When was the last time you said "thank you" and showed your appreciation for work that has been carried out by members of your team?

We all know that recognition and appreciation are way up there as key motivational drivers for everyone, yet we often fall short of recognising people for what they have done and achieved.

Some say that people are paid to do their work, so surely that is recognition enough! Others ask why people should be thanked for adequate work or shown appreciation for an average job?

Well, everyone needs to feel that they are noticed and feel valued – it’s pretty basic human nature, isn’t it?

So how do you make sure that you notice, appreciate and recognise the people you lead?

Firstly, take time to find out how much feedback each of your team want and how they want to receive it – particularly when things have gone well. When you give feedback, make sure you reinforce this behaviour by saying how much it is appreciated.

Then, build in ways to recognise success (goals, targets, intentions, etc.) and have these serve as a trigger to remind you to celebrate with your team.

Lastly, remember to enjoy the act of recognising and valuing the people that work with you – the more you do this and enjoy it, the more it will become a hard habit to kick!