Art of appreciation - how to thank your team

Appreciating your colleagues for their personal and professional skills creates a positive environment in a team. A study by the American Psychological Association showed 93% of valued employees were motivated to perform better.

There are many ways to recognise hard work by peers and team leaders - either a virtual pat on the back or a shout-out. Whether you have a dedicated recognition portal or an informal setup, you can always find a reason to thank your team.

Digital gift cards are easy to send and provide freedom of choice.  Got someone who enjoys ordering a delicious meal from their favourite restaurant? An Uber Eats voucher will make them happy. How about the movie buff who loves catching a movie with their kids? A movie voucher makes an ideal choice. Don’t worry if you are still learning the likes and dislikes of your peers; a gift card is always appreciated.

Isn’t it refreshing to see a meeting invite that doesn’t feel like one? Taking time out on a busy day to appreciate the team boosts their morale. You could recognise a peer for going the extra mile for a project or putting out the fire when you needed them. Dedicating time to appreciating your team shows how important they are to you. Your gesture doesn’t have to be huge. Hoodies, coffee mugs with fun messages, and good quality water bottles make a great gift for teams.

Compliments don’t always need to flow from management to team members. It can be between peers as well.  Leaders can exemplify the behaviour by recognising efforts often and in an open forum. If you have a rewards and recognition portal, use it to the fullest and remind your peers to use it. A short message or heartfelt email congratulating someone for their outstanding work sets an encouraging environment.

Say it with a cake, say it with a smile, and take them by surprise. Compliment someone when they least expect it. On a mundane Wednesday, send a Thank You message to a busy peer.  Perhaps it was someone you worked with briefly and who made an impression. Or a team member who saved you from a pile of files. If you are the leader, encourage them to take a day off for all the extra hours they have been putting in for that long project. Sure, schedule it carefully so that it doesn’t affect your business, but you can be sure it will be well appreciated.

Sincere praise when it’s due is valuable, and there is such a thing as too many compliments.  Rewarding should be mindful. Else you end up overdoing it.  Everyone gets a trophy that might work with young children at a junior league game but not with adults. Complimenting everyone and often can lose its meaning.  Also, be mindful about when to congratulate the entire team and when to make it about an individual. You don’t want an individual’s effort to be overshadowed by a generic compliment. Neither do you want only one person credited for the team’s hard work.

Small courtesies like being thanked for a job well done are always appreciated. Isn’t it time you reflected on how you can thank your teammates?

Take a break from work with Optus Pause to appreciate the people who make work a better place. By tapping the pause button, you can control the Optus mobile and home Wi-Fi connections from My Optus app.