"Carrie, that presentation that you gave this morning to the council was outstanding."

"Thank you for staying late to get that performance report done, Alex."

Giving feedback and saying thank you for the hard work and late hours that they put in helps to improve their motivation, bolsters performance, boosts confidence, and shows people you value them. It may seem like nothing at the time, but showing appreciation really does increase employee engagement.

A new report from O.C. Tanner, a recognition and rewards company, found that showing appreciation to employees carries a lot of weight in the workplace. After surveying 2,363 office workers, the study found that when employees feel appreciated, and report being appreciated often, they have higher overall wellbeing both inside and outside of work. 

After the recent challenges of Hurricane Matthew, Mount Pleasant, SC, town administrator, Eric DeMoura, took the time to create a "thank you" message on YouTube for all those who served the community during the storm:
 

"On display was your talent, energy, and commitment to duty and public service. So to those of you who are in the field, to those of you still in the field, and to those of you providing the support necessary for them to perform their jobs, thank you and job well done!"
 

For inspiration, watch the video, and thank your staff for the outstanding work they do each and every day.
 

[Learn more about the town of Mount Pleasant, SC and how it prepared for Hurricane Matthew]