Empathy and Employee Recognition | The Value of Human Experience
As humans, we naturally strive for connections and recognition from others, whether it’s appreciation from peers at work, being supported by friends or simply enjoying a quick chat on a lunch break. These scenarios all illustrate the importance of empathy and recognition, which go hand-in-hand to boost people!
In the workplace, these both also improve employee engagement and long-term productivity. Why? Because strong connections between team members, built on a foundation of appreciation and understanding, help drive motivation and collaboration by bringing people together and encouraging them to excel in their roles.
But don’t just take our word for it! Research shows that almost 70% of employees and 81% of HR professionals agree, emphasising the importance of emotional connections in the workplace. Worryingly, however, less than half of employees feel recognised by their company leaders. Don’t let your team feel the same! Keep reading to discover more about the importance of empathy and recognition, and their relationship, along with ways to foster emotional empathy and appreciation in the workplace. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Why is empathy important in the workplace?
Empathy refers to a shared understanding between people, and the emotional impact that has on each individual. In the workplace, this is hugely important as it affects the overall culture, as well as relationships between employees. Empathy helps foster a supportive, inclusive environment where people can thrive and reach their full potential.
For example, when managers and colleagues show empathy, it validates the challenges their peers face and recognises their efforts which will create a sense of unity within the team. Plus, when people feel understood at work, they’ll naturally engage more with their colleagues which creates a more collaborative, productive workforce. That’s beneficial for everyone, from employees to the CEO!
Why is recognition important in the workplace?
Workplace recognition is the act of publicly appreciating employees and rewarding their achievements. Much like empathy, recognition is a key driver of motivation and morale, while also contributing to a productive, healthy work environment. The reason is that workplace appreciation and peer-to-peer recognition encourage employees to connect and celebrate each other’s positive actions or behaviours. This helps individuals feel valued for the things they do, often providing a much-needed confidence boost or reassurance that they’re doing well at work.
There’s more! When you bring your team together and deliver recognition and rewards in a meaningful way, you’ll also demonstrate empathy by ensuring your people feel seen, understood and appreciated. Again, this will go a long way to improving culture and business performance. Really, empathy and recognition are workplace fundamentals!
Rewards and RecognitionThe relationship between empathy and recognition
Empathy and recognition are deeply intertwined, each impacting the other in a variety of ways. To explain their relationship, we need to go back to the beginning, so to speak! As humans, our desire for recognition starts as children, as we seek validation and approval from those closest to us – like parents, friends or teachers. When we’re then appreciated by those around us, our emotional needs are met, and we get a sense of belonging. However, these connections rely on a mutual understanding of each other’s feelings and needs, which means none of this would happen without empathy!
Now, it’s also worth being aware that for many people the fundamental need to be understood and appreciated continues as they develop and journey through life, eventually winding up in the world of work. In fact, 51% of employees state that recognition from managers positively impacts their morale and engagement.
But as we mentioned earlier, just over half (52%) of employees feel regularly recognised for their efforts, and half think that senior managers receive more recognition than those at a lower level. This indicates inequality and a lack of emotional understanding which will often lead to unhappy, demotivated employees. Of course, we want to avoid that happening! So, we’ve shared our top tips for cultivating a culture rich in empathy and recognition to help your people thrive. Take a look…
How to foster emotional empathy and enhance recognition
Get ready to lift up your employees and help them reach their full potential. Below, we’ve highlighted five fantastic ways your HR professionals and business leaders can improve recognition practices, encourage stronger emotional bonds, and drive better engagement and productivity.
Being thanked and appreciated for a job well done always feels good. But nothing beats being recognised for your achievements with a reward that’s truly memorable and personal. Give your team the appreciation they deserve by introducing a tailored recognition programme that delivers meaningful rewards in the moments that count. Whether it’s peer-to-peer recognition, regular manager feedback, milestone awards or target-based rewards, you can show your team you value their efforts. That’ll not only boost their morale, but it’ll also improve productivity – 74% of employees said personalised rewards would make them work harder!
Personalised Rewards1. Personalised and timely recognition
Without open and honest communication between employees and leaders, your workplace culture will likely suffer, and your team won’t get the connections they need to thrive personally and professionally. However, 76% of C-suite executives believe communication is open, yet only 51% of employees feel the same, clearly showing a misalignment!
So, encourage openness, empathy and recognition by ensuring that everyone from your leaders to your employees practices healthy communication and appreciation of others. You can do this by setting up regular check-ins, feedback sessions and anonymous surveys that give your employees a voice.
2. Improve communication channels
Bias within teams and unfair recognition practices are more common than you may think. Half of employees feel that senior managers are recognised more than those at lower levels. This perceived inequality in a recognition programme will result in it not truly benefitting your team, possibly even demotivating them in the process! Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to make your reward and recognition scheme fairer. Make sure you clearly outline the requirements for being rewarded and give all your team members the chance to get recognised for their work – no matter their level of seniority. This will level the playing field and encourage every member of your team to get involved. A transparent and fair attitude to recognition will also help show your employees you understand their need for appreciation and inclusion.
3. Fair recognition practices
Inspire a culture filled with appreciation and plenty of boosts by encouraging your C-suite to become recognition champions. When you support your managers and senior staff in becoming pioneers in appreciation, you’ll naturally develop an environment that’s filled with positivity and strong connections as more and more employees join in.
Help your leaders recognise team members from all levels, in the moment. This will show the rest of your team that their efforts are valued by those more senior to them, not only minimising recognition bias but also increasing morale. As we mentioned earlier, appreciation from managers is a key driver when it comes to engagement and morale. So, make the most of your leadership team and start cultivating an environment where ‘thank yous’, rewards and celebrations flow freely!
4. Culture of appreciation
When people feel their career growth is supported by their company, they’re 39% more likely to be high performers. Plus, their engagement increases by up to 61%, showing the power of support, empathy and development. As an employer, it’s in your best interest to encourage career growth and provide opportunities to upskill, because it benefits you and your team in the long run. Introducing workshops, staff training and other growth opportunities will help your people reach their full potential while also increasing job satisfaction, motivation and engagement. Be sure to align any resources and tools with employee aspirations and company goals to give them real purpose that will translate into benefits!
5. Champion career growth and development
Unlock the human experience with Boostworks
With the right tools, programmes and initiatives in place, you can give your team the recognition they deserve while also supporting their emotional needs. Even better, you’ll inspire culture of appreciation with strong employee relationships that benefit each individual team member and increase overall business performance. Hooray!
So now you can hopefully see the importance of empathy and recognition at work, it’s time to put them into practice! Whether you’ve already set up schemes or you’re starting afresh, let us help you get the most out of your benefits to genuinely boost your people and your business. We’ve spent 22+ years helping a huge range of organisations help their people thrive with meaningful benefits and rewards. We’re always here to support you in doing the same.
We get people better than anyone and we’ve built the solutions that make a difference. From peer-to-peer recognition on an interactive social wall and personalised rewards to wellbeing resources and comms resources that keep people in the loop, we’ve got it all. Whenever you’re ready to step up your benefits, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to helping you champion recognition and empathy!
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