Americans’ relationship with work has been on edge lately. Remember the quiet retirement wave that happened in 2022?
In surveys over the past few years, Gallup researchers have found that only about a third of American workers are engaged in their jobs — a concern for businesses and the economy.
Luckily, researchers have found a very simple solution: Recognize employee achievements.
Meaningful feedback changes the way people feel about their jobs, says Maisha Ann Martin, senior director of people analytics and research at HR software company Workhuman, who worked with Gallup to track the career paths of more than 3,400 workers over two years.
Across many industries, employees who received high-quality job evaluations were 45% less likely to leave their jobs between 2022 and 2024.
“It’s important to catch good behavior where it is,” Martin says. “Imagine if you were doing something at work that no one saw and no one cared about. You can imagine how demoralizing that would be.”
She also says it’s important to value people for who they are, not just their work.
“You’re sending a signal that says, ‘We’re watching you, we’re watching your special sauce, and here’s your special sauce.’
An antidote to loneliness and stress
When it comes to recognition, several factors appear to lead to increased retention: First, people feel less lonely when they are praised for their contributions.
“It creates a community and makes people feel connected to one another” so they don’t have to look for work elsewhere, Martin said.
The study points out that cognition can also serve as an antidote to stress.
Gallup asked survey respondents if they had felt stressed the previous day, and those who said they felt recognized at work reported lower levels of stress and burnout than those who said they hadn’t.
“(Perceptions) don’t change the objective reality, but they do change the subjective perception of what’s going on,” Martin said.
Recognition drives professional development
Another finding that emerged from the longitudinal study is that high-quality feedback leads to enhanced professional development.
That’s the experience of Andy Hernandez: While working in auto loans in Greenville, South Carolina and trying to figure out how to get ahead, he decided to use his own time to learn Excel so he could use it on the job.
He started pitching ideas using his newly acquired skills, and his managers liked what he was doing and told him so.
“It was motivating to know that all this extra work I was doing was not only being recognized, but also helping to show that I was ready to take the next step,” he says.
He worked his way up the ranks, eventually becoming a team leader, and he said he looked for opportunities to show his appreciation for his team, even going so far as to bring over tacos and a giant tres leches cake made by his mom.
Young people expect more recognition
Gallup and Workhuman found that there are generational differences when it comes to the desire for feedback.
Young workers are less attached to their workplaces than their parents’ generation and therefore have a strong expectation of being appreciated.
“I think the younger generation, to their credit, are coming into work and thinking, ‘I want to spend time with my family. Work doesn’t have to be my life,'” Martin says.
Luckily, corporate leaders are increasingly recognizing the importance of praise in the workplace.
Gallup and Workhuman found that by 2024, 42% of senior executives say their organizations value employee recognition, up from 28% in 2022.