How to Make Your Employees Feel Valued

Employees are the best assets you can have on your business. And just like any other asset, cash, inventory, machine, equipment or building, they should be identified, recognized and accounted at the right value. Besides, they deserve more value than those nonliving things, right? Humans are packed with natural and even beyond natural intelligence and emotions. That is why if you manage people, you should not only be careful, but should be extra careful in dealing with them. An employee who will not feel valued or appreciated will certainly be frustrated, demoralized, unproductive, and eventually wish to quit working with you. Thus, you’ve got to do something to make your employees feel more valued and keep them happy, motivated and productive. Here are 8 ways you can do to make that happen.

1. Utilize them

Assign them to tasks that can make them work effectively and efficiently. Don’t make them idle. As a manager, you should spend time, attention and efforts on evaluating and analyzing your employees’ data to determine how you can utilize and optimize them.


2. Protect them

Valued things are reserved and not overused. Be generous and give them short breaks daily and vacations regularly to cope with tiredness and stress they get from work. Get your employees insured. You can also give them free regular medical and dental checkups to ensure that they are always healthy.


3. Honor them

Recognize your worthy employees by giving awards. Make it more frequently so that other employees who don’t receive those awards will be more motivated. You may try to honor and recognize your “employee of the month”. You can also add other awards, such as “the most punctual employee of the week” or other awards that can be exciting and can boost their morale.


4. Pay them

Money is valuable, and we cannot deny it. If you want to make your employees feel more valued, then stop compensating them cheaply. How you will base their salary? Well, look around your industry. If you’re paying them less than what your business competitors are paying to their employees, then you are perhaps undervaluing your employees. Employees of different companies who happen to be friends can always talk and compare their salaries. Try to not make your workers ashamed to disclose their salary to their friends.


5. Develop them

Give value to their future and potentials. Train them and develop their skills. Don’t forget or ignore their professional and personal development. Again, don’t neglect your responsibility to analyze your personnel’s performance evaluation. There, you should determine the weakness, strengths, potentials, and the training needs of your employees. Consider giving them the opportunity to develop themselves not only as a better employee, but importantly as a better person.


6. Listen to them

Unlike machines, people talk about their ideas, desires, intentions and feelings. Thus, if you want your employees to feel how it is to be treasured by their employer or manager, then listen to their voice. It doesn’t require you to pay them money; it only requires you to pay time, attention and respect.


7. Show them

If you are listening but not acting on what you have listened, then it’s not enough to make them feel appreciated. You’ve got to show them that you are doing something about what they say. Don’t just promise and leave them hanging, but walk the talk. Everyone wants a leader of action… and of completion.


8. Bring them with you

Don’t leave them behind. When you achieve success, when you become richer, and when your business becomes bigger, make sure to bring your employees with you. Share the credit and glory to them. Remember that they are working hard to help you build your business and achieve its goals. Therefore, be grateful. A simple and sincere “thank you” can already make them feel valued.


Final thoughts

There are many other specific ways you can try to make your employees feel more valued, treasured, appreciated, and respected. Just spend time and energy in communicating with them not only as a boss or employer, but also as a better friend whom they can always rely and trust to. Remember that you aren’t the only one who can offer or give that feeling to them. There are many companies and employers whom they can always decide to go with. Therefore, make sure that you are giving them the value that can stand with the competition.

 

Image credit by Matt Brett