On this Employee Appreciation Day, why personalization is key
Author: Tom Starner
Employee appreciation—beyond providing the basics of salary and benefits—is one of the most overlooked ways business leaders can drive engagement and retention, experts say. With Employee Appreciation Day happening nationwide on March 1, some employers are gearing up to show their employees how much their efforts are valued—though, according to new research, not enough.
A recent poll from Gallup found that fewer than one in four employees said they had received memorable recognition from their CEO. Learning management system TalentLMS also recently found that more than 60% of workers polled said they don’t receive regular appreciation from managers.
Yet, according to a recent survey of 1,500 U.S. employees from Snappy—an employer gifting provider—moments of employee appreciation truly matter. For example, Unwrapped: Snappy’s 2024 Workforce Study found that 91% of working Americans surveyed reported they want their company to recognize employee contributions with tokens of appreciation, such as gifts, company “shoutouts” and other acknowledgments.
More than 75% of people said a “meaningful gift” makes them feel appreciated at work, positively impacting retention and engagement. The survey found that among employees who plan to stay in their current roles this year (78%), the top factor that mattered most to their retention was feeling appreciated and valued. That was particularly important to younger workers.
