.com, “Start saying "thank you" as often as you can for all the little things your employees do. And don't wait. The more time that passes between great performance and praise, the lower the impact of that praise."Immediately" is never too soon to say thanks.”

Would you ever wait for the ‘right time’ to tell an employee how their mistake cost you a fortune or a client? No you wouldn’t. If you are so meticulous in casting censure, why does appreciating the same employee takes time?

In the culture of McDonald’s and CCD’s, where employee appreciation is treated with a name and a photo pinned on a dilapidating employee of the month board, most employers think of making a big deal of thank you or not thanking at all. They swing between these opposing pendulums for reasons like:

“If I thank them in front of everyone, they’ll know how good I am as a boss”

“Why should I thank them? They are just doing their job.”

A simple thank you is a matter of doing it right or saying it at the right time and not going overboard. You are merely affirming a fact that an employee or a team performed well, that’s all there’s to it.

Take them out for lunch or dinner

Now that’s two things rolled into one. When you take your employees out for a meal and chilled beer, you discretely acknowledge their contribution. The outing will also give your team a chance to bond outside the walls of your office. Once they are in a relaxed environment, where work pressure, deadlines and other scary office politics is not throttling their existence, they will step out of their shells, shuns their garbs of reserve and connect with you as a person and not as the corner office enigma.

Let them know when they outdid you

“I couldn’t have done it better myself.” That could be the single most greatest motivational speech ever. A grounded, confident employer will regard and value good work with respect. They are not threatened by an employee’s performance being better than their own nor are they worried that the employee might leave the company. On the contrary, an honest and humble boss feels it their duty to convey their gratitude to their employee for outdoing him or herself.

A strong-headed employer is confident and it’s this honest confidence that gives them the courage to express their gratitude most willingly and without being mawkish.

When you thank your employees for their good work, you convey to them the fact that often escapes their own conscious mind, that they are important to your business and its success.