The power of appreciation

Appreciation is appreciated
CareerBuilder conducted a survey^*1 among 3,008 workers to find out who was most likely to change jobs. Of the 18% that said they’re generally dissatisfied with their jobs, more than half (58%) plan to change jobs in the near future. Why are they so unhappy? 66% cited concerns over salary and 65% said they don’t feel valued.

Most of us know from experience how good it feels when someone at work actually thanks you for doing a good job. When it happens, you feel yourself grow an inch taller and your self-esteem tank is filled up, you have a new kick in your step.

But in your experience, how often do you get thanked or shown appreciation for your work efforts? Or how often do you thank others for their contribution?

In the rest of this article I’m going to explore why we often don’t show appreciation (especially in Australia). I’m also going to show how the Christian worldview is a positive contributor to people being valued and appreciated in their workplaces.

Why don’t we do it
If giving appreciation is such a powerful motivator, why is it lacking in so many workplaces, especially in Australia?

Maybe in Australian culture, our lack of appreciating people stems from our convict roots. Convicts and soldiers in the early colony weren't exactly into affirming each other! It was ‘dog-eat-dog’!

Fast forward 225 years. The Australian workplace can still be a place of competition between peers who are vying for recognition and the success of their projects.

Managers and executives might hold back positive feedback because they are insecure and feel threatened by bright, talented people who are rising up through the ranks.

Maybe people are just so busy trying to achieve unrealistic management targets that they are in 'survival mode' and don't have the headspace to remember to thank other people?

It’s still ‘dog-eat-dog’.

How a Biblical worldview helps
Now I’d like to show how the Bible encourages honest and sincere appreciation of people, by teaching:

1. Love. The Bible encourages people to love God and to love other people. Showing sincere appreciation of other people and their talents is an expression of this. This love for others is powered as a response to God’s love for humans.

“We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19 NIV)

2. God-given gifts. The Bible teaches that people are made by God with God-given gifts. These gifts are to be used for the greater good. Recognising and appreciating people’s gifts is acknowledging God’s good purposes for our world.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV)

3. Christian bosses. The Bible encourages people who are bosses and who follow Jesus to provide their workers with what is "right and fair" (Colossians 4:1). This includes recognising good work and effort while giving positive feedback where appropriate.

I’m not saying that non-Christian bosses are incapable of showing appreciation to their workers. Any wise manager will realise that it’s good business for their staff to feel appreciated and valued.

All I’m saying is that people who take the Bible’s teaching seriously have extra motivation to show appreciation and gratitude to the people who work for them or with them.

Let’s put into practise the power of appreciation. Thank you for reading this :)

Notes
^{*1 Author: Jacquelyn Smith (24/1/2014). Title: Why Your Top Talent Is Leaving In 2014, And What It'll Take To Retain Them. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2014/01/24/why-your-top-talent-is-leaving-in-2014-and-what-itll-take-to-retain-them/}

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^{Photo by Ann H from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/thank-you-text-on-pink-surface-11142216/}